P15 trunk lid question

[47heaven]

I have the feeling that the trunk lid on my P15 isn't opening up as much as it should. Every time I get into it I usually end up whacking the back of my head as I back out. I noticed on that other P15 here in town that it's trunk lid opens higher. I've included some pics so maybe it can be analyzed why it only seems to not be going up all the way that it should. Is there an adjustment for this or not?

Are the springs supposed to be crooked like this?

[randroid]

47,

I've fortunately not that problem so I haven't delved into it, but it certainly appears as though your springs are compressed instead of stretched. I also don't recall seeing the stops on the hinges on mine but my P-15 has been repainted five times during its life and doubtless if they're original they were discarded at some time.

Please keep us posted on what you find because I'll be painting mine this Spring and if I need some hinge stops this would be the time for me to get them.

-Randy

[47heaven]

47,

I've fortunately not that problem so I haven't delved into it, but it certainly appears as though your springs are compressed instead of stretched. I also don't recall seeing the stops on the hinges on mine but my P-15 has been repainted five times during its life and doubtless if they're original they were discarded at some time.

Please keep us posted on what you find because I'll be painting mine this Spring and if I need some hinge stops this would be the time for me to get them.

-Randy

Those springs do look odd like that...almost like they are too long for it.

[randroid]

47,

It's past midnight and below frozen outside, but if I can I'll get some pictures of the way mine's set up before work tomorrow and post the pics when I can.

-Randy

[Norm's Coupe]

Well.........I see I'm not the only one who's knocked their head on the deck lid a few times. I've even thought about digging out my old hard hat to wear when going in there. That can be smarts when that happens.

In answer to your question though. My coupe deck lid only opens about as much as yours does, and the springs are also crooked like yours. I'm almost certain my coupe is all original too. I have a record of the previous owners. I'm only the third owner and the car has only been painted once back in the late 60's. So.........I'm going to say it's right. If you think about it. If the trunk hinges were not correct on it, the lid would not shut properly.

I think the reason you see P15 lids opening wider is because those that do are probably on the sedans. On the coupe lid you have the sharper down turn at the bottom of the trunk. So, it only looks like it's not opening to it's fullest extent. On the 2 door and 4 door sedans the trunk lid is flatter and shorter. So, when you open those the lid sticks up higher giving more head room to go in and out of it. If you take a close look at the two styles, you'll see what I'm talking about.

To keep from hitting our heads on our coupe lids we could do the following.

1) Cut our legs off at the knees so we are shorter people.

2) Never go into the trunk for anything.

3) Install a foam bumper pad on the inside of the deck to cushion the blow when we hit our head.

4) Wear a steel pot army helmet.

5) Wear a construction hard hat.

But.........since none of those are that appealing I guess we'll just have to be more careful when we stick our head in there. Either that or carry an ice pack to put on the knot on our heads after hitting it. And maybe a Band-Aid or two in our wallet in case we cut it when we knock our self silly.

[Dennis Hemingway]

Mine opens about the same as yours as you can see in this photo.

Dennis:D

[Oldguy48]

I've got the same issue with my P15 trunk lid. I purchased a pair of small "gas springs" to give it a boost. I haven't installed them yet, but I think they will fix the problem. The fix is going to have to wait until warmer weather.

[47heaven]

Okay...well, I guess that explains it. I just thought for some reason it was supposed to open higher, but seeing that your trunks open the same I can be rest assured. I'll just have to cut off my legs at the knees or buy a construction hat.

[randroid]

47,

In the first photo you can see the trunk lid opens at a greater angle than does yours ('48 4 door):

<a href="http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/Randroid/Pigiron%20Paint/?action=view&current=DCP_0969.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/Randroid/Pigiron%20Paint/th_DCP_0969.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

In the next one you can see the spring straighter than yours, meaning it's stretching farther:

<a href="http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/Randroid/Pigiron%20Paint/?action=view&current=DCP_0970.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/Randroid/Pigiron%20Paint/th_DCP_0970.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

Not quite so appearant in the second photo is that there are no holes with which to add those hinge stops. Either there were different hinges between models (which doesn't seem too probable) or those stops are an after-market item.

Hope this helps.

-Randy

[randroid]

47,

Well, bug dust! The pics got the wrong code. I should use the bucket more often or not at all.

Hope the explanations helped, though.

-Randy

[47heaven]

47,

Well, bug dust! The pics got the wrong code. I should use the bucket more often or not at all.

Hope the explanations helped, though.

-Randy

Yeah, I can kind of picture it. I was wondering if I put shorter stops in there would it open a little higher? Just another back burner idea.

[randroid]

47,

Mine has no stops at all and the hinges easily clear the body with room to spare. You might want to consider removing your stops to determine if they're even necessary.

-Randy

[RobertKB]

Your trunk opens the same as my '48 Dodge D25 Club Coupe. My springs are crooked also. That is just the way it is. Great to sit on though as shown in one of the pictures. I'll sometimes sit in the shade and sip a cool one when at a car show or just out cruising in the country.

[cwcars88]

I have 3 P-15 coupes they all have the rubber bumpers. The spring is what lifts the deck lid up, if it is weak it will not push the lid to it highest point. The rubber bumper is the stop, you can shorten the bumper to let the lid go higher if the sping is strong enough do to do it. But if you shorten the bumper to much or remove it, the deck lid my go high enough to release all tenion and the pin that holds the rear of the spring shaft in to the bracket under the rear window tray may come lose and fall out.

Your picture shows the deck lid up , but not touching thr rubber bumper, you may be able to lift it a little higher. If it won't stay there your spring may not be strong enough. You may be able to shim between to spring and the pin. Caution that spring is under tenion and is not an easy project.

I would leave it alone and remember to duck.

[Frank Elder]

My coupe springs are about 8 3/4 when the trunk lid is opened. With only a slight curve to the spring instead of a double curve like in your picture. It opens quite a bit higher than the ones in the picture.

I don't see how there could be much difference between p15..d24 trunk springs.If yours measure close to mine and have the s curve...they are definately weakened. Hope this helps. Frankie.

[jcmiller]

I'm reviving this thread because I have trunk lid troubles and it has some good photos.  The problem with my trunk is that it is VERY difficult to open, and I have to prop it open with a 2X4 to look inside.  The springs are there, but I think they might be attached incorrectly.  The hinge has two sets of holes near where it attached to the body.  In the pictures in this thread, it looks like the upper set of holes is for attaching to the body and the lower set for attaching the spring.  On mine, it looks like the upper set is used for both.  Is that the problem?  I can't tell from the parts manual because it shows just one pin going through the upper set of holes and the pictures in the manual are from a sedan, which has a different set up.  My car is a '42, by the way.  Thanks.

[Daliant.]

Looks like the spring retainer on the hinge side is either broken or missing. If you look at the last pic at the top of the thread there is a sheet metal retainer that is riveted to the hinge to hold the spring in place, on your car it looks like the rivets broke and the spring isn't pushing against the hinge where it's suppose to.

[BobT-47P15]

Don't know if this will help with anything, but here's one shot I found of my convert springs.  My lid doesn't raise up real

high either.

 

 

[mrwrstory]

I figgered bump stops were to keep me from bumping my head. They didn't work so I took 'em off and I still bump my head. Doesn't compute. Oh well, I still enjoy being tall.

[OldDad67]

Well.........I see I'm not the only one who's knocked their head on the deck lid a few times. I've even thought about digging out my old hard hat to wear when going in there. That can be smarts when that happens.

In answer to your question though. My coupe deck lid only opens about as much as yours does, and the springs are also crooked like yours. I'm almost certain my coupe is all original too. I have a record of the previous owners. I'm only the third owner and the car has only been painted once back in the late 60's. So.........I'm going to say it's right. If you think about it. If the trunk hinges were not correct on it, the lid would not shut properly.

I think the reason you see P15 lids opening wider is because those that do are probably on the sedans. On the coupe lid you have the sharper down turn at the bottom of the trunk. So, it only looks like it's not opening to it's fullest extent. On the 2 door and 4 door sedans the trunk lid is flatter and shorter. So, when you open those the lid sticks up higher giving more head room to go in and out of it. If you take a close look at the two styles, you'll see what I'm talking about.

To keep from hitting our heads on our coupe lids we could do the following.

1) Cut our legs off at the knees so we are shorter people.

2) Never go into the trunk for anything.

3) Install a foam bumper pad on the inside of the deck to cushion the blow when we hit our head.

4) Wear a steel pot army helmet.

5) Wear a construction hard hat.

But.........since none of those are that appealing I guess we'll just have to be more careful when we stick our head in there. Either that or carry an ice pack to put on the knot on our heads after hitting it. And maybe a Band-Aid or two in our wallet in case we cut it when we knock our self silly.

You forgot one, ask your wife or girlfriend to get something out of the trunk.

 

[jcmiller]

Thanks guys.  I think Daliant is exactly right.  I crawled in there and took a picture of the other side and there is clearly a broken retainer jammed up in there.  It's kind of wierd that they broke on both sides.  It looks like I have a fun project on my hands.  The second picture here is from a '42 business coupe.  (Mine is a Club Coupe.)  I'll try to rig up something like that.

 

 

[Young Ed]

I had that on one side of my club coupe too. I went to the junkyard and bought good hinges. Be careful messing with those springs.

[jcmiller]

Ed - Did you find that you had to replace the entire hinge/spring assembly instead of just the spring assembly?  I was able to get my springs off the car, but it doesn't look like I can replace just the springs because of the way the attachment flange wraps down and around the spring (in contrast to the springs on the business coupe pictured above).  There is no room to insert new pins that would then go through holes in the hinge (after drilling out the swedged ends of the old ones).  Thanks, Jeff

[Young Ed]

Ed - Did you find that you had to replace the entire hinge/spring assembly instead of just the spring assembly?  I was able to get my springs off the car, but it doesn't look like I can replace just the springs because of the way the attachment flange wraps down and around the spring (in contrast to the springs on the business coupe pictured above).  There is no room to insert new pins that would then go through holes in the hinge (after drilling out the swedged ends of the old ones).  Thanks, Jeff

 

I don't know that I would say I "found" that but that is what I did. I had already gotten a hinge and spring assembly from a junkyard so I made no attempt to repair the old setup.

[jcmiller]

It's been a while and I had to buy a whole parts car to get the trunk springs.  I now have the new spring/hinges attached to the trunk lid and the trunk lid attached to the car.  It's designed so you are supposed to be able to lift the trunk lid all the way open and then attach the other end of the springs into slots on the car side of the hinges.  Unfortunately, for one reason or another, it comes up about an eighth inch short.  (Yes, bumpers are removed and lid is all the way up.)

 

I looked into renting a valve spring compressor but that doesn't work because you can't get to both ends of the springs.  I need something that can slip into the springs so it needs to have a slight angle on it.  Any ideas?  My backup plan is to detach the remove the trunk lid and insert that end of the springs first and then reattach the lid, but it wasn't easy getting the trunk lid on without having to deal with that.  Thanks.