http://alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread.php?t=15031&highlight=trunk+cable

 

There is a hole directly under the trunk latch under the car. It is about 1/2 inch in diameter and you can stick a long screwdriver up to manipulate the latch to open the trunk.

 

Thank goodness for old posts!



Well, trunk release cable broke on me today.

I found the 1/2 inch hole under the car but couldnt get the trunk open.

Cant really see what I'm doing in there.

How long does the screwdriver need to be and can anyone give me some advice on opening the trunk?

Thanks.

 

Thanks!

Thanks a lot for the advice--I'll go find a long screwdriver. I read on the thread you provided that this piece is fairly easy to fix, and that you can actually get away with using the exiting cable if you loosen it at the trunk latch and then pull the slack back through the sheath and attact it to the lever. I tried to do something like this, but I cannot cut the sheath? What sort of tool does one use? I tried a hacksaw blade but made little headway.

Thanks again!

 

Thanks!

Thanks a lot for the advice--I'll go find a long screwdriver. I read on the thread you provided that this piece is fairly easy to fix, and that you can actually get away with using the exiting cable if you loosen it at the trunk latch and then pull the slack back through the sheath and attact it to the lever. I tried to do something like this, but I cannot cut the sheath? What sort of tool does one use? I tried a hacksaw blade but made little headway.

Thanks again!

Hey I had the same issue this week while Attending the Watkins Glen Grsnd Prix. I followed the instructions in this link and it worked here is a couple of photos to show the hole through the back of the trunk behind the license plate

 

Just get a new cable. If it broke once, what makes you think it won't break again?

$11.50 @ IAP. Cheap Insurance.

 

I'm with Topkick, replace the cable. While you are at it, I'd recommend adding a back-up cable for the hood. There is no emergency slot up front!

Btw, the design is not stupid, just different. Like brake pads, the cable is a wear item that needs replacement from time to time. The remote release makes it much more difficult for the bad guys to break into your trunk.

 

Back Up hood release design

Is there a back up hood release design that seems to work well? If so is there a link to it.
Thanks

 

Replacing the Cable

What is IAP? Do they have a website? I tried IAP.com and I think it's the wrong site. Also, do you know whether or not the parts come with instructions?

Thanks!

 

IAP is International Auto Parts. http://www.international-auto.com/

If you look in the Anything about Alfa Romeos and AlfaBB.com forum, you'll see a sticky thread near the top with a Suppliers list. Lots of good info to be had there.

 

Alfarich: You can make a simple safety release with some heavy gauge nylon line. Tie one end to the latch mechanism where the cable attaches. Follow the route of the hood release cable back to the interior. Loosely zip-tie the nylon line to the hood release cable to keep it in place. Tie something you can grip (old key ring?) to the end inside the interior. Make it short enough to not be noticeable under the dash. Also make sure it moves freely and rotates the hood latch fully. I think the Alfettas had them from the factory and they are a good idea on any Spider or GTV.

 

Hmmmmm. What do you do if you lose your hood cable and don't have a backup? Are you totally screwed? Break out the saws all?

 

I have seen more than one hood with a hole cut through it!

 

Did you ever get in?

Through the hole in the bottom? I am having a bear of a time trying to pop it. Any advice?

 

I went out to measure the distance that you have to reach from the hole up to the lever. I measures 7.5 inches to the lever, so make sure you have at least 7.75 inches inside the car. I took a picture of the latch, but can't get my computer to recognize the camera at the moment. I'll post when it comes back up.

 

I went out to measure the distance that you have to reach from the hole up to the lever. I measures 7.5 inches to the lever, so make sure you have at least 7.75 inches inside the car. I took a picture of the latch, but can't get my computer to recognize the camera at the moment. I'll post when it comes back up.

Toptick - that would be greatly appreciated. The wife's Spider had the cable pop the other day on her. I tried pulling back the cable sheathing, hoping I could find the cable to pull with some vice grips but had no luck. I looked in the back up under the trunk but didn't see any hole, but that was before I saw this thread (it's a 1990 BTW). If you happen to have a photo of where to find the hole (no W-A comments please), that would be great. I've got a cable on order from IAP but I'd like to get into the trunk ASAP... My wife left her "lunch box" in there. I know that in most of the country this doesn't pose too much of a problem as right about now the trunk is somewhat of a refridgerator, but here it S. Florida it's still fairly warm and I'm afraid if I don't get to it soon..., well I think you get the picture!

 

I won't be able to put up any pictures until Thursday as I am away from home till then.
The hole is under the car, next to the spare tire well about an inch from the rear of the car, behind the valence. Just imagine a spot under the latch & there it it. You really have to get your head under the car to get to it. Take a screwdriver (or something else with a long blade), insert it up into the latch and feel around for the lever (the way I found mine was first locating the cable running off to the left & following it back to the lever) & give it a flip to the driver's side (move the handls of the tool to the right). The longer the tool, the more leverage you will have. It might help to mark the screwdriver with a piece of tape at the 7.75 inch mark so you know how far up to go.
Good Luck!

 

Here ia a picture of the trunk latch looking to the rear. You can see the cable leading from the right (driver's side). The lever you need to flip in in the center, with a spring opposing the cable. It's not the easiest job to do, but far from the hardest.

Hope this helps.

 

If I recall correctly, the toggle is 7.5 inches up from the hole. I put a piece of masking tape on the shaft of the screwdriver to mark the distance, inserted it in the hole to the tape mark, pushed the handle end forward intil I felt the blade stop. Then I "felt" around until I found the toggle. It took several tries, and you need good leverage, but I was able to get it done. The longer the screwdriver, the easier the task.
Think how hard you have to pull the release handle, and then factor that by the length. If the screwdriver is 16" long, you should be able to generate the force to pop the trunk.
Hope this helps.

 

if that doesnt work, you can take off the small pannels in the parcel tray of the car, behind the carpet, and then use a long broom handle to leiver it open, took me about 3 minutes. (the carpet was already off)

 

AusAlfa,

Thanks for the glimmer of hope, but alas, that all it turned out to be but a glimmer.

I took off the carpet and one of the black panels, only to see that the carpet set in the trunk blocks the release. No way to get at it that way.

Back to lying under the car, staring at that half inch hole, trying to feel my way around. 60 mins into this now.

 

On our '84 Spider the carpeted panel at the front of the trunk (you'd be peeking at the backside of it when you try looking through the back of the ****pit) is held up by a velcro strip. Couldn't you just push on it to flip it down?

 

Yes. Pushed through the carpet at the front of the trunk, but the back of the trunk, right in front of the release mechanism is also carpeted, so the broom handle cant go through that carpet! ARGH! Still not in.

 

My rear carpet is screwed in at the top (factory).

 

I think i'm going to put an electric servo into mine... Then I can wire it to an option button when i put in an alarm.

 

You can also drill a small hole in the panel behind the rear license plate, and stick a screwdriver through that hole to open the trunk. Later you can put a small piece of rubber to seal the hole. After putting the licenseplate back it will be invisible.

In my spider I attached a piece of rope to the handle, and brought the other end of the rope behand the driver seat. In this way I have a backup

 

Small nylon string will work

Anticipating that someday the cable will fail, I removed the springs from the Spider trunk latch and installed a redundant 'pull" string which exits near the drivers side weatherstrip seal.
With the springs removed ( latch I believe has two springs....I removed largest one..not necessary and the latch still has a small internal spring as well) Pull the string to release trunk.

Looking forward to the hood cable failing, which will be 100 x more PITA than trunk release failing, I installed a bicycle cable to the latch and have similar loose end exiting by the drivers side rubber hood bumper. Anthing no matter how crude is better than no backup.

 

For future reference.

 

My Brothers solution

The car described herein was his commuter car, not pretty, but it survived New York, the Bronx and Queens (all in the New York City area) plus a daily 140 mile round trip commute.
Many years ago my brother had locked his key in this car. Solution:
Rather than break glass he poked a small hole in the trunk lid next to the latch. He tripped the latch, entered through the trunk, the back seat removed and VOILA he was in. Small chrome plate from auto parts store covered the hole in a few minutes.

Second road problem: Piston #1 fractured from high mileage on his way to work.
Solution: pull onto the shoulder of the road, put on coveralls, collect tools from trunk, remove head, chop out remainder of piston #1 with hammer and chisel, remove connecting rod pieces, unbolt connecting rod (all done through the top of the cylinder. Remove pushrods for Cylinder #1, put the head back on, refill coolant., start car and continue on to work 1 hr late.
This car ran this way for another 50,000 miles until it had 200,000 miles on it or something like that. Mad Max would appreciate this!