Trunk Latch adjustment, I'm My Own Worst Enemy

[VaCat33]

Hi All

Well I decided to try to improve the gap on the left side of the trunk lid. As you might recall I spoke about this a couple months back. The recommendation was to try and adjust the trunk spring on that side.

First I played with the trunk latch again and actually lessened the gap a bit. Much better but nooooooo that was not good enough.

So I took off the side panel to look at the spring. I really did not see how to adjust it so I went ahead and loosened the nut holding the hook which the spring attaches to. I did not see any way to adjust it so I went ahead and tightened the nut down again. You guessed what happened next...when I went to close the trunk the leading edge of the trunk lid was out of line and the latch would not close. To me it appears that whatever I did it reduced the tension on the spring.

I did manage to get it closed once but it would not open but I finally did get it open. I have played with the latch again but no luck.

Help! What did I do and how do I correct it?

 

[VaCat33]

Update

I continued to play with the latch and discovered the issue involves the lateral fitment of the trunk latch. I pointed the bottom a bit toward the passenger side and it is catching fine now...but my problem of the gap is still there.

The crisis seems over but my original question about how to adjust the spring still stands. I could not find any guidance in the shop manual. I am doubting now whether it adjusts at all.

 

[P. Scofield]

There should be a couple different holes on the rear where the spring attaches. Loosy goosy, tighty whitey.

I continued to play with the latch and discovered the issue involves the lateral fitment of the trunk latch. I pointed the bottom a bit toward the passenger side and it is catching fine now...but my problem of the gap is still there.

The crisis seems over but my original question about how to adjust the spring still stands. I could not find any guidance in the shop manual. I am doubting now whether it adjusts at all.

 

[Bob Knight]

Trunk fit

I went through the same kind of ordeal with B9471705. After looking at 50 plus Tigers at TU, I came to the conclusion "Tiger trunk lids fit crappy" and left it as good as I can get it. My car would really need to have the passenger side rear fender stretched about 3/16" longer for the trunk lid to fit really well...
On the bright side, the stock panel fit on my 65 Mustang currently under restoration makes the Sunbeam panel fit look positively wonderful!
Bob Knight
B9471705
B9471929

 

[michael-king]

Many tigers seem to have issues with the trunk (boot) due to either accident damage or the panel getting a crease in the inner support skin that progressively tweaks the profile making it lift to the given side.

I have seen a few original cars with no accident history for both round corner and square corner cars that had good fitting lids... that said.. i have seen some non accdident original cars with horrible fit.. this also goes for the lower door/sill gap/profile.

i guess in many respscts they were hand built cars.. and as tooling got older the gaps probably got worse. The early cars have quite a lot of lead in the opening profiles to get the fit right.. hence some panels not fitting so well from car to car.