Undocumented
Here’s my experience attempting (and failing) to restore this part, and what a successful restoration looks like.

Why?
The ’66 Olds Starfire trunk lock cover is a die cast chrome piece of pot metal. It’s 1 year, 1 model only. What you can’t see from outside are 2 notched “ears” on a mounting post which project into the car trunk and allow a tension spring to retain the lock cover on the car. The metal "ears" of the trunk lock cover pin can break since they've been under tension from a spring since 1966. Maybe 50% of the ’66 Starfires I’ve seen are missing this cover. I worried, so I got a few spares over the past few decades.


What a 1966 Olds Starfire trunk lock cover should look like closed. I’ve shined this one within an inch of its inanimate life…

Removing the tail panel means removing the rear bumper.


1966 Oldsmobile Starfire Tail Panel. 1 year, 1 model only. It’s not correct, but will fit 1966 Jetstar 88/ Dynamic 88/ Delta 88 coupes & convertibles.


How the trunk lock cover should look open. The cover pivots on a diecast pin & resets itself with a tension spring. Eventually the spring can break part of the pin.

Looking at the tail panel from the rear, we see the tail panel mounting studs & the oval trunk lock indentation with provisions for the trunk lock & decorative cover. Be very careful about torquing tail panel mounting studs, they snap easily. I use a nut driver to feel how much torque I’m putting on the studs. I have to use a socket wrench on the middle 2, but just be careful.


1966 Starfire Tail Panel center detail as viewed from the trunk (panel off car)

The trunk lock cover sits beneath a spring retention cover so the spring doesn’t pop out on use. That cover is not shown here. This is what the lock cover looks like when it’s right:.

Ignore the actual trunk lock cylinder. It’s completely separate from the diecast cover and spring parts.

This is what you want things to look like when your lock cover is repaired or restored with better parts

Spring retention ears wear out or snap off. I modified mine previously & got a good few years out of it, but eventually got to the point where you cant mod your way of out it. This time I installed new-ish parts I had on hand. In case you don’t have parts on hand, I have some suggestions below.

If a spring retention ear breaks off, you’re tempted to notch the pin with a dremel to create a new notch. Except now the pin is shorter by a spring coil or 2. Ugh. Now you have to cut a coil or more & at least bend a 60 year old spring. If you decide to cut a coil, go slowly and keep as much of the original spring as you can. Create a new 75-90° bend losing as little of the original spring as possible. The hard part is twisting a cut coil spring into position in your newly notched post that’s now a bit shorter. I’d gone too far with my used parts & went with a less used one, but here are some photos which should help.

The basic problem. 60 year old pot metal eventually fatigues from constant spring tension resulting in broken retention notches or “ears”. Then the cover can be lost or just fail to work.

This is correct spring orientation showing the lower spring end/tang against the tail panel & the 90° bend which must be hooked between the notched ears of the end of the cover lock pin. I sat down at a table. Sometimes found it easier to hold the spring & spin the whole (large) tail panel to get tension on the spring while holding it with pliers. (Very small pliers…)


This is what the trunk lock cover looked like when Olds delivered it in 1966.

On the left is fairly fresh with not a lot of wear on the post and a used factory sized retention/reset spring. On the right is my cut spring, modified to fit a re-notched, shortened retention pin. My modification eventually failed:

Shiny.


[img alt="Go for the left solution if you can find it. Ford & Chrysler sources may be a place to find replacement springs.

The spring on the right was not cut so short when it was on the car. I cut a coil or 2 this afternoon trying to re-use my hacked part.

Eventually I put in the one on the left. "]https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/classicoldsmobile.com-vbulletin/1280x960/8_the_design_flaw_05318f84afafb6a997986edebe23eb8d d3b7be02.jpg[/img]
Go for the left solution if you can find it. Ford & Chrysler sources may be a place to find replacement springs. The spring on the right was not cut that short when it was on the car. I cut a coil or 2 this afternoon trying to re-use my hacked part. Eventually I put in the one on the left.

If you have no spares, you can notch a new indentation 180° off your remaining retention notch, then cut/bend your spring to fit the modified post. This shortens the post & makes the spring stiffer. Modify as little as you can get away with. Remove pot metal & spring coils very little at a time.

Factory length post & spring on the left; modified as needed on the right (before I had spare parts).

You’ll need to get tension back on the spring for it to work right. Slip the cover pin through the tail panel, then get tension on the spring. I used very small pliers & a tiny screwdriver to nudge the wire where it belonged. Modified springs were very difficult & didn’t feel robust. I went with the best factory parts I had. Here’s a shot detailing how the spring should look:


Pliers used to pull or twist the spring into position between the notches. This is a pain, especially with modified parts. Use the smallest pliers you have + a tiny screwdriver to push the spring while you are holding the pliers. It’s a 3 hand job.

Since the rotation of the lock cover pin is metal on metal, polish the pin outside diameter with a dremel wire wheel & grease it. That contributes to smooth action + longevity. I like Amsoil pink synthetic for these projects.

Grease is the word.

Once you have the spring loaded lock mechanism back in the tail panel, you’re done with the undocumented stuff.

When you put the tail panel back in, make sure the pin connecting the trunk lock cylinder lines up with and inserts into the trunk lock mechanism.


All is right with the world once again.

Hope this helps some of you out there

Chris

 

As always, great info with terrific details. Thanks for your efforts to keep these old beauties looking and working like they should.

 

Glad you like the post. I try to document the weird stuff like the cruise controls or these little covers just in case some one else can use the help.

And frankly, for me who will need help 5-8 years from now when it breaks again, or I have to figure out again how it all goes together.

Thanks for noticing.

Cheers
Chris