Re: IML: Help!! I locked myself out,how to open 1960 Imperial without the key?

["Rob van der Es" <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all,



I did it!!, I have managed to get access to the car again :)

You were right, the car could be openend from inside out even if the doors
are closed with aid of the electrical system.

Here is what I did, I grabbed a pair of (new..) guitar strings (the E and
A to be exactly :) and bind this two together to get the end closed.
I have to use two because of the length needed.
Ofcourse it didn't work cause the two strings were far to flexible.

Then I found a small metal strip and I decided to solder a piece of guitar
string to the end, just enough to form a sort of circle that fits over
the interior door handle.
This metal strip was stiff enough to steer it precisely to the door handle.

Lucky for me a small part of the window divider weatherstrip is missing on
the passsengers side (the strip between front and rear window), so it was
easy to slip the metal strip inside.

It cost me only about 2 minutes or so to get the door open !

Thanks again for all your help, and suggestions !!


Best wishes,

Robert














On Di, september 13, 2005 19:15, RandalPark@xxxxxxx said:
> These cars are designed so that one cannot lock themselves out of the
> car. The front doors will automatically unlock as the door is closed.
>
> That said, on cars with power door locks, the front doors can lock
> themselves when they close. This is not usually due to an electrical
> problem, but rather a mechanical one, and occurs when the mechanisms grow
> old and get a little bit sloppy. I am not sure why this happens
> specifically with the power door lock cars, other than maybe the extra
> mechanism has a potential fault.
>
> This happened to me on my '62 LeBaron when the door closed while the car
> was running. Being a Southampton, I was able to use a straightened wire
> coat hanger (sorry Mommy Dearest!)to operate the inside door handle from
> outside the car. I made a hook on the end that I stuck into the car, and
> I went in through the top of the driver's side window. This was not
> difficult as my roof rail weatherstrip is very worn. If your '60 is a
> Sedan, it may be more difficult, but it should work. If you have a very
> nice weatherstrip, BE CAREFUL!
>
> If you are handy with a "slim jim" you can use this tool to open the
> door. A lock smith can also be hired to come out and open the door using
> the lock. Though expensive and time consuming, this is probably the best
> and least distructive method, plus you will end up with an extra key that
> you can keep in your wallet in case this should happen again.
>
> Paul W.
>
>
> In an email dated 13/9/2005 3:40:54 pm GMT Daylight time, "Rob van der
> Es" <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
>
>> Dear fellow Imperialists!
>>
>>
>> I have a big problem, I managed to lock myself out of my 1960 Crown..
>> I was working on the electrical system of the car and somehow I must
>> have activated the electric doorlock system.
>>
>> Must have made a short circuit or something and didn't noticed the
>> clicking sound of the solenoid.. The keys are in the ignition lock of the
>> car, and I don't have spare ones yet... After closing the driver door, I
>> find all 4 door closed like a safe with the keys in the car.
>>
>>
>> Anyone knows a trick to open the car, without damage anything??
>>
>>
>> The car is a 1960 4 door Hardtop.
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>>
>>
>> Robert
>>
>>
>>
>>
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