Rear trunk latch

[1947 D24 limo]

Hey guys I am looking for some info on the trunk latch.  I never took this car apart so assembly is proving to be difficult, 1947 D24 rear trunk latch handle is too short to hit the slot in the latch assembly by 1/4-1/2”.  I am pretty sure the rear lock/handle assembly is missing something.  Please help! 

[Ivan_B]

Well, are you sure that the handle is original? If it is, are you sure that the square shaft is original? It looks like either the shaft is inserted too far into the handle, or the shaft itself is too short, or there was a sleeve/extension installed on the latch side. Is the square shaft exactly the same size as the hole in the latch? Are you able to pull the shaft from the handle a little? Or replace it with a longer shaft altogether?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Those square shafts are easy to safely wedge out of the pot metal  door and trunk handles.

There are different lengths of those square shafts depending on model of the car.

 

[Dan Hiebert]

The top photo shows there is no retaining ring on the shaft to hold the handle onto the housing.  To me that means the handle part may not be original.  If a previous owner thought that maybe the trunk handles or shafts between Plymouth and Dodge were interchangeable, then the shaft is indeed too short.  Personally discovered this myself many years ago.  So, what you're missing may be the correct handle, or at least the correct length shaft.

[andyd]

The trunk handles usually have a circular ferrule that is crimped onto the handle to keep it located in the licence plate/trunk lock housing......if it is missing which allows the handle to move in/out of the housing then as mentioned theres a good chance its not original............if the actual handle is properly located in the housing but as stated the shaft is too short then its either the wrong handle or housing/handle assembly............over the years i have seen handles that have had a short piece of square rod welded onto the handle shaft to make up the difference..........dunno if this would help......BTW...welcome aboard from Sunny South Grafton, NSW, Australia...........andyd