Trunk won't open

[kshacklett]

After 35 years my trunk has decided not to open. I've opened it many times since the last time I locked it so I'm pretty sure the latch just came apart somehow.

Before I take my biggest crowbar to it does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Kerry

[R_Davis]

Hey,
Don't do a crowbar thing. But I know what you mean.
Did your key fail? Is the button not working when you push it in? If you push the trunk lid down when you press the button ... sheesh! I'm just trying to brainstorm ...
Rick
( Did you try pressing the button and pulling up on the lid? )

[Rrrockhound]

Is it the front trunk or the rear? For the front, remove the front bumper and you can trip the latch through an opening in the sheet metal. For the rear, you need to trip the latch by working through one of the openings between the rear trunk and the engine compartment. (The cup where the targa top latch fits, I think). I've never done the rear trunk thing, but search here for it and you should find a thread on it. Lotsa luck; I'm sure it's not easy.

[Yahow lam]

That just happen to me, but mine is electric, I cut one of the tail lens then the tail lens cannister, but be very careful don't cut the metal bracket behind it and hope you have small hand reach back there to unbolt the two 10mm bolts. Hope this will help. Yahow

[kshacklett]

A few details: Rear trunk. I opened and closed it Fri. no problem. The next time I tried.....nothing. The button goes in but it doesn't trip anything. I've had a little trouble from time to time when I've locked it then tried to unlock it. Naturally I stuck the key in and jiggled and fiddled for a while. I tried pulling up hard while pushing the button...

I've pried up the corner of the the lid so I can see inside the trunk. I can see the latch just fine but I have no idea if there's some way I can stick something in there and trip it. Maybe someone knows if there's a way.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Go in through the targa top cups from the engine bay, as was already mentioned. Use one for the flashlight so you can see what you're doing, use the other for whatever you will use to try to trip the latch. Or the bunch of taped-together extensions so you can unbolt the receiver from the rear panel.

--DD

[kshacklett]

All fixed!

After prying up the corner of the lid and having a look in there, every possibility that I'd heard or thought of to that point seemed difficult to impossible. Fortunately before getting too frustrated and doing something rash I took my big hammer and gave the button a tap.....it opened.

The question was why did it suddenly stop opening. After quite a bit of head scratching I decided that I was seeing evidence that a piece had broken off the end of the plunger. I finally thought to do what I was foolish not to have done in the first place: I looked at the latch in my 914 that I have covered in the back carport. There was indeed a protrusion that makes contact with the latch.

I was able to drill a small hole where the protrusion had broken off and put a screw in it that happened to be the perfect size. I thought the piece that I drilled was pot metal and that it might be somehow hard to drill, but it drilled easily and behaved more like aluminum.

It's just lucky that it was possible to push the button in just far enough with the piece missing.

[R_Davis]

Congrats,
Proof positive that everything on earth understands a hammer.

[Rrrockhound]

And proof that anything that can break on these old cars will.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Time to pick up a "trunk lock cam". That pin is the part that breaks off and seems to be the most common cause of "can't open the rear trunk". At least, on cars that don't have a electrically-operated latch.

--DD

[R_Davis]

OK ... I'm buying one.
What's the Part Number Dave?
Can kshacklett, everyone on this thread and I get a quantity discount
Rick

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Well, rats! I can't find it in our catalog.... I was pretty sure that Weltmeister used to make one out of plastic ("bulletproof nylon!"), but I don't see it here. Maybe you can search elsewhere for it?

--DD

[Rrrockhound]

The Great Satan sells it, for those so inclined. I won't name names here, but you know who I mean.

[R_Davis]

Now that's funny Dave
Maybe PP's could order a few of those?
Thanks, Brother.
Rick

[lalan]

I once locked my key in the rear trunk. I drilled a 1/8" hole below the button and with a small rod pushed the latch release easily. Plugged the hole with silicon and now you cant even find it.