Any ideas for opening trunk where button doesn't work?

[BMWCCA1]

I bought a running Virginia 525iA mostly for the (white) trunk lid for my '95 525i (5sp ASC). Boy was I mad when I found that an E34 trunk rusts out at the license lights even worse than an E28! Doesn't BMW learn from their past? It did live for a couple of years in Ohio and it did do annual duty shuttling kids to NE colleges. And they have started using this damn salt brine solution on our roads whenever the forecast indicates any winter precipitation. But, really?

Anyway, the trunk won't open. Yes, I have the key (drove the car home). I could cut a hole behind the rear seat for access. That's how much I value the parts car. Anyone have a less invasive suggestion for opening the trunk? Ready to do some overdue work on the E34 before it hits 300k, but the trunk rust is really pissing me off. I thought this car would last forever. Now my daily driver is an E28 535i stick. It's like I'm going backward as I age. (The E39 530i stick is stashed in the garage for when it's really needed.)

Thanks,

-Phil

[632 Regal]

Does the key turn in the trunk lock? My last E34 was a Michigan car and only had salt for 8 years. That somehow gathered around the trunk button and worked it's way in there and jammed it as if it was still locked. I sprayed around the button for a few days and would hit the button pretty hard to work more lube in and eventually it popped open. My trunk only had a little surface rust around the License lights.

That 8 years was the end all for poor Nika. When I went to swap tires back to summer ones I couldn't jack it at the jack points. Had to use 2x4s so it wouldn't crush completely. Got another E34 off Ebay and sold Nika making a $20 profit.

[shogun]

http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_38.htm

[BMWCCA1]

Thanks. Yes, the button pushes fine and the key turns easily. Just nothing seems to be connected. I could take apart the good car to see if that helps me figure out what I might be able to do but the picture should give me that info, too. I might just have to cut a hole in the firewall. I'll see if I have time to try again this weekend.

[Rustam]

I might just have to cut a hole in the firewall.

There is already a large rectangular hole behind the armrest, supposedly "for a golf bag". The backing behind the armrest is held by a velcro.

[shogun]

The metal piece for the ski bag is already perforated, easy to use a mallet and hammer it out, here pics from E38, same on E32 and E34 http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/408970

[BMWCCA1]

Yep, that's the plan!

[genphreak]

Yep, that's the plan! The trunk pass through is very small. Can't reach anything from it, and its all sealed. If you need a co-ordinated 4 year old to go in and access the emergency release. Don't have a 4 year old? A monkey? No need. E34 does not have an emergency trunk release, as per my first comment. So forget that.

If you locked some gangster in there one night, he'd likely be found dead in there sometime.

The mechanism is all behind the lock, I'd squirt penetrant into it as previously said and let is sit for a few days in the sun. It's also possible to saw a hole behind the number plate to gain access to the release rod.