I'm getting ready to install the new interior in my '54 and it dawned on me - I gotta fab up a release for the trunk before the back seat goes in. My door kit also came with a solenoid for the trunk. I'd like to use it, but may just run a cable to the gas filler area or to under the rear bumper. I'm just wondering how others have re-worked the latch and ran their solenoid/cable. Any suggestions? Pics would be great.
If you use an elecrtic solenoid, be sure to back it up with a manual release..... just in case! I have both on my car and if you ever let the battery drain, you'll be glad you have a release!
I've just used a mid to late sixties cable boot release out of a aussie model fairlane... At the time that was the easiest way and the cheapest. Did us model fairlanes of that era use a simlar setup??.
Hey, Daddy-O See my last post of my my build thread on the Vicky. There's photos of latch mods and info on the parts to run a manual pull cable to activate it. I had planned to get this done this past weekend but rain prevented it. Plan is to run the pull cable to the bulkhead under the rear seat on the driver's side, through the driver's side hinge onto the bottom surface of the deck lid and then to the latch. There's a photo of where the cable will go through the bottom surface of the deck lid and attach to the latch itself. You'll need a 10 or 12 foot cable to get this done, along with adjustable cable stops and little clamps to hold the cable to the bottom side of the deck lid. They're all sourced in the thread. Sorry I didn't get the how-to part done, but I think you can figure it out yourself from here. PM me for questions, okay?
Thanks, I had forgotten you had covered this in your build. I'm thinking of a slightly different method and may try to science it out in the next few days. If it doesn't work (probibly won't) then I'll be doing it your way. Thanks again for being so willing to help. Can anyone esle show the way they did theirs using a solenoid with a cable back-up??? Dave
I've just got a solenoid on mine, luckily I'm skinny enough that if it fails I can climb through the back seat area and get the guy open. If you go the choke cable route, try and get a real choke cable from a ford, the Help! ones ****.
What some guys have done in the past with a trunk mounted or otherwise hard to reach battery is install a hidden set of POS and NEG auxiliary terminals on the car, to charge the system in case of a low or dead battery. Just a second backup behind the manual release, and a for sure with door poppers.
Custom_Crestline I've just got a solenoid on mine, luckily I'm skinny enough that if it fails I can climb through the back seat area and get the guy open. If you go the choke cable route, try and get a real choke cable from a ford, the Help! ones ****. Yes, OEM parts are almost always better than aftermarket parts. Problem is, in this case anyway, that I don't know of any readily available OEM choke cable that's long enough to go from the rear seat riser to the latch. If you know of one, please share the info. I am also interested in the vintage appearance of the pull mechanism. The modern lever-operated hood opening mechanisms might be adaptable, but the lever is not going to look "right" in a vintage theme car like mine. Looks like the weather is clearing here in Texas today, so perhaps I'll get to install the parts I've got and see how it turns out.
Good call, forgot how long it is, I'll think about possible ones. You could convert it to bear claw and put the pull underneath the trunk pan or something like that. Thats how its done on my dads model a.
I saw a "how to" in Ol skool rodzzzzzzzz or some such a year or so ago where they cut a hole in the trunk and welded a tube in it's place. They ran the cable mechanism from the latch through the tube beneath it to the underside of the car. It looked like a hack job in the photos, but it was done to one of those "r" rods so I don't think that they really tried to hard.
You might "pirate" the cable and lever setup from a Daewoo at your local Pic-A-Part the lever mounts next to the drivers seat.
Hey Custom Got any pics of where you mounted your solenoid and how you modified your latch. Thie pics you posted of your door solenoids has been very helpful. I havent been able to get out in the shop for a few days to try my ideas, but I have been building this thing in my head for the past two days. I might get some time tonight to work on it.
Can do! Ill have them tomorrow for you, I get off work at midnight. Im actually using a small actuator, so its really simple. I'll make sure to get you some pics. (Hardtop doors **** for solenoids dont they? What I did to MAKE SURE to keep the wire from popping off of the roller (that doesn't really roll) is, I put a big washer on the open side. If that makes sense!)
Daddy o's diner: If you will get me your e-mail address, I will send some pictures of how I did my trunk solenoid. Bill, w5sg@comcast.net
My email is dpg4410@chartermi.net. I look forward to seeing the way you and custom crestline did it. No sense reinventing the wheel. Thanks
Hopefully, I attached a few pictures of my trunk release using a Bosch starter solenoid. The modification of the latch is very straightforward. After you remove it from the trunk lid attach a pull cable on the opener lever and route it to the solenoid. I used 1/16" stainless steel cable from Home Depot. They also sell the ferrules that are used to crimp the cable. You will also notice another length of stainless steel cable attached to the solenoid pull cable; that cable is routed into the back seat area where I can get to it if the solenoid should fail.
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