fungus Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Hi hope some one can help. for some reson my glovebox lock on my 1959 herald coupe has decided to lock shut and not respond to the key. I've tried all my keys. anyone know if there is a way to open it without dismantling the dash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Yes! It happened to me,refitting a freshly restored dash and glovebox lid. I ended up using a hacksaw blade in a ' padsaw' and very carefully sawed through the small metal bracket that the glovebox lock latches on, via the gap between the top edge of lid and glovebox lid aperture in the dash. It means you'll wreck the small metal bracket ( a bit of bent metal), but if you're really stuck, as I was... A piece of cornflake packet slid into the gap will help protect the painted edge of the lid. I found a replacement bracket with some other parts of glovebox fittings on ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Following on from above, to clarify, my lock wasn't siezed, but wouldn't clear the fixed bracket when the button was pushed in, so the lid wouldn't open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 is it possible to insert some hard card/plastic/feeler shim to make the tapered latch to open Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 The other option is to either get a long thin arm with a long thin hand with long thin fingers - or anything that resembles same - up behind the glovebox to the top and press the latch downwards from behind; hopefully it will move downwards enough to open. A long thin screwdriver or homemade metal lever manoeuvered up behind may be able to reach the catch where it sits between the metal sides and depress it. (Or bend the metal bracket upwards) OR: open the lock with a screwdriver to break the tumblers, then replace the lock. You may be able to get a replacement lock with the same key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Yes not easy. Here it all is with 28 being the catch with the latch of course trapped behind it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 16 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: The other option is to either get a long thin arm with a long thin hand with long thin fingers - or anything that resembles same - up behind the glovebox to the top and press the latch downwards from behind; hopefully it will move downwards enough to open. A long thin screwdriver or homemade metal lever manoeuvered up behind may be able to reach the catch where it sits between the metal sides and depress it. (Or bend the metal bracket upwards) OR: open the lock with a screwdriver to break the tumblers, then replace the lock. You may be able to get a replacement lock with the same key. I wouldn't advise trying to bend the catch 28 up. It's quite strong and it's screwed to the rear face of the dash. You would almost certainly crack the dashboard. Besides, it's all inside the glovebox ' box' - there's no access to it, even with a double jointed hand or similar! As Johny points out, the lock spring ' finger' is trapped behind the catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 23 hours ago, fungus said: Hi hope some one can help. for some reson my glovebox lock on my 1959 herald coupe has decided to lock shut and not respond to the key. I've tried all my keys. anyone know if there is a way to open it without dismantling the dash? I take it youve sprayed lubricant in the lock? Otherwise only possibility I can see is to insert a shim of some kind as Pete suggests but in the gap (if there is one) between the lock and the door as between the door and dash wont work. Usually the lock isnt a perfect fit and you might be able to slide something in directly on top of it to pass under the catch 28 and push down the latch - push the door in while doing this to release the tension. Its a long shot and you might be better off spending the time on removing the dash completely... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 This is what youre up against😲 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 1 hour ago, trigolf said: Besides, it's all inside the glovebox ' box' - there's no access to it, even with a double jointed hand or similar! As Johny points out, the lock spring ' finger' is trapped behind the catch. True, I was working from memory and had forgotten that!! Apologies to fungus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 8 Author Report Share Posted April 8 Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll give it all a go and let you know how I get on 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_glen Posted April 8 Report Share Posted April 8 (edited) Hi - I have had this issue before. What worked for me was making a 'hook' by cutting a notch out of an old plastic credit card with a pair of scissors - last year's TSSC card is ideal as it doesn't have raised numbers! Then slide this in between the glove box door and dash to the side of the lock, with the hook pointing towards the lock. Push the glove box door gently in (away from you) to take the weight off the catch and slide the hook in behind the catch & pull the hook towards you to slide in the little sprung catch. It should then easily open. You can also do this with a thin piece of wire or a metal ruler at an angle, but the plastic card has less risk of damaging the catch, dash or glovebox lid. Edited April 8 by jim_glen 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 11 Author Report Share Posted April 11 Hmmmm! Tried it all Nearly had it with a bit of credit card so working along those lines.... Might need a lock smith 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 11 Report Share Posted April 11 Is that with Jims credit card hook suggestion? Suppose its a balance between finding something flexible enough to go in to the right position but then rigid enough to be able to operate the catch... Another possibility is to drill a small hole in the middle, bottom of the glovebox and then feeding a length of thick wire with a right bend at the end. Get this into position on top of the catch and pull down to release it from the latch (again while pushing on the door). Plug the hole later with a grommet or similar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 21 Author Report Share Posted April 21 well done Jim.... it worked. had to fiddle around with it a bit but once I made the tounge long enough it work well. push up the top of the dash while inserting the hook card slide it along and twist it a bit... job done. 😀 heres the tool.. old TSSC card did work well and the catch to get around just need to figure out how to find a key for the lock now, as there are no markings on the lock unlike the ingnition thanks to you all for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 21 Report Share Posted April 21 11 minutes ago, fungus said: a key for the lock now, as there are no markings on the lock unlike the ingnition I thought you had the key but it didnt work? If so the locks knackered and a new assembly needed. Otherwise I think it should be the same as the boot lock (if neither have been changed before of course) so you could get the number off that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 21 Author Report Share Posted April 21 It's been such a long time I have been restoring this one I am not 100% sure if they are the right keys . I can remember that when I bought the car there were two keys, one was stuck in the ignition. And the other I think worked in the boot and glove box, however I can't really remember trying it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 21 Report Share Posted April 21 Well if you remove the boot handle there should be a number on it which MIGHT be the same the same as the glovebox.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 22 Report Share Posted April 22 19 hours ago, fungus said: just need to figure out how to find a key for the lock now, as there are no markings on the lock unlike the ingnition Check carefully, all of mine have - just not in the same place! Some of those were invisible until cleaned lightly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 23 Author Report Share Posted April 23 It's been such a long time I have been restoring this coupe I am not 100% sure if they are the right keys . I can remember that when I bought the car there were two keys, one was stuck in the ignition. And I mean stuck. The other I was told was the boot but never tried it as the day after I drove it home I started stripping it down, and I have been at it ever since. COLIN ; I checked all over but key number. Time to search shows, auto jumbles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 4 minutes ago, fungus said: It's been such a long time I have been restoring this coupe I am not 100% sure if they are the right keys . I can remember that when I bought the car there were two keys, one was stuck in the ignition. And I mean stuck. The other I was told was the boot but never tried it as the day after I drove it home I started stripping it down, and I have been at it ever since. COLIN ; I checked all over but key number. Time to search shows, auto jumbles. I have a drawerful if you need one, what's the chances of having the same number as your boot lock? In any case let me know if you want one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 25 Author Report Share Posted April 25 On 23/04/2024 at 12:48, Colin Lindsay said: I have a drawerful if you need one, what's the chances of having the same number as your boot lock? In any case let me know if you want one. oo! that would be good. boot number is 921 that one does work in the boot lock I've checked 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 Sadly 920 is the closest... for the car next door, maybe? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted April 26 Author Report Share Posted April 26 Just thinking about it. what keys that came with a new triumph herald back then. How many keys and if any were multi use like later cars. I.e. one for the ignition and one for everything else. I think my 13/60 and the 12/50 I had only had two keys one for ignition and one for boot doors and glove box. But I don't think I ever locked a glove box. Nothing I had back then was valuable enough to lock it away. Only my car 🚗 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted April 26 Report Share Posted April 26 From the 13/60 Owners handbook 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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