On 11/4/2019, David Adams near Gatwick, England wrote:
"My boot stuck closed and I went through the routine and despair of BD-101. I did have spring reaction to the pull rod. It is a horrible feeling! I wrote the attached and hope it will be of use to those who are rebuilding their cars, or who are looking for something useful to do in the off season".

Boot Emergency Opener

I had a scare when my boot would not open. I followed the recommendations in BD-101 with the pull loop tied off to the LH dash strut, but no joy so I pounded the lid with the heel of my hand whilst lifting in one corner. No go, I felt really sick. I lifted as hard as I could in each lower corner and it popped open. The seal which is stuck in its recess had also stuck to the underside of the boot lid and was holding it fast, leaving a residue of seal on the lid.

Following this lucky escape I decided to find a way for emergency opening of the boot lid. First, the SPL shows the transverse pull rod with the split pins facing up so any failure of the split pins would allow the rod to fall by gravity out of the bell crank or lock lever. So turn the rod over to split pins down, harder to fit the split pins but safer. I also opened up the split pin holes to 2mm and fitted stainless split pins. Fortunately, the longitudinal pull rod has split pin down.

I was looking for a means of opening the lock from the outside without cutting the body or spoiling the paint. The third fixing screw up from the back of the LH wing is just about in alignment with the hole on the lock lever and if that screw were drilled axially a Bowden cable inner could be threaded through and pulled from inside the wing to open the lock. The screw was drilled 2.5mm and the cable is 1mm stainless.

The first picture shows the components. The eye on the cable is 2.5mm thick and the handle is a cut down 5/16 UNF bolt, drilled radially 2mm at its centre point with the thread extended and plastic sleeve to stop it rattling. The second picture is the connection to the lock and the third is the cable disappearing into the wing screw.