help: Trunk won't open
 

1941 Merc Sedan. the Trunk was opening and closing fairly "easy", and then a neighbor SLAMMED the Trunk shut.... now I cannot get the dirtyword Trunk lid to open. the Trunk Handle moves, have unlocked and locked it, but it is stuck solid. will I have to take the rear seats out and go in that way to get it open?? (I am 77 and remember doing that to some old cars wayyyyyy back yonder). or is there another way?? and nope, I did not shoot my neighbor.... he was gone when I came back out loaded... hee hee…. stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Almost sounds like he slammed the trunk hard enough to break something in the latch and the striker has fallen down and the catch can't retract.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

yep. so now what??? have another cuppa coffee?? stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Yes, you are going to pretend your 25 again. Nice neighbor! Doesn't he know you never slam doors and trunks closed?

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

wheeeeee…. oh well.... I am always interested in different ways to "exercise". stay safe
thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

If you could get a pry in between the body and lid at the bottom near the lock area .Lightly pry at the same time use the flat of your hand a tap the lid try the outer rear corners as well as along the bottom ,remember use the complete flat of your hand and a light pry don't go bending the metal of the lid.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Try slipping a putty knife under the lid in the area of the latch and push upward. If that doesn't work then pulling the rear seat is your only option. Be sure you take a flashlight with you and a good screwdriver to pry up the latch.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

roger. will try that. hum. how will I use a pry bar and slap the trunk while trying to turn/pull the trunk open? stay safe thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

yikes... I meant PUTTY KNIFE. stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

If it does come to removing the seat back and crawling into the trunk, get some help from a younger relative/neighbours kid with permission.

Mart.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

5 -5 2-2 !! (redneck 10-4)

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Neighbor probably owns G M cars....must slam doors, hood, trunk or they won't latch.................l o l

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

I would use one of the plastic pry bar type tools available. They are not expensive and I’m sure are available in most stores.
Have your neighbor go pick you up a set :)

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

my neighbor would likely bring me a 4-foot CROWBAR, and then wonder why I did not want to use it... stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Maybe you might be able o put some pressure In on the area of the latch and then try to move the Handle.. The latch might be caught on a lip or inside edge of trunk . Just a suggestion. Also if you had a second person V8 person They might hitting the latch area with a piece of 2x4 wrapped with several layers of a Towel or soft cloth as you try to open it.. Good luck !!

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Until you find the mettle to crawl through behind the seat. Try to find a parking lot with speed bumps. Keep it at about 25-30 mph. :p Might use up some of that adrenaline you've saved for the neighbor. Might jostle the lid skyward. I used to have a '53 the trunk was like a vault.

If or when you do the crawl, think about tight clothing. I like Mart's idea of a smaller and more flexible person. At the very least have some one there in case you need rescued.

I wish my wife would let me come by to help you. Anymore she gets edgy letting me go to the store alone.:D

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Bring the car here to SoCal and park it in the Home Depot parking lot and then go shopping. When you come out the trunk will probably be open. Its happened to me twice.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Try Kerks method first. You may need two people to push on the bottom of the trunk lid,under the lock.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

got side-tracked today. will (maybe) try tomorrow after I find/buy those plastic prying bars. no hurry, it is not tagged as yet. stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Got a neighborhood kid that can go into the trunk from the inside?

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

I hate idiots that like to slam doors and trunks on old cars! I had a jerk that's was a friend go for a ride in my model A hot rod. The first thing he did when he climbed in was to slam the door. He then looked at me and said that's how you can tell if its a solid car. I looked at him in disbelief, I wanted to punch in his head. When I dropped this a__hole off I saw the 1/4 window had cracked. I guess "you can't fix stupid".

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

If you have to take the back seat out to unlock it , maybe you can get that neighbor and stuff his butt in the trunk to open it.
LOL

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

stay safe stay safe stay safe........

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

I am SixVolt and might have a remedy for your problem. I am hoping that the latch mechanism is the same as on my 37 Ford because mine had a similar problem last year.
The handle will turn but will not unlatch the trunk to open... there is a square shaft attached to the handle (approx.3/8”square), the shaft extends into some sheet metal bracing to secure it in place, and this is where the actual spring loaded latch piece is slipped onto the shaft. This latch piece has a square hole in the center,,, so,,,turn the handle and the shaft twist the latch pulling it up to release the trunk. Over time and use the square shaft gets rounded off on its corners and slips on the latch piece, then of course doesn’t move it to release the latch. So for me I had someone push closed on the trunk while at the same time I pulled out on the handle in order to get more of the more square part of the shaft to bite better on the latch piece (square hole). It worked, and now I have a new shaft.
Good luck with it.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Some people just don't get it. I remember back in 2009 when I was with my Australian mate who bought a 1942 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor Sedan that was for sale at a Ford Dealers. The Serviceman were inspecting it prior to taking delivery, and decided to close the Trunk. As you all know, you simply pull it down to close. Not this Serviceman? He pushed the Mechanism with the coil springs on each side so that they were both pushed in, then he forced it closed. The end result is that all the arms were bent. We didn't realise this until we were a few hundred miles way from the Dealership. We had to undo the mechanism on both sides and that meant that we had to hold the trunk lid open while we packed and unpacked it. Subsequently, the car was shipped back home to Australia where the necessary parts were obtained from a local 1946 Ford Sedan and the repair completed. There is always someone around that does not understand these old Fords. Hope you get the trunk lid open on your car and are able to perform the necessary repairs so that this problem does not reoccur.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

I had a 40 that the latch was adjusted incorrectly on when I got it .I had to put the key in turn gently while pulling out on the key or it wouldn't catch the squares on the lock to turn it. Took me a while to figure this out . The handle would come off in my hand because there was no ring in it to hold the handle in place & the latch was to far down to catch.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

removed the rear seats. then was able to take the lug nut holding the spare tire vertically.... used some 5 extensions and removed 3 nuts!! … but... ha... those held the Tag Plate on !! dumb dirtyword tire is in the way of using a long screwdriver, as there are 2 slotted screws that can come out (if that tire was outta the way)…. anyways... I can remove the bolts/nuts holding the Trunk Lid on... am seriously thinking of that. any thoughts on removing those nuts??? the Trunk had been not wanting to close when I bought it, actually swapped for it, about 4 weeks or so ago. had not got around to finding out why, as I have not been driving it. so.... wheeeeeeee… stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Six Volt: I found/know that square, sticks out a bit.... but it is square as you stated, and I cannot get anything onto it.... might buy me a 3/8 square socket.... but have noticed I can easily (sorta) get to the nuts holding the Trunk Lid on, and am thinking of taking those 4 nuts off and find out if I can or cannot. I understand what you mean about rounding off, but, "murphy strikes" and so I have to do what I can do (grab another cuppa 40-weight). stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

old secret here, dont tell, but a 12 point socket two sizes bigger than the square will fit. now i am not familiar with that car, but most trunk latches are an L or hook shape thing that will require you to move the whole deck lid sideways to get the hook thingy unhooked. will the rain gutter and other latch mounting stuff allow you to move sideways even with the hinges unbolted? and which side to move it to? some one with that same car needs to study this with the trunk open. good luck

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Google trunk monkey

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Had a trunk handle break on '40 some years ago. I used the T handle with a square shank from a garage door mechanism to open the deck lid.

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

got it. made me feel dumb. friend came over (not my neighbor) and we went in thru the back, sorta, took the nuts (not me) off the hinges and the spring hinges, but Trunk Lid would not release..... then my friend wanted the 'keys'..... I worked the key and he worked the release lever.... IT RELEASED !! the key has to be used IN THE LOCK TO RELEASE THE DUMB DIRTYWORD LATCH!!… sure won't forget that !!! then we had to reconnect everything up like it was and checked it again....RELEASES GREAT. big relief. this Merc is so original it is great!! (wish I still wuz). stay safe. thanks

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Congrats on getting it open without using a can opener. Mike

Re: help: Trunk won't open
 

Hooray!

Thank heavens for that. I can sleep easy at night now.

(Glad you got it done).

Mart.