The 'E' Type Forum

Have just returned from a long trip and find that I cannot open the boot on my roadster S2.
All the luggage etc is inside and i fear I may have closed it and perhaps jammed something that will not let me release the catch. I can pull the opening handle from inside the car and the boot clicks up maybe an inch but appears jammed from going any further. Have tried using some wooden wedges to see if I can "help it" but to no avail. Any ideas as to how I can open it so the wife can do the washing etc!

Any help much appreciated! asap.

If I understand correctly, it sounds like the catch is releasing as the boot is coming up an inch. It could be that some of your luggage has moved during the drive and are preventing the hinges from moving fully.

The normal boot opening issues have a couple of possibilities as follows but it sounds like your's is actually opening.

1. Push the boot lid back down on to the catch. Sometimes it hasn't clicked back in place fully and prevents opening.

2. It could be sticking on the rubber seal. This happens especially if there has been a fuel leak. The fumes get absorbed by the rubber and causes the lid to stick. It can take quite some effort and persuasion to release it.

3. The release cable may have become stretched/mal-adjusted over time. There is a hole in the body where the release catch is enabling the use of a screwdriver or similar to be inserted and flick the catch open.

Hope that helps

Thanks for the speedy response. I think i have jammed maybe a part of the hood cover against the lock and this is topping it from opening.
Tried your number 1 and it is not that, also definitely not your number 2 either as seals etc are quite old. Number 3 sounds more likely but strange that when it is fully shut i can use the opening handle and it will click and release but only an inch or so. Will have another go at usiing the screwdriver and see how i get on. Any more thoughts would be welcome
Thanks

Number 3 sounds like an option.

If you want I’ll post pics so you can see what you are doing then delete.

Simon

Thanks 288gto that would be very useful. Just to be certain mine is a series 2 Roadster. I have looked at other postings and they are mostly for a series 1. Thank you for your help and hope it will work.
Regards

Uploading photos now. Give me 5 mins

Good luck.

Simon

Thanks for the pics. Will let you know how I get on ( hopefully tomorrow). Just to be clear I assume that once you get the screwdriver blade up against the cable you are effectively pushing the cable inwards thus hopefully releasing the mechanism? As i have said when i use the boot release from inside the car it does seem to pull and then allow an inch or so opening the boot ( sadly not enough to get my fingers under to be able to do it manually). Have tried using wedges to see if a bit of force will work but to no avail.
Anyhow will give it a go and thanks for your time and effort with the photos. If it does not work then not really sure what else I can do as seems no other way of getting in without destroying the boot lid or cutting an opening to the boot from behind the seats? All seems a bit extreme at the moment so am hoping your fix idea will work.
Await your response to the above

Hi....it really sounds like the luggage has moved preventing boot fully opening...you say it opens an inch or so....is there an actual opening....have you tried poking a stick in to move luggage around......or a coat hanger wire to grab luggage and move....could try with a flexi camera to see whats going on.....Steve

I faced exactly the same misery on a tour in Burgundy couple of years back: a plastic shopping bag had been caught in the catch when closing the lid and preventing the catch from completing the opening swing when the cable was pulled.
I have tried a coathanger wire as Simon is recommending but it did not work: the wooden floor was an obstacle.
Finally decided to start wiggeling the lid in all directions, the hinges gave some play, and ultimately it popped open showing the criminal bag.
When back home i had to readjust the hinges.
Singe, I pay a dedicated attention to what lies in the boot before closing.
Good luck!

Reading that the boot opens a small amount, I’m inclined to think that as Ralph suggests, something is trapped in the mechanism.

Ralph I did try a coat hanger type piece of wire first but found it wasn’t strong enough and bent rather than operate the lever.

Another very good point Ralph mentions is that with all the levering on the boot there is a chance the boot has become miss aligned. When you do get it open watch it doesn’t catch the paintwork along the hinge edge as it is very close there.

Hopefully a combination of forcing the lever further across with either a screwdriver or someone pulling the release cable while jiggling and pulling the boot will open it.

Simon

Deleted

Have you tried driving it around and taking some sharp turns to maybe movie the luggage around if it is trapped in the hinges. Might work?

Since straws are being clutched at and before extreme hole cutting measures are undertaken maybe its an idea to remove the seat belt mountings from the inside by the hood and possibly you can poke something down to shove luggage around ?

Both good ideas by Tony and Tim. It was working fine until I stopped at the ferry terminal and put the hood cover into the boot. it was pretty full of luggage when I closed it. A few mins later ( car had not moved) I went to open it and it was jammed. I am always cautious about putting cases away from the hinges as well.
It is odd that it opens an inch or so and you can hear the lock releasing , but obviously not all the way. And it must be something solid as even with wooden door wedges and a gentle tap with an irish persuader it will not open.
The weather here is dreadful so as i need 2 people to try the suggestion by Simon so i am delaying it until tomorrow when the sun is back and the wife can be persuaded to help .

If the above fails we will consider the hole cutting as a last straw , but have just looked at the price of replacement boot lids!!
Thanks for all your help / suggestions and will keep you informed of progress.

If you hear the latch click and the lid opens and inch then it is not the locking mechanism. I suggest luggage has fouled one the hinge assemblies. As the lid is opened the curved assembly arcs upwards, anything pushing against it will stop it opening. Try using a hook to pull the luggage towards you, pushing away will make matters worse. Hard cornering or harsh acceleration might help (not harsh braking obviously) but I doubt it. You could try a bore scope:


If you have to start cutting anything I would suggest you start with the rear bulkhead. Strip the trim and cut away. Welding a repair panel will not involve any real visible sign.

I’m not convinced it is the hinges David.
There is enough flex in the boot lid , hinges, mountings that applying the force mentioned by the OP on the lock edge, the boot would come up further and something would bend. The hinge to boot mounts are quite flimsy.
I might be wrong but if the boot is coming up an inch and then coming to a dead stop, it is more likely the latch on the boot lid is not fully clearing the mechanism.
I spent hours and hours getting mine to latch smoothly hence being proficient with the bent screwdriver
The boroscope is an excellent suggestion before cutting holes.

Success at last! I tried the screwdriver method suggested by Simon but whilst could feel the cable it would not move any further. In desperation i managed to peel back the boot lid seal a bit and with the wedges in place between the lid and the body there was just enough room to poke a flat BBQ skewer in .Could feel the hood cover. Also had small torch and could see that the catch was jammed by the hood cover. Could also make out the boot catch fitting which only partially releasing and in desperation gave it a good whack with a screwdriver and hammer.
Hey presto it opened! and with no damage to the paint or body.

Perhaps i should have tried this earlier but was reluctant to damage the paint etc so have learnt a good lesson here for future packing on trips!

Thank you all for your invaluable help and i really appreciate it, especially Simon with his photos etc.

Should be simple to test if it is the latch - moving the boot lid up/down should produce a metallic sound. If not it is something soft.

Fantastic news!

I’ll now delete my dodgy pictorial guide to breaking into a E type!

Simon