Snapped front trunk handle

[grillage]

Hi all!
I just picked up a 1977 911 targa and am loving it!

However, the other day, I went to open the front trunk and the handle broke off in my hand.

The cable is still intact, but attached to the end of the broken handle which is still in the housing.

I was able to source a new assembly and have moved the lock over to the new one:



So, Now how do I get to the handle assembly to remove and replace it?

I can barely see a couple 8mm bolts that hold it in place but I cant get to them.

If I can get the front trunk open will I be able to see everything?

Oh, and here’s the car:



Thanks!

[Walt Fricke]

Can you drill out the two small bolts from inside the car? Maybe removing the tubular piece (for which it seems you have a replacement?) will allow you to get a tool (thin vice grip?) or something onto the broken end and pull back on it. I am assuming that the end of the handle, into which the cable end screws, is what has broken?

If you do a search you should be able to find where to drill a hole somewhere up front so you can pop the latch, after which all should be easier (or so I recall seeing).

[grillage]

I'm hoping that if I can get the hood open I will be able to see the top of the handle assembly.

The screws are pretty inaccessible




I do wonder, if this piece can be removed?

[917_Langheck]

Knee pads are removable. 10 mm nuts on studs embedded in the pad. Access nuts from under the dash. You may need to be upside down in the foot well depending on access.

[HarryD]

When you finally get the cable replaced, be sure you adjust the cable so that when it snapped it will, by default, open the frunk lid.

[grillage]

I'm pretty sure if I can get the old housing loose from the dash I could open the frunk still by pulling the housing and cable. The cable is still attached to the housing as it sits

but thanks all for the info above!

[Walt Fricke]

I once removed everything from a damaged front end back to about the shift lever,, and from a donor front end, and then reinstalled it all after the donor front end was welded into place by a shop. No memory of the hood latch stuff, so that was straightforward.

If I understand your picture and how the handle tube part is held on, two small bolts are screwed down through the firewall from in the trunk area into the tube part, which has threaded holes. You should be able to drill out those small bolts while lying on your back like a pretzel (removing the driver's seat makes this stuff much easier) and drilling up. Then you pull the old tube part off and should at least see the broken piece on the end of the cable, and hopefully be able to grab it and pull to pop the hood. Maybe lasso it with a piece of wire? Might be less work than following the factory instructions Harry provided you.

When the cable itself breaks, those instructions are about the only way to get the hood open. But here it appears only the threaded end of the handle broke, so the cable is intact.

[grillage]

Thinking I might be able to get the two bolts out with some combination of bendy 8mm wrenches and swearing.

If I can do that, I should be able to open the front hood and then replace with the unbroken one

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by grillage

Thinking I might be able to get the two bolts out with some combination of bendy 8mm wrenches and swearing.

If I can do that, I should be able to open the front hood and then replace with the unbroken one

Yep.

[grillage]

A bent up 8 mm and I was able to get the two bolts free. Got the handle housing off and the hood popped right open!!

I’m going to replace the cable before I reassemble everything.

Thanks all!

[grillage]

To close the loop on my questions:

I had been hoping that there was clear access to the bolts once I got the trunk open but alas.

I got the old handle un-bolted from the car and was indeed able to pull on the whole assembly which opened the hood. Thank god!

I ordered a new cable from our hosts here before I got the handle off -unsure what I’d find when I did.

Anyway, the cause for my weirdly acting handle was that for some reason, the threaded end of the cable in the car - and the one I bought was too long. The handle assembly with the cable on it wouldn’t slide into the cable tube all the way

So I cut about an inch off the end of the cable and re-threaded it M5 0.8
All good now!

Put it back and used my old cable to make an emergency opener that runs into the drivers side footwell

[Walt Fricke]

Way to go!