Since I got Clayton I've read with great interest the Treffer and tail-light-smashing techniques for accessing an F/TF boot with keys inside. But I've assured myself that I'm way too smart to lock my keys in the boot, and anyway I've fitted a solenoid release (Thanks, How-To'ers). No, I didn't lock my keys in. But a couple of days ago, after emptying a boot full of chairs, table and picnic kit at the end of a trip, the damn thing wouldn't open. Either way.
You don't want to know everything I tried. However, eventually, I took a length of stiff 1.2mm spring wire from my hobby of clock repair and tried that. From my work installing the solenoid I remembered the position of the internal latch arm, so formed a hook on the end of the wire and bent the rest so that it would reach to the arm from under the lip of the boot. I fiddled the wire between the lip seal and the boot and, after considerably more fiddling, managed to engage the arm and release the boot. To find that my specially fitted accessory net bag at the rear of the boot had somehow (wasn't me, Boss) got hooked over the fixed latch loop and jammed the hook.
I proudly let Lawrie at the MG Service Centre know of my achievement. He told me that, if I'd rung him, he has a specially bent length of brass wire he uses for the job. He doesn't fiddle about seeking the arm inside the lock bracket, he hooks his wire around the key release cable, pulls, and there it is. If I'd rung him it would have saved me a number of paint scratches on the inside of the boot lid. So I recommend his method, and specially the use of brass (brazing?) wire.
That's it. I haven't included photos, as who needs a pic of a bit of bent piano wire.
Delbourt, I don't need it because I have two means of opening and I'm never going to get the string bag stuck over the latch loop again...
More seriously, if you look at how far it has to go in, the wire doesn't have to be very long and could easily be stowed (maybe even folded in half) between the seats.
