Emergency Opening Taimar Rear Hatch

[AntJC]

Hi Folks,

My Taimar project arrived Friday evening as planned (pictures to follow), but I have one question/issue that I hope you can help me with.

I cannot get the rear hatch open. The wiring is shot and I dare not connect up a battery in case I get an instant Blackpool bomb fire.

I have crawled into the rear space and can see that the solenoid is rusted/shot. I have disconnected the actuating rod, and the lever that the rod was attached to moves freely, but the hatch still refuses to open even with my son trying to pull the hatch open with me moving the lever from right to left (the only direction it appears to want to move freely).

Did TVR have an emergency opening procedure, or any clues as to how to get the hatch open in a situation like this??

Regards

Anthony

[TaimarSE]

I had the same problem last year when the pushbutton failed. If you are in the back of the car you pull the lever from right to left to release the hatch assuming you are upright and not lay on your back.
1. You may have to push down on the hatch to aid release of the catch, it will depend on how tight the rubber seals fit the hatch,it should click mechanically as it actuates.
2. if the hatch has been shut for a long time the rubber seal can grip the hatch which will need a good tug to release it's grip.

I hope this helps

[AntJC]

Hi Taimar SE

Thanks for the advice.

The hatch has been shut for at least 10 years to my knowledge, so the rubber seals might be gripping the hatch as well.

The lever moves and is not stiff, so I assume the lever is connected to a claw type latch???

In working condition when you operate the solenoid does the hatch spring up??

I'm just trying to build up a mental picture of the mechanism as I find it helps to work through problems like this in my head.

Fingers crossed I can get it open without using brute force.

Regards

Anthony

[TaimarSE]

The idea is that you push the door pillar mounted button which energises the solenoid which then opens the claw you mention,the tailgate is then supposed to open itself with the aid of the gas filled struts. unfortunately for me I have never had that luxury I have to push the button with one hand whilst pushing down hard on the tailgate with the other, because the solenoid is not man enough to overcome the compressed rubber seals pushing up on the claw, then I have to lift the tailgate and hold it there and try to look cool and composed whilst fishing around for what I opened the tailgate for, my gas filled struts no longer hold the tailgate open and I use a wooden dowel to hold the tailgate open, when nobody's looking.

Garry

[Adrian@]

AntJC said:

In working condition when you operate the solenoid does the hatch spring up??

The operation of the the struts are that of assisted support, in that they should only JUST pop the hatch and you should the assist the hatch into it's fully raised position. IF the struts are too strong then the claw mech with not release the hatch (where you then need to press down externally to allow the mech to release) THEN when the hatch is closed it splays the hatch due to the over powering strength of the strut. BUT IF the strut is too weak then the weight of the hatch (and they vary as to how much wetted material was laid up in production) will not allow the mech to open. Normally the 'bullet' within the magnetic solenoid which is a chromed item will need re-chroming and the door switch which has a steel spring inside rusts away to nothing, stopping the unit operating (12.00 ish to replace) Adrian@

Edited by Adrian@ on Monday 21st September 09:41