Boot lock broken w107 450 slc

[MarkusR]

Greetings to all,
Much to my wife’s chagrin I have acquired a 1980 450 SLC. Was advertised at usd 15k ( i am based in CAlifornia) quite a while ago, price kept dropping, then turned up at an auction, i bid and at 3.8k the bidding stopped and she was mine. She certainly wasn’t worth 15, nor 10, nor probably 3.8 judging by the hole in the boot well amongst other issues, only has 85k miles and interior is immaculate. However, a full inspection of the boot/truck can’t be undertaken as the bloody lock won’t work, believe you me i have tried every which way, all lubricants including gin, turned in every direction and prayed to no avail.
I have drilled out the lock and tried for 2 days on and off with a whole bunch of homemade tools with a kink in them to try and catch the latch and open to boot. I have gone as far as to unbolt the mechanism from my 560sl to get an idea of what is required but have drawn a blank. The university of YouTube says drill a hole just near the number plate to catch the latch but I am looking at that as a last resort.
Anyone down under have any bright ideas or encountered the issue before and found a “non drill” solution, ie bending a steel rod at x degree angle and catching the latch?
Many thanks for any helpful hints beyond the “why did you buy the car?” Her indoors has been thought that over the last two days, she is really good at it and not in need of further encouragement :)
Thanks again and be well,
markus

[Chai]

Hi Marcus,
Assuming the vacuum pipe to the boot "lock mechanism" is connected and operational, it may be possible to unlock the boot in the same way it is unlocked when the driver's door is unlocked.
I haven't a clue which vacuum tube (clear/black/yellow tubes are connected to my driver's door lock) to use though.

[T-Modell]

Hi Markus,

wasn't a good idea to drill out the look imho; afaik it's not available anymore. Here's a video (in German), but it shows the inside of the lock mechanism, maybe it helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-0zcMIyN8&t=1s

I don't know the details, but there's a solution by drilling a hole behind the license plate (4mm) to have access to the mechanism, however I cannot tell you exactly how.

What I would try is to open the trunk with several (wooden or plastic) levers all over the width of it. Probably the easier solution as long as you don't bend the thing too much.

Good luck
Thomas

[Nabstud]

I had to do this recently on a parts car (350SEL, possibly the same lock??) I ended up drilling the whole lock out (the whole part that pushed in and out). Once that is out the way, looking through the hole to the upper right is a tab, just lever that with a screwdriver and it opens up.
Not sure how to repair the lock afterwards though...

[tsharkey]

I had a W123 sedan that wouldn't open - I shot compressed air down the vacuum return line to open it .... You'll find the lines running over the rear wheel arch into the boot (trunk)

Do these have a 1st aid kit ? In w123 land, folk remove it and try and remove the cover plate at a distance and use long sockets / levers to shift it .... Long shot

[Pete49]

easiest and cheapest method in the long run is call a locksmith but too late for that now.. Simple lock to open really. Often opened car boots of various makes.