The cable guy

Ok, not the old movie with Jim Carrey.......
There are a lot of cables on a 356.  Probably the reader quickly thinks of the clutch cable, but here is a list of the ones I am working on.

• Clutch cable
• Heater cables
• Fresh air cables
• Rear deck lid cable
• Front hood cable
• Fuel door release cable (T6 only)
• Parking brake cables

I have already replaced the heater cables- it is actually one long cable with a bend near the center where the T6 lever attaches.  For the fresh air cables, I lubed and reinstalled them when I chrome plated the dash plate and lever.  I've adjusted the clutch cable and lubricated it under the front floor board where it attaches.
This weekend I replaced the cable to the rear decklid.  I had previously removed and lubricated it, but when I reinstalled it, the cable broke at the end right where is passes through the latch.  It's important to know that is a rubbing point and also the point where there is stress when the cable is pulled.  I cleaned and lubed the engine lid latch months ago, and it works great.  I made a small extension to use until this weekend I replaced the cable with a new one.  Installed it with a nice lube as I put it into place.
Here is where it gets interesting....
The cable sold for the engine lid release is the same one as used for the hood release.  In my case engine deck lid cable broke only about 2 inches from the end, and was in great shape otherwise.  Here is the surprise, the cable length to the rear engine lid is LONGER than the length to the front hood latch.  Hmmmm.....
I did not want to have the cable break for my front hood latch, so I removed the latch and gave it a serious cleaning.  It sure was full of dirt and grime.  Came out great after soaking and cleaning with a soft brush.  Photos are below.  Then, to avoid the issue of the front hood cable breaking at the point of attachment to the latch (like the engine deck lid cable did), I simply used the old engine deck lid cable for the front hood cable.  Even though it had lost about 2 inches when it broke, I still had to cut another couple of inches off of it to use for the front hood latch.  Again, the cable was in fantastic shape, so I lubricated it and installed it with full confidence.  After cleaning the latch it was lubricated as well.
Both front and rear cables operate very smoothly now, plus I have a spare cable I could use if I need to cut it down for the fuel door.
​Photos below.

There are brass fittings and screws on a 356.  Perhaps more on the earlier cars, but even on the 356 C cars, there are brass screws in the Zenith carburetors, and brass fittings on the brake lines.
But, there is at least one more spot...
The straight slot screw that goes into the fastener where the rear deck lid cable folds back is, yes indeed, brass.  Of course I had to polish mine!