General Trunk latch broker… plz help!

[fedhere]

Hi folks,

We were on a trip with our 1982 Spider, on our way back, car packed and trunk full. As I was trying to open it the latch snapped. The key goes in and turns empty, so the latch must have broken on the key side. Any way to get in there, ideally that does not involve drilling a hole in the body of the car hoping I get it in the right place like here ??

 

[ZaphodB]

car packed and trunk full.

Bad luck, could it have been your luggage blocked rotation of the mechanism behind?
Did you notice more turning force than usual?

Looks like you're gonna have to do the procedure

 

[fedhere]

Bad luck, could it have been your luggage blocked rotation of the mechanism behind?
Did you notice more turning force than usual?

Looks like you're gonna have to do the procedure

i think the full trunk did not help, but the latch was always hard to open. I should have planned forward and put a release

 

[ZaphodB]

Learn the lesson , and check and regrease front bonnet latch.
(I wonder if you could add an emergency cable release from behind seats )
It's one thing not being able to access your luggage, another not to be able to access the engine

 

[fedhere]

anyone has the measurements for where to drill, keeping in mind that mine is 1982 and the video linked above is working on a '77, the larch is slightly different for 1975-80 and 1981-85 https://www.midwest-bayless.com/CSe...Condition=-1&SearchPartNumbersOnly=0&PageNo=5

 

[fedhere]

Learn the lesson , and check and regrease front bonnet latch.
(I wonder if you could add an emergency cable release from behind seats )
It's one thing not being able to access your luggage, another not to be able to access the engine

there is an emergency release cable for the hood, FYI

 

[fedhere]

Hi folks,

We were on a trip with our 1982 Spider, on our way back, car packed and trunk full. As I was trying to open it the latch snapped. The key goes in and turns empty, so the latch must have broken on the key side. Any way to get in there, ideally that does not involve drilling a hole in the body of the car hoping I get it in the right place like here ??

resolution: I drilled the whole and it warked as advertised! 2 inch down is right, and there is some slack in that since the lever is quite further in.
The latch rod is plalstic, which does not inspire too much confidence, and had broken as I suspected on the key side. I ordered a replacement and a back up, just in case, and I'm happy with an emergency way to get in the trunk now available and hidden by the plate. Thank you all!

 

[ZaphodB]

You might want to paint the drilled hole to prevent rust setting in, and maybe push in a rubber grommet