How and why do 65 Barracudas have various trunk props?

-
dibbons

dibbons

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
5,722
Reaction score
3,786
Location
La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
My 1965 Formula S has a passenger side trunk prop that locks itself upon opening and unlocks itself by raising the deck lid a little bit. I see other vehicles of the same year that seem to have various manual prop rods like those used on the hoods of '80's and 90's cars. I wonder if there were more than one correct factory mechanism?
 
I have wondered that myself. I gave had 2 and they were both different. I thought the 1st was a slant 6 model and the other was a Formula S so maybe they were different.
 
dibbons said:
My 1965 Formula S has a passenger side trunk prop that locks itself upon opening and unlocks itself by raising the deck lid a little bit. I see other vehicles of the same year that seem to have various manual prop rods like those used on the hoods of '80's and 90's cars. I wonder if there were more than one correct factory mechanism?
Click to expand...

My 273 65 Cuda has 2 locking truck props as described above. My 65 slant 6 car had a spring loaded prop rod. Although the 65 slant 6 is gone, sold in the late 90's.
 
My 65 S has a driver side double hook spring loaded rod. Seems like a dumb design to me, it isnt attached to anything when not in use and barely keeps the trunk open...wait, it doesnt! Ill probably go to pressurized lifts if i ever get the itch. If Mopar was pinching pennies, they would have just put a.50 cent folding ladder type lock on one side, not some 3 piece, 2 welds with a long spring in it part. Its an April build.
 
The only 2 they had factory was early build which was the locking ratchet type on the right side and later build of the spring loaded tube with S hooks on the left side. The ones you have seen with gas charged struts are aftermarket. There is a thread in here if you search and would like to go that route.
 
Both of 65's have the driver side ratchet type prop. One car was built in Sept and the other in Dec 1965. No problem holding the lid in the up position, but there is a problem if one forgets to lift up before closing. A lot of these cars have the hinge mount on the passenger side bent reflecting the oops.
Sometime in early 1966, Chrysler changed to the ill engineered spring type with hook mounts and presto, no more bent hinge mount, but it doesn't keep the trunk lid open either.

My Sept and June build date 66's both have the spring type
 
II have the gas charged for in my car and it is an aftermarket piece but works awesome!!

The story is that the ratcheting prop mechanism was in use from the 1964 model year through sometime in mid 1965 run when they went with the spring loaded push Rod style, and used that until the 2nd gens came out in 67! The ratcheting one is probably a better design, I've seen dimples in the trunk lid from not using the upper bracket on the spring bar style, and it also tweaks the trunk from the Constant Spring pressure pushing it towards the passenger side and up!

Pishta, you can increase the spring pressure on your push Rod style by pulling the inner Rod and dropping a spacer down the tube to lengthen the Rod a bit! Use a piece of wood so you can cut a little off or make another until you get the length just right, then remake it in steel!! Geof
 
pbiggs said:
Both of 65's have the driver side ratchet type prop. One car was built in Sept and the other in Dec 1965. No problem holding the lid in the up position, but there is a problem if one forgets to lift up before closing. A lot of these cars have the hinge mount on the passenger side bent reflecting the oops.
Sometime in early 1966, Chrysler changed to the ill engineered spring type with hook mounts and presto, no more bent hinge mount, but it doesn't keep the trunk lid open either.

My Sept and June build date 66's both have the spring type
Click to expand...

I have never seen a factory ratchet style on the drivers side. Not saying not true just have never seen it.
 
My 64 has the passenger side lift lock like you described.
 
How about some pics of your trunk props? I haven't got that far yet but I got my car without one. :dontknow: Thanks! :D
 
Thanks Geof! I emailed him just now after following your link.:prayer:
 
Just wanted to show how my 65 Cuda trunk prop is. It has the locking mechanism on the left and right side of the car. I had someone send me a PM that they did not ever come with them on both sides of the car. I guess the factory did what ever back then.
I did take some pics back then and just forgot to post them and happen to come across the old pics today. Yea I'm a little slow...
You'll notice that the truck bracket is factory on both sides of the car and trunk lid.



trunkprr.jpg


trunkprt.jpg


trunkprl.png


752012-c598f1711c0eadd2b8285deffb887fbb.jpg

752010-4b3a00d99c9d2b030715ba5197f5242e.jpg


752011-8b975a422cadc0236c3d821e952305b8.jpg
 
Last edited:
Keith Mopar said:
Just wanted to show how my 65 Cuda trunk prop is. It has the locking mechanism on the left and right side of the car. I had someone send me a PM that they did not ever come with them on both sides of the car. I guess the factory did what ever back then.
I did take some pics back then and just forgot to post them and happen to come across the old pics today. Yea I'm a little slow...
You'll notice that the truck bracket is factory on both sides of the car and trunk lid.



View attachment 1715023642

View attachment 1715023643

View attachment 1715023641

View attachment 1715023646
View attachment 1715023644

View attachment 1715023645
Click to expand...

That bracket mounted to the underside of the body is not for the ratcheting trunk prop!! The bracket should be mounted along the side under the trunk rail!!
 
Cosgig this is what the fsm shows. I was sure that is how I took the trunk off the car. But it was 3 years ago. I may have to put the trunk lid back on to see what parts I may of misplaced. And as I said I have 2 lift supports on my car.

trunk pic.JPG
 
Keith Mopar those are the correct points for the locking trunk props to go on. Take at look at the 64 Barracuda here and you can see that is where they attach, not sure what the fellow above is thinking, confusion like the state I'm usually at. lol

If you look at both sides of the trunk the trunk lift is only on the right side of the car and that is all I've seen before. No bracket on the drivers side even like your car has.


64Barracuda33.jpg
 
No, you guys are correct, I was looking at those pics wrong, and thought that was the upper corner of the trunk lip in front!! Now that I see that is a side view I can see that it is in the right place, and the drivers side looks to be factory! I can't tell from the pics whether they are side specific, but it's darned odd to see a drivers side mount!!
 
The Spring Rod works great for me... Easy to shim spring to hold trunk open wide... Pictures of both factory trunk props... ⚓

SLIDEROD.jpg


t-prop1.jpg


t-prop2.jpg


TRUNKROD.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top