Best way of breaking into your E type

[abowie]

Scenario. Your car is locked, keys in ignition, windows up, in gear, handbrake on and it's in your garage.

Short summary; gently prise the driver's side window outwards at the upper end at the rear. Pass a long thin rod with a 270 degree hook on the end in and hook it inside the key ring. Pull the keys out of the ignition and retrieve through the window. Took 30 seconds.

Other options I tried. Took considerably longer.

Actuate the lock by passing a "SlimJim" down between the glass and the window seal. Harder than it looks on TV. As I didn't really understand how the lock worked I had no success.

Actuate the inner door latch by using a rod passed through from the other side of the car. Problem; latch has to be pushed down and the rod wasn't rigid enough. A long piece of flat steel with a notch in the end might have worked but i didn't have one.

Open the rear hatch by using a rod to hook open the button behind the driver's door. Pass the rod in through the gap behind the passenger window. Problem; it's hard to get a hook to hold under the button to lift it, and the driver's seat back gets in the way. Probably would have worked if i had persisted though.

Open the rear driver's quarter window with a long rod passed through from the passenger window. In the end I didn't try this because the rod I had wasn't long enough. Getting the angle would have been tricky because it is hard to prise out the window frame in a way that makes passing a rod to the back of the car easy. Having said this I reckon this would have been how I would have done it if I hadn't easily retrieved the keys. Once the window is open you should be able to reach the rear hatch button.

Remove the rear hatch window. Last resort but mine needs a new seal so if push came to shove that's what i would have done.

[vee12eman]

Hi,

Just a small thought, the eventual method used to retrieve keys locked in to the car are worthy of publication, but is it a good idea to advertise methods of breaking in to an E-type over the internet? (Those not associated with the retreival of the keys from the ignition, that is).

Sorry to be a bit negative and I am very glad you got in without damage, but there are some not very nice people out there!

Regards,

[pmansson]

I have never locked my old cars. I think it?s better if whoever decides to enter it, uses the doorhandles, so as to avoid damage to glass, chrome, paint and...more?
Just don?t keep anything of value visible inside.

[abowie]

It was suffering from the "self locking" syndrome. I'd only locked the passenger door because I had to take it for a roadworthy inspection and there were a lot of unsavoury types about.

As an aside I think I have solved the self locking problem. http://forums.jag-lovers.org/tv.php3?eN ... IAmdEJNQ==