Where do you other Avanti owners keep your two-foot screwdriver??

[edpjr]

Installed new trunk release cable. Seemed to work like a charm until the trunk was shut. Then it wouldn't open back up. Consulted Shop Manual which clearly instructed to open rear access panel and use 2' screwdriver to open trunk from inside. Does everybody have a 2' screwdriver? They're sure scarce in my neck of the woods. Finally attached regular size screwdriver to wooden pole and was able to manipulate it enough to get the trunk back open. After further adjustment everything seems to be working fine now. I wonder why Studebaker opted for such an elaborate setup rather than a simple lock & key design???

[Anne F. Goodman]

I keep mine in the garage but hey thats just me. So when I get an Avanti I will have the screwdriver to open the trunk.lol

[clonelark]

I have a Snap on 2' screw driver that i paid $38 for, needed it when i was making springs to put the hooks on heavy duty extention springs. A guy can never have enough tools. Can take a pic if anyone wants to see it,

[MikeValent]

That was one of their design "features" - done that way to give the rear a very "clean" look. The Avanti had so little time and money invested in its design process that it's almost a miracle that it arrived with as few awkward features as it did. And it was designed to take a bite out of Thunderbird's market which valued visual impact over practicality. Keep in mind that in it's price range, the owner's didn't care how hard it maight have been to fix some problem - this was a car marketed to the "success" class. They didn't work on their own cars.

[Gunslinger]

I rarely even lock the trunk lid just to avoid the problem. Neither my '70 nor the '02 Avanti has an exterior trunk release...both are electric operated. The '70 at least has the option of using the screwdriver method to unlock it but the '02 has absolutely no way of opening an otherwise non-functional trunk lock that I've been able to determine.

What would happen if your trunk lock cable breaks and you have a trunk full of luggage? You can't remove luggage through the access panel to use the screwdriver...you're definitely SOL at that point.

Studebaker was happy to advertise the access panel as a way to reach into the trunk for small items...they "neglected" to say the real reason for the access was in case the trunk cable broke.

[wolfie]

2' screwdrivers are usually available at our local flea market for a whole $1.00 each. Try getting into some mid 80s Masseratti Bi-Turbos when the electric trunk lock fails. We finally got it to release one last time (took about 2 hours of repeatedly hitting the release button) and installed an emergency release wire once we replaced the failed one but otherwise AFAIK its a torch thing. Steve

[Corvanti]

a "po" put an electric one on mine. the button is next to the map light. so far-so good...

[edpjr]

I need to check out a flea market then. The auto parts stores sure give you a puzzled look when you ask for one. I sold car parts at a big store back in the 70's and we never kept any screwdrivers near that long even though we sold both SK Wayne and Blackawk tools (at different times). Anyway, I ain't going on a trip without one...

2' screwdrivers are usually available at our local flea market for a whole $1.00 each. Try getting into some mid 80s Masseratti Bi-Turbos when the electric trunk lock fails. We finally got it to release one last time (took about 2 hours of repeatedly hitting the release button) and installed an emergency release wire once we replaced the failed one but otherwise AFAIK its a torch thing. Steve

[JBOYLE]

Soon after buying my car the cable broke from years of inactivity and rust (I confess to opening the trunk a hundred times to show friends).
A SDC member friend kindly drove 40+ miles to help me install a new one.
I did buy a long screwdriver, I got the longest Craftman available. I When driving it away from home, I stick it under a rear floor mat.
Haven't had to use it yet, but only a matter of time.

BTW: I cleaned the latch with brake cleaner to get rid of 40+ years of dust, old grease, crud and trunk carpet fuzz, the lubed it with graphite. Seemed to make everything work a bit better.

[sbca96]

You could keep it in the trunk?

Tom

[sweetolbob]

You could keep it in the trunk?

Tom

Tom

You beat me too it. Just put it where you can grab it through the access panel.

Bob

[sbca96]

Just put it where you can grab it through the access panel.

.....Or get a "Trunk Monkey", they have many uses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E28PXuzXmI4

Tom

[JimK]

Be sure to check out the "compilation" video. :-)

.....Or get a "Trunk Monkey", they have many uses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E28PXuzXmI4

Tom