Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Yes, I just did it on a 68. The measurements of the wire need to be spot on, as there is a small window that the wire needs to fall into. You need to point the inside portion of the wire at about 10 or 11 O’clock before you start to turn it. Be persistent and remember to push down on the trunk lid. The key being in should not effect it, as a matter of fact the key should turn a little when the rod strikes it. If you hold the key while lining up the rod you might be able to feel when the rod contacts the latch release.
Good luck

theunz wrote: Thu Oct 29, 2020 8:32 pm Yes, I just did it on a 68. The measurements of the wire need to be spot on, as there is a small window that the wire needs to fall into. You need to point the inside portion of the wire at about 10 or 11 O’clock before you start to turn it. Be persistent and remember to push down on the trunk lid. The key being in should not effect it, as a matter of fact the key should turn a little when the rod strikes it. If you hold the key while lining up the rod you might be able to feel when the rod contacts the latch release.
Good luck

Thanks. Endoscope should be at the house later today. I'm going to try to get that up into the trunk next to where the wires exit the trunk floor so I can see what I'm doing.

I admire those of you who can get these things open. I drilled a 1/2" hole in the trunk floor to get the scope up there and see what was going on. When I got to the point that I wanted to trade out the borescope for a sledgehammer, I stopped for the night.
I did manage to get the lock/key rotated back around to the point where I could take the key out. That's a small win, I suppose.
I'll see about getting a stiff piece of wire/thin steel rod tomorrow at Lowe's and see if I can pop it through the license plate hole. I'll lock up the sledgehammer before I begin that process.

Where are you located?

It is important that rod be stiff enough that it won’t flex. It takes a fair amount of pressure to move the lever. I think the piece I used was about 1/8 inch. It just barely went through the license plate hole. make your inside and outside 90* bends parallel to one another, that way you can visualize what the inside of the rod is doing.

spl310 wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:05 pm Where are you located?

Los Angeles, Ca.

theunz wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:10 pm It is important that rod be stiff enough that it won’t flex. It takes a fair amount of pressure to move the lever. I think the piece I used was about 1/8 inch. It just barely went through the license plate hole. make your inside and outside 90* bends parallel to one another, that way you can visualize what the inside of the rod is doing.

Thanks. Yes, I figure it'll need to be pretty rigid.

Reviving this years old thread to post a success story.

I bought my 68 1600 a few weeks ago. It has no keys! Today I managed to open both the hood and the trunk (using the trick I found here). Now I have more walnuts than a man really needs, but also a radiator, shroud, fan and hubcaps. Thanks to everyone here for being such a great resource to help noobs like me.

Your pictures aren't showing up

spl310 wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:48 am Your pictures aren't showing up

Still getting the hang of this, obviously. Do you see them now?

Yes, they are. Looks like some good parts. Not a bumper crop of nuts though...

Just another option for an emergency trunk release tool if anyone is interested - This one goes up through the rubber plug at the bottom of the trunk under the latching mechanism (if you don’t have the plug, you can simply drill a 1/2” hole and put a rubber plug in it). No need to pull the license plate as per the other option.

Cut off the long end of a coat hanger and bend it according to the photo (I just store it under the pass. floor mat for safe keeping).

Also attached is a link to a short 90 sec vid showing how quickly it works (*ADDED: A vid showing the use from the inside at the end of this post).

Practise a few times with the trunk open to get a feel for it, then you’ll be good to go in the event of bad things happening. Without having to hold the phone, and with being able to use two hands, I can pop it in about 10 sec now … practise makes perfect they say



What you’re aiming for to align it to the release latch:

INSIDE LOOK VID:

Any chance you can show that video with the trunk open, feeding the wire up so that we can see it actuating the latch?

Nice lock pick design and demonstration. Works a charm … as long as it is not stored in the trunk.

todd lorber wrote: Thu Nov 04, 2021 10:25 pm Any chance you can show that video with the trunk open, feeding the wire up so that we can see it actuating the latch?

Absolutely Todd - Just added it to the original post.