so it there an easy way to do this without major surgery?
thanks

remove the front bumper and you can get to the latch. 4 bolts, well maybe not with that '75 bumper.

Yes there is - under the bumper is a screwhole - get a screwdriver in there and it will pop open. I'll try and find a pic for you...

You need to remove the bumper btw

Haynes manual Chapter 10 has the procedure and a pic of the hole (Fig 10.15 in my copy)

Even easier with the late bumper ... only two nuts.

thanks guys...was able to have my daughter pull with both hands on the release handle while I pushed and pulled on the front of the hood....the mechanism was releasing part of the way but not all the way....finally after a couple of tries, the hood popped open...
I then readjusted the latch, took all the slack out of the release cable.
Several dry runs just setting the latch by hand as the trunk was open...worked fine.
Finally re-shut the hood and it worked better than it has since I reassembled things...
Should have taken the time to readjust during reassembly

Well done

Bumper bolts on a '75 are out in front under the bumper where all can get easy access, one of the pluses of late bumpers

Squirt some lube into the release cable housing. Helps a lot.

yes it does, and I had lubed the cable several months ago...I was pretty sure the latch was just not releasing completely and that was the case...now all the slack is removed and the latch is readjusted properly.

Also, be sure that the cable is secured at all the factory points. Too much flex will prevent you getting the leverage you need to open the mechanism. BTDT.

For future reference Dan, the small hole dead center of the front panel in the pic of my 73 below gives you access with a flat-head screwdriver to pop the emergency release pin on the lower latch mechanism inside (once you get the bumper off) & is there on all MYs.

Click to view attachment