VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Trunk key or wrench

I am looking for the "key" or wrench that fits the trunk latch on my 1929 Chevy roadster. The car does not have a rumble seat and therefore does not use a trunk handle. Does anybody have an extra one or know where I can find one to purchase? Thank you

TRUNK & RUMBLESEAT HANDLE available at the filling station. If you don't have a parts book, you might want to pick one up. Check ebay too.

It may come as a surprise but the '29-'30 Chevy Roadster deck lid did not have a handle. It has a slot for a "key" that opened the lock/latch.

It's not surprising to me! How do we enlighten the VCCA world, and especially the judging aspect, that these early Roadster vehicles did not have trunk lid handles and were merely equipped with a hole in the lid skin where a "Key" was inserted engaging with the latch? These removeable keys were carried in the driver door pocket. '27 and '28 Roadsters used a "Key" without a handle and I believe earlier Roadsters were the same. Part of the problem is that so many Roadster vehicles have had trunk handles installed over the years that they have become the norm and everyone assumes that's the way they were originally built.

I once brought this subject up at a 4 cylinder gathering during an earlier Anniversary Meet and everyone looked at me as if I had a huge hole through my head. One of the panel members who has an extensive Chevrolet collection had his '28 Roadster there with a trunk handle installed. He and I had discussed this issue on the Judging field and it was his belief that that's the way they were built.

Anyway, I once saw a '28 Roadster on the Hershey Judging field that had a trunk lid "Key". This key was a piece of rod, approximatrely 1/4 inch in diameter, squared off on the latch end, and bent into approximatey 120º angle forming the handle.

I don't have one myself but sure would like to see an original some time.

I also don't have an original "key". Have observed a couple of VCCA members with '25-'26 Roadsters that used a square ended "key" to open the trunk lids. One that I remember had a "T" shape. I remembered that because it was the same as a water shutoff handle that my dad had many years ago. Don't recall any "L" shaped "keys" being used. That of course does not mean that they weren't.

I use a "T" type handle on mine but I'm pretty sure it isn't correct.

Carlton Crawford described the handle to me once as pretty much what I saw in Hershey. Also had a conversation with a fellow named either Charlie Todd or Dodd, not sure which, and he mailed me a sketch but it was so shakenly drawn than I wasn't able to use it. Pinky told me that Charlie has passed away.

Oh well, the mystery continues.

I learned something interesting today! Thanks guys.....

All the Best, Chip

The person who restored my car fabricated a "Trunk Key" so we could open the trunk. He also created a overlay so that the trunk would not be scratched when the "key" was inserted. It works fine. Thanks for the information.