I found a stash, now I need a way to get into the trunk?

I really need to get into a few early mid 50's GM trunks at a stash I came across without having to go thru the backseat.

I've been told one of the (4) 50 buicks has a set of wrapped Kelsey Hayes or roadmaster spokes sitting in the trunk. The owner doesn't remember which trunk has the rims, one of the other trunks has an olds multi carb intake off a wrecked mid 50's olds and some 4-spd parts. The 80 year old guy "has plans for all of these someday" he doesn't want me tearing into the interiors or pry on the lids but he said if I can find a way to pop the locks and the trunks lay closed when I'm done I can have the rims and "we will see about the intake".

Any body have a tool to pull or snap the locks? Maybe a 3/8" rachet extension ground down to a shank the size of a key? Probably snap the shank off in the first one! Does a dent puller work, anybody seen how its done? This guy isn't the type to tolerate alot of fucking around, he will let me in when he is in a good mood but I better not be wasting his time or he will get bored and show me the door.

s.

 

You can just use a drill and drill out the locks.

 

Cordless Drill & A Few Select Drill Bits Otta Do The Trick!!

 

use a slide hammer (dent puller like you mentioned). drive a screw into the lock cylinder, grab it with the jaws of the slide hammer and slam that bitch out. it will make a mess of the hole the lock goes into.

 

I say try a drill...if the cylinder is like a 50s chevy, once you get a nice hole through the cylinder a screwdriver will fit into the slot. Maybe you could try peeling the face off the lock, then pulling the inards out?

 

I hadn't thought of that. Cordless 18v with 2 batteries get 4 - 6 cars done? The stash is 1/8 mile from power and I may only get one shot at this.

s.

 

if the trunk is not damaged why not pull out the back seats get a helper with a flashlight and about 3 or 4 feet worth of socket extensions and unbolt the locking mechanism but this works on fords I dont know about chevys

 

I had a friend who was a locksmith (had meaning: passed away) that could get into any vehicle by just the vin number or if that did not work master keys. Now going that far back it might be different but he made a key for a friend that had a 58 Chevy from just the vin, so you might want to try a local locksmith.

 

The cars are filled with parts. I've talked to him about unloading and sorting the stuff out but he said he doesn't have a place for it all and he is right he doesn't. He has a real nice 56 pontiac 2 door white on white hardtop, 4spd complete down to the hubcaps, he stored it up off the ground on railroad ties. It would take half a day to unload the 56 it he has spools of wire, hundreds of feet of garden hose, shovels, rakes, bird feeders and best of all 30 year old Christmas lights stacked up to the headliner.


Does the dent puller break handle out around the lock cyinder? I think my 52 pontiac is just potmetal. The old guy may not let that happen more than once. Hmmm I wonder which car has the rims, it'll be like that game show picking the briefcase of cash. I'll ruin the first lock, get in the trunk, have him throw a fit and the trunk will be filled with more of his deceased wifes bird houses.


s.

 

My trunk and door lock got dent pulled on one of my cars...the damage was so bad that the insurance company replaced both the door and the trunk. Sounds like the drill might be a better idea.

Bryan

 

I'd find out what would make him happy to watch at the time you have getting in there. A couple of 6 packs or a Jim Beam might just do the trick. JD or some single malt scotch ?

Just joking?

 

Hey try that Tennis Ball crap they posted on here a couple days ago!! might pop the back seat out though!! hahaha

 

try a bump key, if you can get your hands on some old gm keys (don't have to be blanks). I have never tried it, but it seems to work on the internet!?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5177213949300140850

 

Can you get a locksmith to come pick 'em?

 

That is what I would do. I'd pay a locksmith to come out and cut a few keys. You get your stuff and you are far more likely to get your intake when the old guy has a working set of keys in his hands and nothing damaged.

 

Eighty year old geezers love snipe hunts.

 

If the cars still have the gloveboxes in them take the glovebox doors to a locksmith. He can make a key to fit the glovebox lock and it should fit the trunk too on G.M. cars. That's what I did on my '46 Chevy, the locksmith told me NOT to take the lock out of the glovebox door, just to bring him the whole thing. He made a key to fit the glovebox and it opened the trunk too. That way you won't screw up any old tin by ripping the locks out!

 

It took me a few years to get into this guys trust, he is a mean old cuss some days, nice a hell and happy to talk about what he drove back in the day. He doesn't like "guests", has some big ass dogs that have full run of the place and half the time I show up he doesn't have time to walk and talk. Locksmith may be a long shot.

I think the drill may be my shot at this, thanks.

 

Glove box door is a great idea, $10 bucks a key. For $50 - $100 gamble I'll ask to do that and take my drill. This old guy ain't cheap either, "crown royal neat" is his drink, I haven't ever seen a small bottle laying on the kitchen table, I take a raft of shit everytime I mix mine with coke. We can be out front or back and he will shout over everyone's conversation "Its time to crown the king".

s.

 

A Real Strong Thin Straight Blade Screwdriver Hammerd Into Each Lock.......attach A Visegrip And Turn Both Directtions Remeber To Have A Helper Prying Up On The Lid As You Turn ..spying Through The Interior Sounds The Most Logical Just Have To Restack His Goodies

Watch Out For Varmits Snakes And Booby Traps And
Mr Hoffa And Waldo

Sounds More Like He Does Not Remember What The Trunks Have In Em And Now He Will Have You Open Em And The Odds Of What You Want Are Slim At Best
Memory Is Fleetihhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmzzzzzzzzzzz
Paperdog

 

I'll take that bet. I'll raise you the price of an afternoon with an old greaser drinking crown, telling lies and digging around in his car stash.

s.

 

thats a pretty neat trick. i'd give that a shot. practice on your own car (or a friends ) before you go out there so you know what your doing. should'nt be too hard to find an old GM key. i bet i could find one in my garage in less than 5 minutes if i looked. Ebay will have them for sure and you might get luck at the local hardware store. but then a new one would'nt have any cuts at all in it yet to go by as reference for your valleys.

 

GM set of Master Keys that lock smiths have. there are only 64 keys that fit all locks on all GM cars from 1935 to at least 1970. how safe does that make you feel?

 

You could narrow your search down to one or two cars also. They make an inflatable wedge or pillow out of very heavy vinyl that you could slide under the trunk lid and pump it up. This will lift the trunk lid enough (even though its locked shut) that you may be able to insert a small light in there or better yet, use a boroscope. You can get the vinyl wedge from most any tool guy.. they also come in lockout kits.

If you know what car you need to get into it would be a lot cheaper to have a locksmith make a key. Do some research on the keyblanks, most of those old cars used keys that most locksmiths no longer bother to stock.

http://key-men.com/


Probably what you are going to find is that the old guy is just plain mean and there aren't any wheels or intakes. Why would he just give them away? He's having fun watching you chase your tail. If this turns out to be the case drill a small hole in one of the trunk lids and fill the trunk with acetylene, stick a fuse in it... well, you know the rest

 

See what Geraldo Rivera's doing. Maybe you two can find Hoffa in the trunk of one of those cars and it would make great TV!!

 

that glove box idea was pretty damn smart! locksmith, hurry up before they close! dont leave me hanging here! lol

 

Why do I forsee a thread in the next few days, lamenting on how ".......this old geezer promised me the stuff in the trunks of cars, if I opened them, but now that they're open, he wants to keep everything" ????

 

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First look around the car.
Under the mats, in the ashtray, glove compartment, sunvisor etc...
I found an 69 Cadillac once at an estate sale for $100 because "all of the keys were lost 10 years ago"
There was a set in the ashtray.

Fresh gas, a new battery and some air, and I drove it home.
Well a couple of blocks anyway, until it died, but I got to wave at them as I drove off.

 

haha a bit off topic, but im glad you told that story! thanks for the good laff!