Help! Can anyone help save what little is left of my  sanity and explain how the bonnet lock spring actually goes in? The factory Ford manual says:

• Insert spring through rear aperture in cross member
• Manoeuvre spring around lock support plate so that spring assumes approximately its installed position
• Connect hood release cable, engage spring arm in its locating hole and secure assembly with clamp plate and screw.
No matter what I try, I can't get the spring anywhere near its final position, as something is always blocking part of it, and the spring itself is too strong to bend to improve access.
Thanks!

 

sorry Flighter, I haven't done it myself yet, so take this for what its worth.
 
Just purely following what you described, and I haven't seen a Mk1, but  what if you connected up the release cable and had someone activate it to add some tension on the spring from inside the cabin, would that give you some movement or wiggle room while you fudge it in place?

Looking at the pic, I feed it from the engine bay under the panel, get the front piece in place then wiggle the cable end thru the slot, I can't remember if there's any flexing to do as it's lightly under tension, but hey keep trying...