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front trunk release

FM Former Member
I notice that new member D. Comacho has a complaint about a stiff front trunk release. I too had the same problem on my JPS. It was embarassing to pull into a gas station and struggle to get the hood to unlatch while imprinting the pull knob forever onto my fingers. I now open my hood wth one little pull ftom any finger including the pinkie.
The answer is a second latch in series with the first. Made from a few bits of scrap aluminum I made the primary arm to fit the necessary travel of the orignal latch (which is still in place) and the secondaery arm having a length of 4 or 5 times the primary, thus giving reduction in force in a proporationate amount. A sping return finishes the device off quite nicely. The hole thing is mounted immrdiately in line eith the original latch onto the trunk floor.
The travel is now 4 times longer at 1/4 the force. Good old leverage
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FM Former Member
I notice that new member D. Comacho has a complaint about a stiff front trunk release. I too had the same problem on my JPS. It was embarassing to pull into a gas station and struggle to get the hood to unlatch while imprinting the pull knob forever onto my fingers. I now open my hood wth one little pull ftom any finger including the pinkie.
The answer is a second latch in series with the first. Made from a few bits of scrap aluminum I made the primary arm to fit the necessary travel of the orignal latch (which is still in place) and the secondaery arm having a length of 4 or 5 times the primary, thus giving reduction in force in a proporationate amount. A sping return finishes the device off quite nicely. The hole thing is mounted immrdiately in line eith the original latch onto the trunk floor.
The travel is now 4 times longer at 1/4 the force. Good old leverage
FM Former Member
It's also a good idea to provide an emergency access to releasing the front and rear deck lids; original Porsches had this. A hole into the front trunk from the fender well that allows you to reach in with a hooked piece of heavy wire (like welding rod) and pull the release works fine. The hole can be filled with a rubber plug.

For the rear deck lid there was a hole in the bottom of the body work under the latch so you could reach up inside and trip the latch (also had a plug).

If you make these mods to your car, scope out the right locations for the holes and practice using the emergency technique a few times so you'll know how to do it if you ever really need to.
brucecbrucec
Sounds like a secuity issue. Of course the thief would have to know where to look and what to look for, which would not be likely.

I used to always have an extra car key stowed in one of those magnet key boxes, but I've stopped doing that for no good reason other than paranoia. And I can always call my wife and have her rescue me if I lock myself out of the car. Hasn't happened yet...

FM Former Member
With the bonnet open, if you can look down through the body latch receiver and see the ground, then you could reach up there with a screw driver and open the latch anyway. On security, I can open anybody's bonnet or deck lid with a pocket knife. Cut the top, open the door, pull the latch. Sorry, but even the dumbest crook knows how easy a convertible is to break into. I don't even lock the doors on my cars anymore. Just get a two stage microwave alarm system.
FM Former Member
To open most replicas front compartment it can be done from underneath and in the rear, remove the engine grill and loosen the nut on the latch rod as you loosen pull up on the deck lid and eventually it will pull out of the latch. Seems no matter how much we spend on pull cables they break.
FM Former Member
So far as rear latch mechanisms go, I have the advantage that John Steele installed a recesed license plate in my car. I removed the "overhead" license plate light from the recess and instaled a release lever that is easily reached by reaching up into this vacated area. The actuating arm has lots of lrverage so it's a one finger operation if you know what to do. Keeps honest people out of my engine compartment (Webers and other valuables). The license plate light was replaced by some lighted plate hold down bolts available at most accessory stores theses days. I've had my speedster a bit over two years now and haven't even put the top up yet.
Alan MerklinAlan MerklinDrclock - Elkins, West Virginia Supporting Member
I have found this hard to release problem in most CMC older kits ..always fun to have to almost tear off a couple of fingers or yank on the cable knob with the I can't do without it Vise Grips!
The fix is to eliminate the "hard" single strand cable that doesn't flex well in the curved tube that is glassed in that is where ti binds...

I replace this set up with a well greased multi-strand cable from a bicycle hand brake and attatch a set screw knob on the interior knob...works like butter!

Alan M.
FM Former Member
Branden,
I don't know how to put attachments onto these email posts, but if you email me at deklipfe@bechtel.com, I'll send you a picture I made for another member. Was it Archimedes that said, " Give me a long enough lever and a place to mount it and I will move the earth". Yeah, and you can open speedster trunks with one finger too!

Since my first post, I've added a throtle return spring to the mechanism, so it even returns to initial position on it's own now.
C CharlesSteinman
I really liked the idea from Mr. Merklin about using a bike cable to replace the single strand cable to the engine cover release. Please forgive a dumb question or two- it's been a while (10 years) since I built my CMC kit, and at this point I can't even remember what I had for breakfast. If I just release the cable stop at the end of the cable, will the whole thing just pull out from the door jamb side? And how do you attach the new cable to the old knob? Drill out the old cable and tap a hole for a set screw in the knob?
Many thanks for your help.
execk2execk2







Here you go Charles. This is the one I bought this evening has a round knob. The other one I already have has a T handle. This has the flexi cover on the wire and works great. Paid $7.99 CDN at Canadian Tire. Pep Boys in the States should have this. The company is Xcel manufacturing and there is a Canadian address as well as Michigan. This works GREAT and looks GREAT!

Cheers,

* just click on the X seems the pic didn't want to appear but click on it and you'll see.
(Message Edited 9/3/2003 9:22:21 PM)
(Message Edited 9/3/2003 10:44:29 PM)
execk2execk2
Installed the boot cable on the weekend. Took 5 minutes and works great. Nice and tight and an easy pull. Looks great as well. Note: When you install the cable in the front make sure to have the remaining cable end clear of the hole underneath. Otherwise the plunger will pick it up when you raise the hood. I did it. Then bent it out of the way.

Want to make sure your cables are easy to PULL? NEVER BEND THE WIRE. If it's ever bent B4 you install it BUY ANOTHER cable.

Cheers
C CharlesSteinman
For the engine compartment release, I just installed a manual choke conversion kit that I found it at Pep Boys. It works like a charm. Just a note of caution- there are two kits. The normal one is about a foot too short (which I found out after I got home), but the truck kit is OK for length after you cut off a foot or so.
Many thanks to everyone in the forum for their help.
Alan MerklinAlan MerklinDrclock - Elkins, West Virginia Supporting Member
Just installed a replacment hood latch cable assembly that I purchased at Advanced Auto Parts on their "HELP" rack for $17.00 It has a high quality stainless steel woven cable that is 8 feet in length and three various T handles are included. I cut 2/3 the length off of the square stock that is swedged onto the cable and ground the square stock round so it will travel into the glassed in cable tube in the Spedddster then set in the T handle roll pin. Lightly greased the cable and slid it thru the cable housing tube ,snipped off the excess cable and tightened the cable stop set screw total install time 15 minutes .... the front hood opens easily!

Alan M
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