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Posted by: xsurfer Jan 13 2010, 08:09 PM

I rear trunk lid on my 71 six cylinder flew up yesterday by accident. The left corner next to the engine grill didn't return flush to the engine grill. Did the hinge bend? Anyone had this problem? HEEELLLLLPPPPP!

Thanks
Gene

Posted by: Spoke Jan 13 2010, 08:48 PM

A pic or two might help. There aren't any adjustments of height on the rear trunk lid.

Posted by: rick 918-S Jan 13 2010, 08:51 PM

Check the body mount for the pivot bolt. They rust off and then the lid pops up in the corner.

Posted by: jt914-6 Jan 13 2010, 09:13 PM

Posted by: Jerry75914 Jan 14 2010, 02:31 PM

JWest makes a nice replacement hinge if you don't want to be making with the welding

Posted by: SirAndy Jan 14 2010, 03:03 PM

Posted by: tat2dphreak Jan 14 2010, 03:17 PM

yep, I highly recommend... your hinge probably broke.. this happened to me on the other side

you MIGHT want to put on shocks and replace the spring at the same time. I didn't but that was just my preference

Posted by: xsurfer Jan 15 2010, 01:30 PM

I can't see where the hinge is broken. The distance between the "u" bend in the hinge on the left appears to be at least double the right. Can the hinge be bent by flying up? Are orig. hinges available?

Thanks

Gene

Posted by: tat2dphreak Jan 15 2010, 01:48 PM

the way it broke on mine, you won't see it until the trunk lid is off

the welds in the body were ok, the the bolt that goes into that piece was where the sheet metal was broke...

take off the trunk lid and see what you have

Posted by: SirAndy Jan 15 2010, 01:56 PM

Never seen the actual hinge break. It's either the bolt that mounts the hinge to the body or the bracket that is welded to the body that holds said bolt.

It's way up on top, so you really have to look closely under the black mesh piece on the side.

Your head needs to be inside the engine compartment to get a good look up there.
Andy

Posted by: Tom_T Jan 15 2010, 10:08 PM

open the engine lid & look at the high side, but disagree on hinge never breaking ....

It's usually the hinge plate either tearing loose at the welds to the inner body, or less often the plate tears, or at this late date 35+ years later the bolts could corrode through, esp. in heavy weather areas.

Typically the trunk rides 1/2" - 1" high on the side that lets go due to the high-torsion springs pressure on the plates, rollers, hinge bolt, etc.

OE style repro &/or OEM hinge plates, bolts & rollers are all available at the usual suspects: PP, AA, Pelican, etc. & any decent body shop can put them in for you, if you can't!

I had both sides done one at a time back in the day when mine was my DD, so I bought a pair of everything now, but went with the metal roller this time (weren't available back then IIRC.

BTW - nothing you did with the lid flying up, except that maybe it went a little sooner with the instant shock. It wouldn't have gone like that unless it was already weakened & would've done so anyway eventually. You can drive it like that so long as no rain or snow is in the forecast!

Good Luck!

Posted by: rick 918-S Jan 16 2010, 08:45 AM

Hey wait a minute... Are you saying the FRONT trunk lid flew open? That would be bad...