Chosen Solution
This set has a small, twisting spring inside the bridge(circled). When a moving car strikes a cone, a lever releases the road piece and it springs up, throwing the car off the bridge.
I need help replacing the spring, disassembling and reassembling the road mechanism. No technical information is available because of the set’s age; Mattel does not typically give detailed readouts of what makes these things work. I need help badly.
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I know you can get an assorted springs set at home depot, maybe you can find the right size/model to replace it, as far as disassembling and reassembling the road mechanism that’s up to you: https://youtu.be/cI6-A3zLS3s