You replaced the wire the really, really hard way. I cut the wire all off except about 1/2 inch (all the old insulation removed) and solder a new flexable wire on and add a piece of heat shrink up to the metal box to shield the wire so it doesn't touch. I have had 100% success rate this way.
But to the current problem. I can't tell if the spot welded return spring is still there on the backing plate, that should move the plunger back far enough for the hood to drop. The long plunger rod tends to bind in the coil tube. What I always do on these is take your bench grinder and grind the plunger end to a point instead of a blunt end. Step two is I use a postwar coil coupler spring and enlarge the last turn of the spring with a pair of tweezers. Place the spring on the plunger rod with the unwound end back against the plunger. Insert the rod and spring in the rear of the plunger tube. So the plunger rod assembly should spring back when pulled forward. A couple of drops of WD40 and the assembly should work without binding in the tube.
