61 Hawk trunk lock cylinder

[Cash]

Hi ya'll...think my trunk lock cylinder has bought the farm it was being difficult when i first picked up the car, now, it just spins around in the chrome lock housing..any suggetions? I think I can pry on it a bit and get the retainer to spring off, and release the latch, but I really hate to try that..
Cash

[Tom Bredehoft]

Does the '61 use the same lock housing that they started using in '53? [if NO, go to bottom] If so, there is a square recess at the bottom of the housing. Obtain a 1/16 Allen Wrench, insert the short end in the hole at the top of the square recess and push up. This will release the lock cylinder.

Get other advice.

[Cash]

Forgot to add that the trunk is firmly, inexoribly locked down..

[StudeRich]

The "link" from the lock cylinder to the trunk latch has broken or disconnected from the lock, the cylinder may be fine.
This may require doing it the hard way, by removing the back seat, tearing out the cardboard trunk wall liner and going in there to release it.

[dpson]

Here is how I got the trunk open on my 61 Lark when lock stopped working. Removed the rear seat, remove the cardboard package shelf above the rear seat (held down with four push clips.), accessed the trunk via the speaker opening (no rear speaker) using a socket with several long extensions removed the two bolts that held the trunk latch stricker (the "U" shaped rod that the latch catches)to the body, opened trunk. I don't know if this will work on a Hawk, perhaps someone will chime in.

[Cash]

Fixed it...I was able to use a small thin flatblade screwdriver to get the cylinder loose, then I gently tugged and twisted till the retainer clamp sprung loose. Once the cylinder was out, I saw that the lever was there, and the link..it had come loose from the latch itself. Looking at the link, I noticed that it just looped around whatever mechanism used to actuate the latch, so I bent up a coat hangar, put it thru the cylinder opening in the trunk, fished a bit and got the trunk open. I then lubed the latch, reinstalled the cylinder and link, and go a needlenose in to clamp the link a bit tighter. It's working, but I think I'm going to fab up a link from a good piano wire, pull everything back out, and then reinstall with the new link, as the piano wire is a bit stronger and stiffer than the stock link.
Cash

[christophe]

Hi cash,

I think this link might interest you.

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/trunk/trunklatch.html

[Cash]

Hi cash,

I think this link might interest you.

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/...runklatch.html

Merci, Christophe...that might just do the trick, thank you very much!!
Cash