This is what I did just yesterday myself on my '82... After having a scare with my '79 a few weeks back and while re-assembling my trunk after redoing the wood panels and carpeting I took the time while I had everything out to do this. It literally took all of ten minutes from start to finish.spider2081 wrote:Has anyone tried to instal an emergency pull cable for the trunk lock similar to the hood emergency cable. I think it would work. Attach the cable to the latch assemble where the plastic arm attaches. Have the cable routed toward the passenger side like the the plastic arm and then exit the trunk floor below the lock tumbler.
I realize this would need to be done as a safety before the ke is locked in the trunk or lost.
I had a ton of wire that would have worked but ultimately after doing some trial and error noticed standard wire can bend easily or kink. I then found some form of wire that is relatively thin and had almost a spring like quality to it which worked out perfectly as it "held" it's shape better and bends or is springy for lack of a better term. I wish I knew where it came from so I could use the same when I go to do the '79... Be sure to go all the way to the actual locking mechanism and not try to rig it to the plastic arm because if either of the nuts were to come loose the new pull would be useless.
On the arm above where the plastic arm mounts there is already a hole there from the factory return spring is so that added to the ease of installation and required no real tools other then a pair of pliers to twist what ever wire you choose. Once you thread the wire it through that hole and run it inside the sheetmetal I used the the drain triangle on the passenger side in the corner of the trunk. Easy peasy... Definitely a must do to avoid any future issues and saves having to breaking into the trunk and damaging things.