Push button hood/trunk release - any ideas?

I thought it would be nice to have hidden buttons for the trunk and hood release that would only have power if the key switch was on.

I have tried the kit from JC Whitney (includes a solenoid and push button) and a solenoid from McMaster-Carr with 8lbs of pull. Neither was able to pull the trunk release mechanism.

Any ideas?
Anyone selling a better kit than the JCW China Special?

Thanks in advance,

Jerome

I took a different approach - my ex-convertible "D" and new in-process Speedster both use internal key locking mechanisms for hood and rear deck release.

If you use a solenoid, how will you open the hood to get to the battery if the battery is dead?

If the battery was dead I was going to have a difficult-to-get-at manual cable.

How does the key switch attach to the release? Cable?

Jerome

I haven't looked at the internals - I assume the key lock rotates a blocking device so that the knob can't be pulled to activate the cable release.

George, as always you have the best stuff. Where did you get the internal key locking mechanisms, I was looking to lock them both as well to ensure that these areas are secure.

Let us know.

Thx
Brian

Brian, I didnt get them - I spec'd the car to Henry @ Intermeccanica and he did the sourcing and implemantation.

A cadilac or firebird, trunk pull down motor kit could be coverted to pull your cable it is very powerful,, Add a plug under the fender as a power back up

I thought about using some kind of motor, but wouldn't I have to come up with the circuitry to tell the motor to....

1. pull the cable
2. stop
3. reverse
4. stop

It seemed a little more complicated than I wanted to get into.

Jerome

Check out this website - www.mcmaster.com/ under "electromechanical actuators"

Good luck...

Dave

I found a different kit from Jegs. Worked great, very powerful.

Jerome

Went through this with my chopped bug. Go to any hotrod swapmeet and you will see a variety of kits to the job. For starters go to :
www.autoloc.com/search.lasso?site=autoloc&search=vw

or

www.autoloc.com/detail.lasso?itemid=SL50

I had shaved handles as well and the kits(keyless entry) cut power to the sol.'s while the key is on. I put a direct jumper to the soenoid where I could get to it for such a case. You should use relays to power the sol's as they will kill a normal 12v switch.

You could retain pulls out of the way and add the power option....

Ben