Gearhead Enterprises, Inc.,...
Gearhead Enterprises, Inc., has introduced a new, high-quality trunk popper that looks and works great.
We started by drilling a hole...
We started by drilling a hole in the lower inside trunk frame that is the same size as the popper shaft.
Using the trunk popper as...
Using the trunk popper as a guide, we marked the two mounting points and drilled holes for the mounting bolts.
In order to get the popper...
In order to get the popper as close to 90 degrees to the decklid as possible, we drilled a hole in the rain gutter support for shaft clearance. This allowed the shaft of the popper to go through and down the hole without interference.
We installed the popper with...
We installed the popper with the bolts and lock nuts provided in the kit. Notice that the popper is exactly 90 degrees to the bottom of the trunk lid, not at an angle like the lower body panel.
Although its hard to...
Although its hard to see here, we put a dab of grease on the edge of the decklid, closed it, and an impression of the shaft was left where the popper touched. This let us know where we should install the nylon button.
We welded a washer to the...
We welded a washer to the lid 90 degrees to the popper, then installed the nylon button provided in the kit.
Here you see how the button...
Here you see how the button and washer are mounted 90 degrees to the popper shaft.
Notice how the shaft hits...
Notice how the shaft hits the button, raising the decklid enough to slip your fingers underneath it for easy opening.
When the decklid is closed,...
When the decklid is closed, the popper disappears. The next step is filling the handle hole and installing a new latch mechanism.
One of the most popular hot rod and custom styling tricks is to shave the handles off doors and trunks. Rodders and customizers have been doing it for years and generally replace the handles with solenoids to operate the latches electrically. When that is done, doors have no problem opening outward. Trunks, on the other hand, have gravity holding the decklids in place, making them difficult to open. If you are lucky the tip of your fingers will fit under the lower edge, and if careful, you can slowly open them enough to get your hand under it. Its definitely a pain, but the smooth decklid is worth the trouble.
The crew at Gearhead Enterprises, Inc., have gone through that scenario a few times and decided to come up with a device that can pop the trunk open enough to get your hand under the edge of the decklid, making it very easy to open. Gearhead simply calls it a trunk popper. This unit was basically made for fiberglass cars with lightweight decklids. However, we found that it works fine with small steel decklids. The best part about the popper is that anyone with regular hand tools can install one in about an hour. Well show you how we installed one in the trunk of a 30 Model A Ford coupe.