Noninvasive method for opening trunk and engine lid with missing cables

[Joshua Field]

Despite the cables (both original and emergency) being gone from my new 1980, I managed to get both open without drilling so I thought I'd share the method in case anyone else found themselves in the same predicament.

For the engine lid, I was able to reach up through the engine bay from underneath and hook a coat hanger unto the latch to pull it toward the driver's side. It is a little tricky to thread the hole but you could also possibly just reach it with your hands and pull it too. I left the hanger in there for now until I get a new cable and lever in.

After REALLY looking for the emergency trunk pull, it was definitely missing. I found the trunk latch diagram and realized that I might be able to access it through the license plate holes rather than the drilling procedure I'd read about. I removed the license plate nut from the top left hole inserted a coat hanger with the end bent to a sharp 90 about 4 inches to try and catch the release. After a little fiddling, it caught, I pulled back toward the driver's side and it popped right open. When you hear it hitting the spring, you are in roughly the right spot and just have to make sure the hook is pointing toward the engine bay before you pull it.

Hope that helps someone who finds themselves in the same boat. I'm pleased to report that I didn't find anything awful back there - just some tools, an empty windshield washer bottle, and oddly a bunch of bricks.

 

[Joshua Field]

I'm guessing that this is the emergency trunk pull cable (was in the bottom corner of the trunk in this condition):

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Nicely done.
Mine came with a hole already drilled through the rear panel, so it was easy. And yes, the "emergency" release consists of a piece of dental-floss sized wire (unprotected plain metal wire that rusts through) with a grommet on one end. The remnant of mine was also found laying in the recesses of the bay.

 

[kmead]

Bravo!

Nice work, years ago being the not very bright individual I am, I drilled an additional hole, not thinking there were already holes there...

Thanks!

 

[milan1951]

I redid and lengthened my emergency so well it works better than the handle once engine bay is open. Long bicycle cable to lock hole and a sinker/swager squeezed at cable end. Other hooked up end up under fuel filler swagered onto carabiner and key pull knob.

 

[milan1951]

With X 1/9 practice makes perfect with a little patience, plenty of spray lubricant and occasionally a second pair of hands better than vice-grips

 

[LarryC]

I redid and lengthened my emergency so well it works better than the handle once engine bay is open. Long bicycle cable to lock hole and a sinker/swager squeezed at cable end. Other hooked up end up under fuel filler swagered onto carabiner and key pull knob.

I'm still trying to translate that! Is this in Klingon?

 

[tvmaster]

The flayrod’s come off the tredle...

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I'm sure this was already said somewhere back in this old thread. But the factory emergency cable is a complete joke. It's the size of fishing line, but plain steel so it rusts to even less. And it's just the wire (thread?) laying there. Really, they couldn't have made a real pull cable? Explains why every X I've had already had a hole drilled behind the license plate.

 

[dllubin]

Mine was made of plastic monofilament line with a large rubber grommet as the pull handle. I was surprised it actually worked when I needed to use it to open the trunk a couple years ago. Sounds like they made a change in material.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Mine did have that rubber grommet on the end. But the rusted wire just snapped off as soon as I moved it. I suppose it was a upgrade to go from a plastic thread to a metal one.

 

[tvmaster]

Mine did have that rubber grommet on the end. But the rusted wire just snapped off as soon as I moved it. I suppose it was a upgrade to go from a plastic thread to a metal one.

Sounds like I should pull the latch to see just what’s feeding it.