C3 LOCKED !!! Help!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 303
From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
I locked my keys in my 76 one night stopping for dinner with friends after a car show. I pounded on the T-Tops at each latch location and one lock on the passenger side popped open. I was able to get enough play to release the 2nd latch. I just used the ball of my hand - nothing too hard.Good luck.
John
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
If any of you guys still have this vid with text , please send it to me so I don't have to write it over. Thanks
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 5
From: South Dakota
I got it. Thanks All. Especially PhilaScott. After I realized I was on the inside looking at the rear view mirror, it became clear.
Last edited by builder; Sep 21, 2011 at 05:01 PM.
TheCorvetteBen
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,987
Likes: 144
From: Van Alstyne, TX
I locked my keys in my 76 one night stopping for dinner with friends after a car show. I pounded on the T-Tops at each latch location and one lock on the passenger side popped open. I was able to get enough play to release the 2nd latch. I just used the ball of my hand - nothing too hard.Good luck.
John
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 17,102
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, OK
Being the owner of a broken glass top and remembering how difficult it was to find a replacement original M1131 top, I winced a few times when reading that.
A fiberglass top, bang away. If its glass, get a locksmith. Heck, get a coat hanger and mar up your weatherstripping. Either is cheaper and easier than finding original glass.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The 69 car has the shields over the door lock rod.. If the vid Roger posted doesn't work out you could try a slim Jim.. I've done this before and it just involves knowing where the lock pawl is positioned. But if the shields are still in the door then you won't be able to get to the lock pawl with a slim jim.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 5
From: South Dakota
The reason I was frantic about it was that I had an appointment that I didn't want to miss, and I was leaving for a weekend driving vacation. I was about 10 minutes late for my appointment and all worked out OK.
I had been working on the car putting in carpet, seats, engine, trans, rear end, axles, brakes, etc. and getting it ready to be mechanically sound to drive for the trip. The date got moved up for me to go (don't ask me if that had anything to do with the better half
). One of the things I didn't get to was to remove the door panels and to at least check out the insides of the doors. I probably would have had better luck with a Slim Jim if I had. I made sure that the original key was on my key chain before we left. The original key opens the door smooth as silk. After comparing the keys, they look cut very well, but, the new key is thicker on the tumbler tooth side. I'll have to take them back to see if the locksmith can fix this.
P.S. My gal sure had fun driving the car too. She didn't give me the second set of keys yet.
I had been working on the car putting in carpet, seats, engine, trans, rear end, axles, brakes, etc. and getting it ready to be mechanically sound to drive for the trip. The date got moved up for me to go (don't ask me if that had anything to do with the better half
). One of the things I didn't get to was to remove the door panels and to at least check out the insides of the doors. I probably would have had better luck with a Slim Jim if I had. I made sure that the original key was on my key chain before we left. The original key opens the door smooth as silk. After comparing the keys, they look cut very well, but, the new key is thicker on the tumbler tooth side. I'll have to take them back to see if the locksmith can fix this. P.S. My gal sure had fun driving the car too. She didn't give me the second set of keys yet.
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Fort Campbell KY
I locked my keys in my 76 one night stopping for dinner with friends after a car show. I pounded on the T-Tops at each latch location and one lock on the passenger side popped open. I was able to get enough play to release the 2nd latch. I just used the ball of my hand - nothing too hard.Good luck.
John
Thanks this worked, locked my keys in my 82. Gave up on the coat hanger, it was eating up my weather stripping.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
What year is this? My 1980 has the locks in the armrest and there is no way I hanger would be able to pull it up.
As for the pounding on the ttop, +3 for cringing when reading this. It wouldn't work for mine as they are tight, but if they are loose enough to do this, then I say you need to tighten them or replace them before some guy decides to give it try too.
As for the pounding on the ttop, +3 for cringing when reading this. It wouldn't work for mine as they are tight, but if they are loose enough to do this, then I say you need to tighten them or replace them before some guy decides to give it try too.
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Fort Campbell KY
yes the locks are in the door arm rest, but the power lock switch is accessible with a hanger. However i spent an hour trying to pull the switch up. Every time i just couldn't get it high enough and the angle of the window prevented me from making a straight upward pull.
My T-tops are tight, and have new weather stripping, but when i decided to give it a try, the handle moved. So i kept at it until it finally popped open. I would suggest not wearing any rings or a watch, i removed mine. And use the heel of your palm to spread the impact over the surface area.
Granted i thought the same thing about pounding on my T-tops, but I'm a long way from home in a Military school. If the MP's had slim jims like they used to (they still do but they wont use them or let you use them) i would have had no issues.
Only reason i have my Mistress here at school is because my wife needs the truck... My girl sits inside the garage well protected, and i hardly ever let her out of my sight when I take her out. The factory alarm still works, and it works very well.
My T-tops are tight, and have new weather stripping, but when i decided to give it a try, the handle moved. So i kept at it until it finally popped open. I would suggest not wearing any rings or a watch, i removed mine. And use the heel of your palm to spread the impact over the surface area.
Granted i thought the same thing about pounding on my T-tops, but I'm a long way from home in a Military school. If the MP's had slim jims like they used to (they still do but they wont use them or let you use them) i would have had no issues.
Only reason i have my Mistress here at school is because my wife needs the truck... My girl sits inside the garage well protected, and i hardly ever let her out of my sight when I take her out. The factory alarm still works, and it works very well.
