1946 Trunk Door Troubles

burly

burly

Senior Member
Guys I went to open the trunk door on the 46 ford coupe and it won't un-latch. It will turn approximately 180% (no resistance felt) but still fastened tight. The lock still works perfectly, turn the key and the handle will not rotate. Just wondered if any of you fella's might have any suggestions? Thanks
 
You might have to take out the back seat and get to the latch that way to open the trunk. Sounds like somethings stripped.
 
Torchie said:
You might have to take out the back seat and get to the latch that way to open the trunk. Sounds like somethings stripped.
Click to expand...

That is the approach but not to access the latch, you can't do anything with it from inside. But you can remove the two bolts on each hinge holding the hinges to the trunk and remove the trunk lid that way.
 
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Not sure you can reach it by removing the rear seat. In the trunk the spare tire is mounted against the cardboard rear wall. So those 2 have to be out. Then the cross bracing would not allow much access. Maybe one of the lock guys on Fordbarn can explain how to disassemble the latch from the outside. It can be done.
John
 
Thanks guys. I'd hate to pull the rear seat and still be unable to access the latch. I would think the distance from the bracing to the latch assembly would be further on a coupe compared to a sedan. Appreciate your responces.
 
What you could do for sure through the seat is disconnect the hinges and lift the trunk lid off that way to fix the latch.
 
Professor,
How is he going to get thru the back panel and spare tire?? Your advice is wrong. Won't work. I was hoping someone would advise him how to disassemble the truck handle. It can be done.
John
 
oldford2 said:
Professor,
How is he going to get thru the back panel and spare tire?? Your advice is wrong. Won't work. I was hoping someone would advise him how to disassemble the truck handle. It can be done.
John
Click to expand...

Ah. The gauntlet has been thrown down. :)

I'm going back almost 7 years remembering how we tackled this problem and we did just that - we unscrewed the bolts holding the hinges to the trunk lid to remove the lid. If he's got a trunk wall panel he'll have to punch through and sacrifice that. There is no other way. There is no access to the latch from inside other than to turn the same square shaft that his handle is already turning.

Even on the coupe the hinges are as close to the back seat as on the fordor even though the latch is further away. They can be accessed through the trunk to the side of the spare if there is one. It may not be quite as straight a shot to the two bolts that hold the hinge to the trunk on the coupe as it is on the fordor but they're still accessible. Those are the two we took off to get the lid off.

DSCN0568_zpscfc8be2b.jpg


The latch is totally enclosed in the lid framing and not accessible inside or outside of the trunk and has to be slid out upward after removing the handle. (Oops. Looks like I'm missing a screw. Good there's two of them.)

DSCN0569_zpsf9decb35.jpg


Because the handle turns fine but is not engaged to the latch bolt, totally removing the handle, even if he could do it, would get him nothing. In fact, the handle can not be removed from the outside. Here is the handle shaft that goes through the latch. As you can see, there is a lock ring that must be removed to remove the handle. That ring can not be removed from the outside.

DSCN0573_zpsaf8ba32e.jpg


How'd I do John? :rolleyes:
 
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I had that problem once, I had someone push down on the trunk, with rear seat I used a long bar with one end flatten like a screw driver placed a block under the bar for a pivot slid the bar under the trunk latch that goes over the hook mounted on the floor & a little wiggling & someone pulling up on trunk lid it opened. Takes a little time but it worked maybe just lucky. Good luck
 
While it won't help you now; On my '47 I attached the striker with studs and nuts that are accessible from the underside; just in case. Had it happen on another car in the past.
 
burly. On a few occasions, I have hit speedbumps a little too hard, and found that it caused the trunk on my '46 Coupe to unlatch. I wonder if giving a good lift on the trunk lid, with two glass handling suction cup lifters, placed just above, and one each side of the license plate, would "pop" the latch? The lid may be flexible enough to allow the latch to release. If you went to your local friendly auto glass shop, they may even try it without charge.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/qep-double-suction-cup-for-handling-large-glass-and-tile/1001010722
 
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