Can you pop open a Sportdeck trunk access door from inside the interior?

[ib4stangs]

Bragging rights to the fellow who can spot an important bit of modification in this picture.

-Kurt

How about the aftermarket speakers in side panels???

 

[Mike429cj]

All great ideas; thank you. Jeff's sticks out as a very viable option though:

Remove the far rear corner plastic quarter panels and there are holes in the sheet metal to reach through...

Tell me, Jeff - how much has to be disassembled to lift the Sportdeck quarter sections out of the car? Most of the interior is in really bad shape; the less I have to remove, the less chance I'll break something. The interior C-pillars are already falling in and apart, and the chance of getting them back into place may be nil.

What's more, the rear floorpans are completely shot - I can't put my foot on them without going straight through. Makes it that much more difficult.

I removed the lower seat for this shot, FYI:

Bragging rights to the fellow who can spot an important bit of modification in this picture.

-Kurt

I didn't think the 71 mustangs had the ash tray in the rear seat near rear quarter window. At least not early production cars. Mine does not have the ash tray and was built in September 1971.

 

[OMS]

There are 4 extra holes in the floor by the seat belt holes

Possibly a roll bar ?

 

[Mister 4x4]

If those red interior pictures are your car, I don't think you have the fold down seat? If that's correct, just remove the rear seat and use a long extensions and a socket to unbolt the stricker on the tail light panel.

Not a bad idea, but Yeah... that doesn't work so well. All those extensions translate to the slightest movement being an inch or three at the socket-end. Ask me how I know.

Besides, the striker on the taillight panel is welded to the taillight panel. You'll need to loosen all three bolts on the latch mechanism fastened to the trunk lid... and even then, you'll have to get lucky in just wiggling the trunk lid when it's loose, in hopes that the latch hook will slip out of the striker.

I didn't think the 71 mustangs had the ash tray in the rear seat near rear quarter window. At least not early production cars. Mine does not have the ash tray and was built in September 1971.

Mine does (did - new repop quarter trim panels) - born either September or October 1971 as well.

 

[cudak888]

There are 4 extra holes in the floor by the seat belt holes

Possibly a roll bar ?

We have a winner. 4 holes on each side, plus four additional holes per side on the floorpan.

-Kurt

 

[detroitjohnny]

Well, did you get in there? :shy:

 

[Mister 4x4]

There are 4 extra holes in the floor by the seat belt holes

Possibly a roll bar ?

We have a winner. 4 holes on each side, plus four additional holes per side on the floorpan.

-Kurt

Can you point them out? The only actual holes I see in the floor anywhere close to the seat belt mounting points belong to the muffler hangers.

And yeah - have you gotten into it yet? :huh:

 

[cudak888]

Can you point them out? The only actual holes I see in the floor anywhere close to the seat belt mounting points belong to the muffler hangers.

And yeah - have you gotten into it yet? :huh:

Here is a better picture. The rear seatbelts were removed as well, though I have no way of knowing whether this was done during or after DAF:

I'm going to hold back on showing the holes in the floorpan right now. Best to prevent potential forgeries until all is known.

As for getting access into the trunk - I haven't had time to return to the museum. I might wait until January when Bo Durban (In Search of Mustangs) heads down here to look at it.

All things considered, it'll probably be easier to try our luck with Bo's additional 20-30 other keys than to try and force the Sportdeck down. After all, if we WERE to be lucky with the Sportdeck, we'd still have to hope there isn't anything blocking it from opening - and if not, THEN attempt to spin the lock cylinder or remove the latch if we can see anything else of interest in the trunk.

Honestly, I doubt we'll find much in the trunk that will aid in our findings.

-Kurt

 

[Totalled]

Fold the rear seat down and you won't have to stand on the floor as much.

 

[cudak888]

Fold the rear seat down and you won't have to stand on the floor as much.

It's all easier said than done when the car is on display like this while you're working on it:



-Kurt

 

[rocket366]

Lock pick set and five minutes = trunk open

A locksmith would pick it for 20 bucks I'm sure.

I would do it for free just as a time challenge like I used to do with my father

to see who could open a lock or turn an ign switch faster.

 

[71BossPrototype]

Lock pick set and five minutes = trunk open

A locksmith would pick it for 20 bucks I'm sure.

I would do it for free just as a time challenge like I used to do with my father

to see who could open a lock or turn an ign switch faster.

I don't know if this works on auto trunk locks, but you might be able to use the "bump lock picking technique." Check it out in this google search: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=bump+lock

 

[cudak888]

Picking the lock has come to mind - about how much does a workable pick set run? Just enough to get it open.

Bumping sounds interesting, but I'd expect it to work more readily on a worn-out cylinder - and, ironically enough, this cylinder feels as if it may be a brand new repop replacement. That, and I'd have to find a locksmith capable of cutting the Ford key with the proper depth to the valleys so that the bumping method will work.

FYI - I probably won't be trying this until January. If earlier, I'll let you know.

-Kurt

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Years ago I watched a locksmith cut an ignition key for a Ford Maverick.

Even though it is a dual sided key, only one side needs to be cut. He blacked the edge of the key, inserted it into the lock wiggled, removed, cut by hand with a file and repeated for all of 10 minutes and when it opened he looked at the key, went to his machine and cut a complete 2 sided key.

I vote for a locksmith

Or drop the gas tank filler neck and go through that opening-but that seems like a hard way to do things

 

[Mister 4x4]

Or drop the gas tank filler neck and go through that opening-but that seems like a hard way to do things

Hmmm... I don't know how the others are laid out, but the flip-open cap has one fastener as a stud that bolts on from the inside, to prevent this exact thing.

IF, that is, the car has the flip-open gas cap.

 

[cudak888]

Jeff - how did he black the edge of the key? Sharpie marker? Honestly, that sounds doable with a file set.

Or drop the gas tank filler neck and go through that opening-but that seems like a hard way to do things

Hmmm... I don't know how the others are laid out, but the flip-open cap has one fastener as a stud that bolts on from the inside, to prevent this exact thing.

IF, that is, the car has the flip-open gas cap.

Ah, yes, that didn't take more than a second to go through my mind - and I didn't forget about the stud.

Speaking of which, the flip down lid on this cap has been unceremoniously broken off this car:

-Kurt

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Don't recall, it was 32 or 33 years ago.

 

[rocket366]

You blacken the key with the soot from a lit match, make no

mistake it is an art to perfect. I could just pick it in less than

5 min

BTW lock picks are burglary tools and used to be you

had to have a locksmith license to obtain a set

 

[71BossPrototype]

Picking the lock has come to mind - about how much does a workable pick set run? Just enough to get it open.

Bumping sounds interesting, but I'd expect it to work more readily on a worn-out cylinder - and, ironically enough, this cylinder feels as if it may be a brand new repop replacement. That, and I'd have to find a locksmith capable of cutting the Ford key with the proper depth to the valleys so that the bumping method will work.

FYI - I probably won't be trying this until January. If earlier, I'll let you know.

-Kurt

Check out this short video. By the way, he also has a video demonstrating how to make a bump-lock key. He also gives a link to a seller of lock pick tools in the comments:


-Andy

 

[cudak888]

Update:

Though I have not been back to the museum to try popping the Sportdeck, the trunk may be of less interest at this point than the flat area of the Sportdeck itself, which may have some additional holes drilled in it for a camera mount. With that said, I once again need help: What procedure is used to disassemble the package tray/seatback portion of the Sportdeck seat? Emphasis on minimal parts removal, if possible.

And for those interested in the first phase of the research, Bo has posted some of our research, which you can find here: www.7173mustangs.com/thread-today-diamonds-are-forever-uncovered?page=1

-Kurt

P.S.: Andy, that is a fantastic video. May have to try that.