Opening up the locked trunk of an old-ass car

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

My parents both died this year and I am cleaning out the house. I need to get rid of my dad's ANCIENT Buick which has been rusting in the driveway for over two years now (was a decent car for many years). I tried to open the trunk with the key. The key actually got bent in the trunk lock, but I was able to extract it fully intact (did not break off in the lock). I've called a couple of locksmiths who claim it is too old to deal with.

I highly doubt there is anything valuable or interesting in there, but I cannot donate it (it is a total wreck) without getting the trunk open, if only for my peace of mind.

Any ideas on the mustacian solution? I don't want to try anything dangerous--i.e., prying it open with a crowbar--because I don't want shards of rusted metal flying in my face. If anyone has any safe ideas I could try before shelling out a ton of money to have some auto body people come out and do surgery, that would be great!

Thanks!

EDIT: A highly-rated locksmith just quoted me 300$. Might just have to bite the bullet on this one!

[GuitarStv]

My parents both died this year and I am cleaning out the house. I need to get rid of my dad's ANCIENT Buick which has been rusting in the driveway for over two years now (was a decent car for many years). I tried to open the trunk with the key. The key actually got bent in the trunk lock, but I was able to extract it fully intact (did not break off in the lock). I've called a couple of locksmiths who claim it is too old to deal with.

I highly doubt there is anything valuable or interesting in there, but I cannot donate it (it is a total wreck) without getting the trunk open, if only for my peace of mind.

Any ideas on the mustacian solution? I don't want to try anything dangerous--i.e., prying it open with a crowbar--because I don't want shards of rusted metal flying in my face. If anyone has any safe ideas I could try before shelling out a ton of money to have some auto body people come out and do surgery, that would be great!

Thanks!

Drill it out.  Use a titanium or cobalt drill bit of larger than 1/4 inch.  Have a spare bit too, because this is usually pretty hard on them.  Put it right on the key hole and go to town.  You'll (eventually) grind through the face and into the tumblers, then you should be able to turn it without a key.

This is the general procedure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4bonD8CTvU&ab_channel=CerealMarshmallows

[CNM]

I'd check and see if you can access the truck through the back seats.  There might be a fold down option or, if not, it'd probably be pretty easy to slice the upholstery with a box cutter.  If the back seats have a fold-down middle arm rest thingy, the fabric/leather at the back of that will probably be the thinnest and easiest area to cut.

[nedwin]

You could try a penetrating oil like PB Blaster.  It may loosen the tumblers enough to use the key.  I have also seen old locks like that opened with a flat head screw driver pounded in with a hammer.

[Uturn]

define ancient. If it is 80s or older, the back seat should come out and give you access. Often they were not bolted in, just hooked. 

[Metalcat]

I agree with everyone else, you should absolutely be able to access the trunk by the back seat.

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

Thanks the back seat sounds like a plan. Will try it!

[AccidentialMustache]

Is it rusted out enough to get one of those consumer grade usb "drain camera"s in and look around? If all you need is to verify its empty of anything of value, that might be a good first pass if you have one without the effort of drilling out a lock of an empty trunk.

[Samuel]

Since it doesn't matter how much you damage it in the process I would try all of the above and report back which method was the most fun.

[Cadman]

What year and model are we talking about here? Most Buick's from the 80's on had a trunk release button in the glove box. Assuming the battery is dead, just disconnect the leads and connect a suitable 12V source (another batt, suitable charger, or car w/jumper cables, for example).

[Metalcat]

What year and model are we talking about here? Most Buick's from the 80's on had a trunk release button in the glove box. Assuming the battery is dead, just disconnect the leads and connect a suitable 12V source (another batt, suitable charger, or car w/jumper cables, for example).

That might not work if the entire lock apparatus is rusted.

[Paul der Krake]

Also worth looking for some sort of simple mechanical latch near the front of the cabin. Someone mentioned the globe box, but they can also be near the driver seat. They tend to be in not-so-obvious places.

If all else fails, yeah, just take a sharp knife and go through the backseat. Should be fun.

[Cadman]

What year and model are we talking about here? Most Buick's from the 80's on had a trunk release button in the glove box. Assuming the battery is dead, just disconnect the leads and connect a suitable 12V source (another batt, suitable charger, or car w/jumper cables, for example).

That might not work if the entire lock apparatus is rusted.

It certainly can't hurt to try (and cheaper than a locksmith). In my experience on the old GM's, it's typically the cylinder that jams from disuse and the inner release is usually just fine. In fact, I've had good luck carrying a couple small jumper wires in my toolbox when I visit the wrecking yards. Open the glove box, pop out the trunk button, connect harness to Dewalt battery, and voila!

Trying to get the trunk open from behind the rear seat is a fool's errand, IMO. Been there, done that. Too much steel between the seat back and rear compartment. But if this Buick is new enough, it may have a pass-through where you can at least check the trunk contents. Obviously, there's a huge difference between an '84 Century and a '96 Roadmaster, so a little more info would be helpful.

[Metalcat]

What year and model are we talking about here? Most Buick's from the 80's on had a trunk release button in the glove box. Assuming the battery is dead, just disconnect the leads and connect a suitable 12V source (another batt, suitable charger, or car w/jumper cables, for example).

That might not work if the entire lock apparatus is rusted.

It certainly can't hurt to try (and cheaper than a locksmith). In my experience on the old GM's, it's typically the cylinder that jams from disuse and the inner release is usually just fine. In fact, I've had good luck carrying a couple small jumper wires in my toolbox when I visit the wrecking yards. Open the glove box, pop out the trunk button, connect harness to Dewalt battery, and voila!

Trying to get the trunk open from behind the rear seat is a fool's errand, IMO. Been there, done that. Too much steel between the seat back and rear compartment. But if this Buick is new enough, it may have a pass-through where you can at least check the trunk contents. Obviously, there's a huge difference between an '84 Century and a '96 Roadmaster, so a little more info would be helpful.

Really?

I've driven several 80s cars and all of them had access to the trunk through the backseat.

[Cadman]

The 80's cars you've driven, were they body-on-frame? GM did a big push in the early 80's to go FWD across the enterprise, and that meant switching to unibody as well. One of the key areas for increasing body rigidity was making use of the structure behind the rear seat. Here's a pic looking from the trunk of an '88 C-body (same structure as H). It's solid metal, wall to wall. In the midwest Buick sold TONS of these.

An interesting thing happened though after the big FWD push and downsizing. The $5/gal gas expected by '85 never materialized, and sales picked back up on the old RWD models, extending their production run by a couple more years. They're rare to see today, but the OP could be dealing with a RWD Regal, or BOF Electra/Lesabre in which there might be a chance to gain access.

But why work harder? If there's a release button, just attach cables, turn key to On, and press it. : )

[Metalcat]

The 80's cars you've driven, were they body-on-frame? GM did a big push in the early 80's to go FWD across the enterprise, and that meant switching to unibody as well. One of the key areas for increasing body rigidity was making use of the structure behind the rear seat. Here's a pic looking from the trunk of an '88 C-body (same structure as H). It's solid metal, wall to wall. In the midwest Buick sold TONS of these.

An interesting thing happened though after the big FWD push and downsizing. The $5/gal gas expected by '85 never materialized, and sales picked back up on the old RWD models, extending their production run by a couple more years. They're rare to see today, but the OP could be dealing with a RWD Regal, or BOF Electra/Lesabre in which there might be a chance to gain access.

But why work harder? If there's a release button, just attach cables, turn key to On, and press it. : )

I have no idea, I just know that all of my 80s cars have had a little fold down part that accessed the trunk.

[markbike528CBX]

Spray a little putrescine on the rear of the car, take it to the local cop shop and quietly mention that you might have a body in the trunk.
I'm sure they'd be happy to pop the trunk.  :-)

Spoiler: show

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putrescine

Advice worth every penny you paid for it :-)

[ChickenStash]

As a child of the 80s, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with cars from that era being referred to as ancient. lol

[Metalcat]

As a child of the 80s, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with cars from that era being referred to as ancient. lol

I'm a child of the 80s and I have enough broken parts that I am definitely no longer considered "reliable".

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

It's a four-door '73 Apollo. (I laugh my ass off when Wikipedia calls it a "compact car"!)

He bought it used in '90 for a couple thousand from a dealer. It had something like 25,000 miles and was a single-owner, little old lady who only drove it once a week--or something like that. It was a pretty reliable car for all those years although he had a very short commute and retired early. About 2.5 years ago, my dad started losing his mind (dementia and other issues)  and the car has been sitting for over two years. It would require a ton of money to get it roadworthy again, and I highly doubt it has any collectible value at all...

[Morning Glory]

Place a large flat blade screwdriver in the keyhole and hit it with a hammer a few times until it sinks in. You should then either be able to turn it or the whole lock apparatus will come out.

ETA I was just told that this trick also works on the door and the ignition. 70s cars were extremely easy to steal!

[Morning Glory]

Turns out it does have some collector value, esp if it has the small block 350 instead of the straight 6. It's pretty much the same body as the Chevy Nova. The lock mechanism won't matter but I wouldn't cut the seats if it's in good shape. How much rust does it have?

[Cadman]

It's a four-door '73 Apollo. (I laugh my ass off when Wikipedia calls it a "compact car"!)

He bought it used in '90 for a couple thousand from a dealer. It had something like 25,000 miles and was a single-owner, little old lady who only drove it once a week--or something like that. It was a pretty reliable car for all those years although he had a very short commute and retired early. About 2.5 years ago, my dad started losing his mind (dementia and other issues)  and the car has been sitting for over two years. It would require a ton of money to get it roadworthy again, and I highly doubt it has any collectible value at all...

Wow, I almost tossed out "Apollo" as a joke, pretty rare these days. On that car I believe you can get in through the rear seat. A small person, or a long series of extensions will let you unbolt the latch from the inside. On a Nova forum, someone with a similar issue was told to remove the license plate light which would give them access to the clip that holds in the lock cylinder, but I'm not sure if that was a '73 or not.

How bad is the rust/interior? If the body isn't too bad, you might consider selling it as it sits. Even if you can't get the trunk open, you can at least check the contents via back seat.

[Sandi_k]

Turns out it does have some collector value, esp if it has the small block 350 instead of the straight 6. It's pretty much the same body as the Chevy Nova. The lock mechanism won't matter but I wouldn't cut the seats if it's in good shape. How much rust does it have?

My car nut husband says remove the lower seat first. Then the back seat usually lifts off hooks (after you undo any potential screws on the bottom attachment points), so you might have to finagle it a bit.

@ObviouslyNotAGolfer

[Dicey]

No advice, but I can't wait to hear how this turns out.