From: AKBLACKLEY@aol.com
>
>... Several have suggested pushing on the boot
>lid or the plate bracket in an attempt to flex the latch and/or the stricker.
>This sounds like it could potentialy damage the paint or worse...
Andy -
I don't know about others but what I said was: "If this is a misalignment,
I have opened many stuck boot lids by applying gentle pressure on the
license plate with my knee as I push the button..."
I can't imagine that GENTLE pressure on the license plate could damage the
car. I agree that pushing on the lid might not be a good idea. I don't
like the idea of drilling holes in the bulkhead - except perhaps to mount a
choke-cable boot-lid release which one of us has yet to devise. ((I'll
work on it.))
My worst boot-lid nightmare occured while at British Car Days South in
Salem, NC a couple years ago. There is a pie-shaped actuater/locking plate
that screws on the back of the push-button. Mine fell off inside the boot
- laden at the time with all of my wife's oh-so-necessarys. The entire
push-button assembly came out with my key when I tried to unlock it.
Quality of Life was jeopardized, to say the least. One of the guys in the
NC MG Car Club had the patience and skill to open it with the old
coat-hanger trick and about two hours of struggling. Joy was restored to
the Bachelder family. He rode off into the sunset before I could get his
name - he's one (regrettably anonymous) hero who makes our hobby the joy
and pleasure that it is. ...And I never had a chance to thank him...
Oh, I guess there's a moral: make sure that screw is tight on your car.
Better yet, apply a bit of loktite - as I did.
Allen
******************************************
Allen H. Bachelder =iii=<
Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
New Castle, VA 24127
USA
540/544-7333
******************************************
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