well, mabye LATCHED is a better word. i know i missed tech week, but with sooo much off topic crap lately, i wanted to do something on topic! the bungee cord holding the trunk closed on the "frankencoupe" was a bit too "rat rod." i told him of an idea i had for a trunk latch, and i got the green light. this was an idea i've been tossing around for a bit, but never had a car to build it for. it's very simple tech, but it works perfectly. first, we got one of those 80's spring loaded license plate/gas door flaps from FLAT-TOP (thanks bob !) i drilled holes, and mounted it at the bottom of the rear panel. next i welded a piece of 1x1 angle to the bottom of the decklid skin. before welding up the angle, i welded a piece of steel cold roll across the bottom lip of the angle. next, i welded another piece of 1x1 to the body where the two pieces of angle will meet when the trunk is closed. ( i left a bit of room for a piece of rubber welt so the two don't rattle together) after that, i made a small pivot bracket from the same 1x1 angle. next installment....COMING UP!
i made this aluminum latch at work. (it's amazing how much aluminum is lying around when you work on airplanes!) it's bitchin'. i told my co-workers i was making a shiv! i mounted the "shiv" and drilled a hole at the bottom. next, i took a piece of an old weber carb linkage and made my actuator rod.(all thread would work just fine) the heim joint was what i needed to make this work smoothly. i drilled a hole in the rear panel for the rod to come through, it needs to be a bit bigger cause the rod moves up and down a bit. be sure to use a grommet for ultra clean style!! next drill a hole in the gas flap door and use nuts to secure the rod. now, when you pull the plate down, it will actuate the latch, and release the decklid. simple and clean. i've gotta put in some type of spring or strut to push open the decklid, but i thought you guys might wanna see this first. now to finish welding everything up and do a bit of body work, and it's roundup ready!
dood, the only thing in this trunk is a leaky fuel tank and a sparky battery!! i don't call it a trunk, i call it the bomb shelter!
positively....er, I mean, negatively cool work done right there....I'm posi..I mean, negative you're the man.
Nice work Matt, but I really want to know what kind of hair grease you use and how bout postin some pics of your dog dude!
awww shucks!! ed, as for hair grease, well, i only use the stuff thats on my hands from working, and remember, my dog "ran away" ( at least my wife thinks so)
The Jalopy Journal
