Does this boot lock look right?

Got a tang for my boot lock from a forum member, but it doesn't reach the latch. Is this the correct tang, or is something else wrong?

Edit: Never mind, I forgot you have a roadster, not a GT. Post edited out.

Hi Lonnie. It appears that you do have a situation. You may need to relocate your button assembly. Maybe there is a longer striker. if so, that is probably why it fatigued and broke. Here's a picture of my 74.5 boot lid latch. hope this helps.

Very nice shot Ted.

Re-examining my photograph it appears like there is a flattened imprint between the current lock and the latch about the same shape as the lock. Could this have been the original lock location? Why would it have been relocated?

My tang looks different than Mick's and Ted's tangs. Is mine incorrect?

Lonnie

Lonnie, your 'tang' is exactly the same as the one on my '65 roadster.

Lonnie's latch does look like it's being re-located. It doesn't seem to sit in the opening quite like Mick's. May just be the angle but something is amiss.

Lonnie, what's it look like from the outside? I might have a couple of spare latches around here somewhere. If I can find them, I'll see what they look like. Mick's latch looks like what I remember.

Just realized I've got a car sitting in the garage with a trunk latch. I hate when work removes my thinking process. Here's a photo of the V8's latch. Sorry for the poor quality. Should have gone Macro on the camera.

There is a pedestal on which the lock/handle sits. It would seem that moving the hole would have involved rebuilding that pedestal, so I think the hole must be in the right place. That would point to the lever mechanism being positioned incorrectly, but with the holes lined up it sits as in my photograph, far from the lock tang.

Any thoughts?

Lonnie

bump

Lonnie,

As mention above, there are several clues that point to your button assembly having been relocated. First - the parts in your photo all look to be correct. Second - there is evidence of the previous (original) hole location via the clear impression where the correct button assembly should be. Third - if you compare your photo to one of the correct ones supplied by other members, you'll see that your button assembly is way up past the cutout provided in the boot. You can't even see the top edge of your button mech.

As far as fabricating an elongated striker to reach from the button assembly to the lever, you can try, but I think you'll find there's too much play in the button mech and you'd lose the ability to drive the lever far enough to make the hook clear the U-bar that's attached to the body. Changing the button back to the original location probably isn't a good option either as there would be a lot of bodywork and paint matching involved. Plus, there may be some bondo or another reason why this moved in the first place.

I think your best bet may be to move the lever/latch assembly on the lid to meet the button and striker. This looks to be the easy part. The tougher job would then be to fabricate a new U-shaped bar that attaches to the body and also extends further back into the boot to allow contact with the new latch location. The good part about this option is that you're not going to mess up any body work trying to make it work.

Good luck...looks like a tough one.

Regards, Jim

Lonnie, this is what your '64 should look like, minus the paint over-spray...

Would a boot lid from a '69 be the same fit?

Lonnie

Lonnie, just for the sake of curiosity check the dim as shown in the picture. I was also wondering if you could contact the PO. There must be a reason for this.

Car is a combination of three cars rescued from local wrecking yards. No PO to blame things on or ask.

Lonnie

Mick,
Measurement is 4.25 inches.

Look again at the front of my latch. See the middle piece with the two holes in it diagonal from each other? That piece is shorter than the same piece in the other photos. Maybe the whole unit is shorter and is from another type vehicle.

If this helps, Lonnie, I just took a couple of measurements of my latch. From the "two-holed" bracket forward to the trunk metal edge is 1 15/16". From the bracket to the rear metal edge is 13/16".

I do believe we've got this figured out. Check the dims that Simon posted as well as shown in this picture. I believe that all you need is a new Latch Assembly. I just happen to have one and if you PM me your address I will send it to you. It will be your Merry Christmas from Susan and me. Check dims first.
Mick

When we get all the brilliant minds of this forum together we are bound to come up with a solution to any problem. Thanks Mick.

I think part of the problem with the pic is the angle in which it was taken, making it look furher away. On every lock I've seen ( and all the posted pics) the "tang" goes out farther than yours. Yours goes to the edge of the threaded portion, but the others go out to about to the edge of the securing nut (which is not in place in your pic) and is shaped differently (yours is much smaller), sugesting it's wrong.