help! trunk won't open!

[caroline ann]

Help my husband and you'll be helping me!! He's restoring a 1972 911 Targa, (total restor,new paint job). Went to rehang the trunk lid (had a new cable, thought it was installed properly) - but now that it's down and in place it won't open. We're reasoning that there must be an alternate way to release it (without hacking up the paint). ... any advice would be greaaaatly appreciated. Thank you

[project 911]

Caroline-

This happened to me (and others on this board). You might try the search button to find out more on this problem.

What has probably happened is the pin in the uppper deck was out of alignment with the hole in the bottom section. The groove in the edge of the pin gets hung up on the housing below. If you have any doubt about the release being fully retracted, you can unscrew the T handle in the door jam. Your cable will probably dissapear down the hole, but you can fish that out later. With the handle off, the latch will be fully released.
The trick is to try and nudge the hood in every direction without dinging up the fresh paint. Luckly I have a tail that I could use for leverage. It probably just needs to move less than an eighth inch in some direction.
Don't panic... I freaked out and was about to start cutting things when it just popped. After I got it open, I put masking tape across the bottom hole, then slowly lowered the deck until it made an impression in the tape. Then I could tell wich way I needed to adjust things so it ligned up.

If you search, you'll find instructions on what to do if you can't get it worked out. Cutting, drilling, etc. ouch.

Good luck.

[caroline ann]

Thanks Steve. Since you said T-handle, are you referring to the engine (rear)? It's the front lid that won't open (I call it the trunk). Any hints on this -- I tried a key word search and found a few similar questions, but not answers. Maybe I should be using certain key words that I don't know. Thanks : )

[RoninLB]

instructions in the Bentley 911 service man.