Tips on Drilling Out Trunk Lock

[flying4fish]

Here's the video:

[MattC]

Hey Michael, Why does the lock tumbler look like it's back to normal position and it's loose? Besides that, it looks like your tool might be a little long if it's contacting the lock lever instead of just the latch arm. In your post in the other trunk lock thread, you said the trunk lid appeared to be not fully shut. Is that still the case?

[C.Costine]

You have some major interference preventing the latch from moving. Time for some serious downward pull by fabricating a puller. Saw a 7/8 hole in the floor, fabricate a tool of two feet of 1/2 inch threaded rod that will hook securely over the latch and not pull off. Build a block of wood for the threaded rod to go through that will bear upwards against the frame AND the bottom of the tank. hook the top end of the puller over the latch and put the wood block up over the rod followed by a couple washers and a nut. Insert your camera and watch as you run the nut up the rod pull the latch down or the bottom of your tank up.

[eye]

It would be cheaper to fly me there than to patch all those holes

[C.Costine]

It would be cheaper to fly me there than to patch all those holes

eye, I am confident that they sell bolts and washers in Hawaii. One 3/4x 5/16 stainless screw, two SS fender washers, and a rubber washer. Maybe if you pay your way Michael will let you install them, .

[eye]

Ok, I confess. I just bought a new paddleboard.

[theunz]

It looks to me that the only thing that would prohibit you from being able to pull down on the latch release is if the lock cylinder rotated 180*. I would try to rotate it 90* and try again.
Since you are not in a hurry to get it open you should try everything you can so you don’t damage anything and cause more work and expense.
Good luck and have patience.

[flying4fish]

I think a hook and pulling straight down via a hole in the bottom of the trunk is the best option. But 1/2" might be overkill...I'll start with something smaller first. If any of you are up for it, it would be really useful if you could put a piece of tape, on the underside of that bracket (that blocks my view), which would highlight the prime target area for catching the trunk latch. Then I could focus on that spot with confidence...it will either work or it won't.

I agree that the lock cylinder has some play in it. I suspect that contributed to the problem. I suspect the new rubber seal put a lot of friction in the moving parts of the latch, and the fact that the cylinder could move allowed the lock lever to spin right through the arc of travel, past the point where it was putting downward pressure. Any one have an idea of how long a hooked tool I need to fabricate to reach the latch?? Distance from bottom of trunk to latch.

Michael

[dbrick]

I had to get PandaBoys trunk open one year, his lever had flipped, same as yours.. Depending on the year, there is a 3/8? hole directly under the latch. I used a Bluetooth borescope/fiberoptic camera and a coathanger. Took a while, but hooked it and opened. Would have been tough working blind. Conversely, with a 3/8 hole, you could get a screwdriver up there and pop the clip.
My car is 280 miles away or i'd get photos. Maybe Facetime with someone with their trunk open?

The method of going through the license plate hole works,measurements are exact, but FAR easier if you can practice on another car with the trunk open and then try the locked one. Difficult to find a spare roadster in Hawaii.
After you open it, put a grommet in the hole along with a trunk release wire. Add one for the hood too, broken hood cable sucks even worse than trunk lock.

[PandaBoy]

I had to get PandaBoys trunk open one year, his lever had flipped, same as yours.. Depending on the year, there is a 3/8? hole directly under the latch. I used a Bluetooth borescope/fiberoptic camera and a coathanger.

Yes, we had a fun morning in Watkins Glen that year. Thanks again Dave.
I have since learned that the reason that the lock flipped is that the PO had installed a cylinder from a door lock instead of the proper one for the trunk. I now use the trunk release wire almost exclusively & have also installed the hood release cable.