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Stuck Trunk Lid

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Smesne

Smesne

Freshman Member
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Or should I use the term "boot"?

Either way, I cannot get the trunk release to work, no matter how hard I pull on the release handle. My brother was able to cut the carpet in the spare tire cutout (the spare is not in the trunk), but could not see how to get the latch to release.

I just purchased this car for a restoration project and have not even really begun to work on it, but I'm going to need to get in the trunk eventually.

Any suggestions?
 
I have had this problem once in a while on my A..

Comes from the rubber seal sticking to the lid...

I have an old bottle opener that has one of the ends looking like a straight slot screw driver that has been bent to 90degrees....

I very gently put the 'hook' under the trunk seam near the latch and pull up <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">gently</span></span></span> while some else pulls on the latch handle...

Unless there is a problem with the latch itself.. this should work...
 
Sorry guys, yes it is a '57 MGA. The car is a basket case I bought to restore. There doesn't actually seem to be any rubber left, so I'm leaning toward a problem with the latch. It appears that the release lever doesn't move far enough to allow the latch to completely disengage.

Fortunately, the spare is not in the trunk so I can get to it from the passenger compartment with some contortions.

Worst case is that I have to undo the hinges which I'll need to do eventually.

Thanks.
 
I was able to undo the hinges and wiggle the lid to the side freeing the latch. It turns out a few shots of PB Blaster loosened up the latch enough for it to start working.

There wasn't a speck of rubber left around the trunk, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the trunk floor to be completely solid.
 
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