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Unable to open trunk 1951


Guest johnpinckney

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Guest johnpinckney

I recently acquired a 1951 Buick 41D with 37K miles. The trunk key worked fine until it didn't. The key turns but the trunk does not open. I need to open the trunk somehow and fix the mechanism. Can I remove the back seat and get in that way? I don't want to damage anything. thanks

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If something's not broken in the lock mechanism (age, rust, whatever), it might be that if the cylinder turns, it could be working fine . . . except that the rubber weatherstrip has "bonded" with the inner side of the deck lid itself. In that case, you'll have to enter from the rear seat area, make a path into the trunk (with sufficient lighting!), and then get a knife to cut the weatherstrip so you can get the trunk open. I suspect it might need new weatherstrip anyway.

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467

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Guest Mark Rodgers

I have removed the back seat on some 50's GM cars and got about 5 ft of ratchet extensions and unbolted the lock. Some cars you would need a midget to get through the braces behind the seat .

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Yes, you can remove the back seat and if the cardboard panel is behind that, you might tear some of that in moving it out of the way, but if you aren't too big around, you can crawl through. The sedans have more room to crawl through than the fastbacks. I've had to use Mark Rodgers' method on a fastback, and I'm not a very big person.

Before doing that, are you sure you've turned the key all the way in the lock? Some of these older Buicks require half a revolution or more, for the trunk key, and some of them do not pop up when the key releases the trunk lid, so you have to lift and turn at the same time.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, TX.

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Guest johnpinckney

Yes, the trunk lid worked fine, just like a new car. I suspect a rod or something became loose from the key mechanism. I am considering two ways to get into the trunk 1) thru the back seat 2) some sort of hook/jimmy bar accessed from the outside to release the lock.

Thru the back seat seems problematic since I might damage the interior trunk panels, the car is pristine I don't want to degrade it.

thanks for your great responses.

John

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