remote trunk release

[eflow]

I spent the weekend fabricating a remote trunk release. I used a cable and lever from a mid '90s Honda sedan. I found the parts at the local Ecology junk yard. Total cost was $5.

I started by removing the trunk latch and chrome lock bezel. The latch is spot welded shut on top and rivited together on the bottom. I drilled all of these out and tack welded them back together later. The interior of the latch has three parts. A lever that is actuated by the key and lock. A release lever. And a spring loaded latch. I removed the key actuated lever. This leaves the release lever and the latch. The release lever needs to be pulled back to allow the spring latch to open. I used the Honda cable to pull on this lever. The Honda cable has ball at the end of the cable. Cut a notch into the release lever for the cable to slide into. Once the case is closed the cable is locked into place. I put a small tack weld to close the notch just in case. With a little grinding on the side of the case for the cable to exit (there is already a notch it just needs to be a little bigger) the custom latch was ready to back together. I made a small bracket to hold the cable in place. This is necessary so the cable housing doesn't move but the cabe inside does.



For the time being I'm just using the Honda release lever. I will remount this in a cleaner bracket.



And here is the closed trunk, shaved, and ready to be smoothed out.

[w2zero]

Now you can sell that lock and bezel to one of the other guys. Just watch out they don't jack you for that sweet edge trim on the trunk lid.

[eflow]

There was no lock and the bezel is really F**d up.

And you like that "patina" along the edge of the trunk?

[w2zero]

That would be a motivational factor indeed. I had to pick up someone at the airport a couple years ago and they were having all the cars "pop" the trunk. I was driving the Fairlane and told the unsmiling young security officer that I had to get out and unlock the trunk after shutting the car off. She wasn't believing it. I did rather rub her nose in it then told her that she was really going to look bad if this 40 year old car didn't start now....

Hey, if she had been the least bit nice, I would have just pulled the trunk key off the chain and left it running.

[Meteorgirl]

Remote release, the only way to go. When they stole my car a few years back and bust the bezel and latch to steal my tools, I couldn't find a nice replacement. I had it shaved in when we redid the body and put in an electric remote. Workes off the door lock button on my remote start that I also use as an electronic ignition anti-theft lockout.

[Tom]

W2, couldn't you just pull the key out of the ignition and leave it running?

[w2zero]

MG..........OMG!!!!.............. Oh, the trunk, darn, nevermind.

Nope, my ignition still works like its supposed to. The guard was being such a wiseass a-hole that I wasn't going to make anything easy. The car starts really easy but she didn't know that. Did she honestly think a senior citizen veteran driving a 40 year old classic car was a real danger? Hell, I don't even speak Arabic but I could befoul the air with some ripe Vietnamese. You may get the impression that I regard 99% of airport security with a jaundiced eye.

[Meteorgirl]

Hey W2! Took me a second till I saw where your head was at. Are you in the DOM club too?
BTW, ya that too! For years!

[w2zero]

Ohhh yeahhhh.