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MG MGB Technical - Trunk lid ( boot lid) stuck shut

The boot lid (trunk lid) on my 1974 MGB was not opening well. I had to push down on the lid and pull up on the luggage rack while pushing in on the lock to open it. I made several adjustments on the lock bar on the body of the car. Last adjustment made the trunk not reopen no matter what I do. I looked at going through from behind the seats, but the panel appears to be screwed in from the trunk side. This car is in very nice condition so I do not want to tear anything up to get in the trunk to open the latch. The lock is unlocked for sure so that is not it. Thanks, George
GH Higginson

I took a rubber mallet and swiftly and sharply hit the lock button a few times while pulling up and the lid opened up. Repaired the lock and now it works much better. George
GH Higginson

Good result.

I will have to remember that trick.
Dave O'Neill 2

Cropped up elsewhere recently.

For reference, one ploy is to twist the lock handle to one side, which uncovers a bit of boot lid, then drill a small hole to use a probe to release the latch. Leaves you with a small hole, but covered once you twist the lock back.

Another is to drill through the lock barrel ditto. Barrel replaceable easy enough but will leave you with a different key.

Another one new to me on that thread - which worked - was to hammer a wooden wedge in the gap between lid and body, then either poke a probe in the gap, or just belt the push-button with a mallet i.e. very similar to GH. May cause some surface damage to paint.

One thing is not to waste time using the (failed) John Twist method of a long rod through a reversing light aperture.
paulh4

Just recently I replaced the boot lid seal on my car, as these seals are stiffer and initially quite a bit thicker, I got inside the boot, with a 7/16" spanner and something to trip the catch, and then got my wife to shut the boot lid, I was able to adjust the striker to get it in the correct position, with her opening and closing the boot lid to check it still opened, the other option on a roadster is to remove the trim above the rear shelf which gives access to the panel that forms the back of the boot,and if you drill a hole in that big enough to pass a 3/8" or 1/4" drive socket through with a few extensions you can reach the 2 bolts that hold the striker, undo these and the boot will open, after fit a grommet in the hole refit the trim, job done, gaining access to these bolts depends on how much junk you have in your boot.
Andy Tilney

"One thing is not to waste time using the (failed) John Twist method of a long rod through a reversing light aperture."

That certainly wouldn't work for me, as I don't have any reverse lights.
Dave O'Neill 2

"then got my wife to shut the boot lid"-
"with her opening and closing the boot lid to check it still opened"

Clearly, a VERY well behaved husband. Not sure this is a method I could rely on (lol)

Regards
(still here) Roger
R Taylor

Interestingly this happened to me when replacing the lid after painting. I had a spare catch assembly to study it's function and came up with an idea. I used a wide tyre lever. The end had some cloth wrapped around. I inserted it between the boot lid edge and the rear panel, immediately below the catch. A piece of thin foam pvc was placed under it to protect the paint and panel edge. Gentle downward pressure was applied whilst pressing down the release button. The catch sprung loose immediately! The flex on the slam panel was enough to unhook the latch. Now this happened without the rubber fitted! It was down to catch misalignment rather than pressure from the rubber. Flexing the panel with the lever pushes the locking bar down and away from the hook of the lock assembly making it release. I'm sure this method would work for a tight rubber as well.

P Downing

The hook and bar are so close to the opening that one can imagine pushing a narrow flat strip bent to a right-angle through the gap and levering the hook towards you away from the bar.
paulh4

This thread was discussed between 11/03/2018 and 18/03/2018

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