Front trunk latch adjustment tricks

[gint]

My favorite Okie (or the only I'll admit to knowing) once wrote :


Wowzers. I thought I was the only one out there with a trunk lock tight enough to store Florida ballots. Here's the text version. Dave of Pelican Parts has asked for a photo version and that will follow later, along with the proper names for these parts.

Background: My '75 was just completely restored. Prior to the
restoration, my trunk release worked fine. During the restoration, the in-trunk lock mechanism, the on-hood arm and safety latch, pull handle w. cable, and carrier tube were removed. The lock mechanism and latches were acid dipped and plated so they were clean, pretty and unlubricated. The pull handle and cable were re-used after cleaning, painting and
lubricating. The carrier tube was replaced with True Value's best plastic tubing. When we re-installed the locks, it worked, but it required both arms at max. power to open it. Scared that I was going to break the cable, I decided that ignoring this problem was no longer an option.

Here's what didn't work:
1. Obviously the mechanism must be in proper working order and be well (lightly) lubricated, but even in its clean and now well-lubricated condition, there was no improvement.
2. Tightening the cable didn't help either. (I missed on subtle nuisance to this that an experienced mechanic would have seen immediately. More on this later.)
3. Repositioning the locking mechanisms (lower and on-hood) didn't help. And in fact, this experiment provided some very exciting moments when I was at high speed and I observed that the lock had unlocked itself and the safety latch was all that was between me and something "god awful".
4. Removing the return spring on the bottom of the set-screw latch didn't help. ("Hey, since it got plated, maybe it's not stretching properly." Illusions of a desperate man.)

Here's what worked:
1. In the open position, I discovered the set-screw arm was not extended as far toward the driver's side (cable side) as it could be, and when I loosened the set screw and moved the arm with a screw driver to the right (1/8"- 1/4") and then re-set the set screw, the heavens and my trunk opened up. This meant that when the latch is closed this arm is pushed back to the left and in its proper position (passenger side), and very little effort is needed to move this arm to release the lock.
2. Make sure the tube is securely mounted in its holder on the bottom of the locking mechanism and under all of the body tabs. We had just run the tube up to the lock and not inserted it into its anchor bracket and secured it. (Late night rush to make MUSR.) Securing the carrier tube makes a significant different. "If the carrier tube moves, the trunk stays locked."
3. Check to ensure the hood-mounted arms mate properly with the on-body mechanism. These hood-mounted mechanisms can be moved slightly fore and aft for deeper mating (don't even go there).
4. I re-installed the latch mechanism (on the body of the car) in its deepest location with the existing body slots. Until I did this, and for some reason which seemed opposite to how it should operate, it wouldn't close the lock and stay down.
5. For those with possibly-related trunk water leak issues, check the condition of the trunk seal and if it is in good condition (flexible and w/o gaps) and is making contact all the way around (water hose test) and all the other seals (behind bumpers and in the floor) are in place, move your trunk lock mechanism lower for a tighter seal. A new trunk seal isn't that expensive and a good investment.

If your trunk seal is the original, be prepared for discovering rust under it. We replaced several sections of mine. If you have to replace some of this steel frame, be very careful to never utter these words, "Well, if we're going to re-weld and re-paint that, we might as well..." If you do say these words, be aware you have opened Pandora's box and this will lead to the loss of many thousands of dollars and several of your best years before you can say, "Hey, Why'd we remove every &^%&^* thing? I thought we were just going to fix a water leak."


(Re-printed in it's entirety by permission of the original author)