Front trunk cable replacement

WYOX19

True Classic
The Queen, previously owned by Bob Brown is an 86 Bertone and I discovered this am that the cable that opens the front trunk is broken. Where can I get a new cable and how is it replaced?
 
There's a set screw on the frunk latch that you undo. You also have to disconnect the swag clip on the lever side (probably cut it off). Then you should be able to pull the cable out of the sheathing from inside the car wit a pair of vice grips.

Unbolting the lever housing from the body and maybe the cable sheathing from the lever housing will make this easier.

I honestly wouldn't recommend reinstalling a single strand piano wire style cable which is what the car came with stock. It will just break again and in my experience the swag clips do not hold the single strand wire well.

Go to your local hardware store and buy a similar diameter and length section of stainless braided cable. It will be much easier to reinstall, will be more durable than the original, and swag clips will hold it much, much better.

Getting the right tension/travel on the cable can be done by adjusting the cable sheath-lever housing overlap. Larger adjustments can be done by preloading the cable and clamping it with the setscrew on the latch mechanism.

It'll probably take you several tries to get right, so buy extra cable and swag clips. Invest in a good swag crimper as well . . .
 
Thank you, I appreciate your advice.
Adding to what aarpcard posted (Hey Tyler!), it can be a PITA to reach that adjustment stop screw. If necessary, keep in mid that you can remove the operating hand lever from its mount on the left side kick panel (two nuts IIRC), remove the two 10mm hex cap screws that secure the latch to the scuttle bulkhead, and then slide the entire cable assembly thru the conduit welded to the scuttle. Pushing the operating lever assy forward allows the cable sheath to slide in the conduit and lets the latch assy slide to the right side of the scuttle enough so that if you remove the black plastic scuttle grille***, you can gain easy access to the latch, the cable sheath, and the inner wire.

***The scuttle grilles have five screws, three into horizontal tabs you can easily see along the front edge, one along the back edge toward the center of the car that's vertical, and one toward the outside of the car that's upside down (look in the mesh of the grille for a filled in mesh opening).
 
glad someone said that. I bought new cables for the engine & rear trunk on my '85 since a PO had killed both. I was fine with them & quite happy with Matt at MWB's service, but I also figured this is an area where my vast bicycle building experience (and huge parts stash) could come in handy. Might need a tandem bike rear brake cable to get the proper length & girth on some locations.

I noticed the cable for the frunk on my '79 seems loose...but not broken...does it simply wrap around the handle & close back into itself to make tension? not worried about it yet since the car isn't really on the road yet beyond test drives, but this bit is "on the list"
 
Jim, if you order the front trunk cable, you should also replace the rear trunk cable as well.
If that breaks, you'll have to hunt the engine compartment to find the emergency pull or start drilling holes.
It's a PITA to install the rear latch cable BTW. Just a suggestion.
 
The front cable is not as long as you would think, and a standard rear break cable worked fine from my memory. Yes, I just wrapped it around the handle and secured it with something like this
RNB-03336_LO_ml.jpg
 
Excellent!

I was thinking of the rear trunk cable being longer....nice brake housings are teflon sleeved and basically designed to be out in the elements, so should be good, eh?
 
Well, Bob, instead of replacing the rear cable, he should try to LOCATE the emergency cable and make sure it is working or REPAIR it. That's a good idea to do it BEFORE changing the rear cable, cause when he will want to make a test, he will be really happy to have the emergency one available if he didn't adjust properly the regular rear cable...

Don't ask me how I know...
 
Well, Bob, instead of replacing the rear cable, he should try to LOCATE the emergency cable and make sure it is working or REPAIR it. That's a good idea to do it BEFORE changing the rear cable, cause when he will want to make a test, he will be really happy to have the emergency one available if he didn't adjust properly the regular rear cable...

Don't ask me how I know...

Emergency cable is must have, now I know too, at least my trunk have big hole for air filter..
 
Well, Bob, instead of replacing the rear cable, he should try to LOCATE the emergency cable and make sure it is working or REPAIR it. That's a good idea to do it BEFORE changing the rear cable, cause when he will want to make a test, he will be really happy to have the emergency one available if he didn't adjust properly the regular rear cable...

Don't ask me how I know...

Ditto. I replaced the trunk emergency cable and the trunk release cable in one job. Somehow in the middle of it I bumped the turnk lid and it latched closed after I removed both cables and before I had replaced them.

Luckily I had the trunk access pannel removed. However it still took about 45 minutes of lying under the car with my arms crammed up behind the engine, cortorted into the trunk through the pannel, feeling around blind for the latch mechanism with a long screwdriver.

One alternative is to drill a hole between the two license plate holes to gain access to the latch mechanism. Didn't want to do that though.
 
How do I locate the trunk emergency cable or where is it?

The rear trunk (aka "runk") emergency release cable is located in the engine compartment, look for a rubber pull ring about the size of a half-dollar (remember those? :) ) tucked between the coolant expansion tank and the inner wheel house.

If you have the Bertone owner's manual (not shop manual), refer to page 26 for an illustration.
 
I replaced mine several times before finally getting to a long-term solution. Here's the thread: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/broken-hood-cable.32046/#post-270469

+1 on the bike cable. Go to a local bicycle shop and ask for a Derailleur shift cable. They are sold with a stop welded on the end and in a standard length of 2300mm. The diameter is 1.1mm, which fits fine in the stock X cable housing. You'll need to crimp a ferrule on the end to make the loop for the X latch assembly. I posted a picture in the thread above.

Good luck!
 
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