NOS Trunk Release For 69-72 Skylark

ken, you're not stirring things up, I have seen both on the 69's. Andrew, just as an fyi you do not want vacuum for your 72, you need the electric unit. And I am sure if you ask the judges , if you are at a show, they will not gig you for the actuator albeit they might gig you for an incorrect switch---now that is another can of worms!!!

 

Thank You ! I know that this unit is so rare that it is automaticly dissed as being wrong for the 69' A-body Buicks. Like you stated it is a dealer accessory just like Joe told me. Everyone should speak with this guy when it comes to accessories as he is very knowledgeable in that field. :TU:

 

I agree with what you guys are saying for the most part, but I do not believe that it is specific for the 69 only. If the parts book says that it is good for 69-72 then you really can't argue that. Two pretty darn knowledgeable sources looked up both part #'s for me and they both said the same thing. So I will stick with the one I won. I would have a hard time believing that after this thread someone would tell me the part is not correct for my application. If there was anymore information out there I would believe someone who whole heartedly knows would have stepped forward already IMHO.

 

I think this subject was beat to death at least twice before on this bulletin board. If you do a search you can probably find the other threads.
Duane

 

Thanks Duane, I will do that. :beer

 

Well guys I believe we have come to a final conclusion on this topic. Jarrod, I spoke with Joe and all I can say is WOW.. That guy has amazing knowledge when it comes to GM accesories and options, either factory or dealer installed. The one I purchased on EBay is the correct buick dealer installed power trunk release for buick skylark A body's and not big bodied buicks. All of the buick parts books from 69-72 show this part and group # for A bodies...G.M. PART # 981491, GROUP 3 12.243. Joe has confirmed this for me in various ways. The one in Rob's auction is for Pontiac only, and Joe says you would never find that power trunk release installed on any buick no matter the body type. He said it is Pontiac specific, and it debued in 69 since it has the pink wire going to the lead and the color of the button is 69 specific, after 69 it was a black wire that pontiac used, but obviously a 69 unit could have been installed therafter since it was dealer installed. That means it could have been installed by the dealer into the 70+ Pontiac cars. But the one I have purchased debued also in 69, but could have been used anywhere up to 72, and it is an original buick part # wise and the box also states it too. In the end, George's website...... and I hate to say this but it is incorrect according to Joe and the buick parts books. This trunk release that Rob is selling was standardized between pontiac and cadillac, but never for oldsmobile or buick or chevelle. Buick used buick specific parts only for this option. You can obviously find these different types installed on many different years of GM cars in the junkyards, but unless it is part # 981491 it is not correct. The buicks never had an external unit, only internal. So we need to keep this information close at hand and let george know so he can change the information on his website. I know for 100% positivity that Joe is correct on this topic. This man has vast knowledge on this topic and any other accesory available on GM cars. This should clear things up for anyone following this thread, but if you have anymore questions let me know and I will answer them to the best of my ability on what I have found out.

 

Andrew,
Seriously doubt anyone on this board has pulled & sold as many original one piece electric trunk releases as your's truly. As a longtime GM (mainly Pontiac) collector, restorer , & vendor, can relay the integrated latch-solenoid trunk popper part of the kit in Rob's Pontiac trunk release auction was used from '67-72 in Pontiac A-bodys, '69-72 GrandPrixs, '67-69 Firebirds, & '69 & 70 Pontiac B-bodys. The color of the wire coming out of the popper was the only difference... pink early, black late. This exact same style 1 piece trunk release "popper" was assemby line installed in Buick, Olds, & Chevy A-bodys, as well, up through '72. There were other factory useages as well.
When each division went to electric, from vacuum is another story. While I've personally pulled several hundred 1 piece electric trunk releases, have only pulled a few vacuum types (mainly '65 & 66 GTO units, along with a select few early big car pieces). '69 big Buick & big Olds vac types I've usually skipped when yarding. The early cable & vac GTO set-ups command serious bucks & have always been near impossible to find.

To adddress what your friend Joe mentioned, what made the original assembly line installed one piece electric trunk release pkgs different, is indeed the color of the wire, length of the main wire, length of the jumper wire, & the style of button. The large black "bubble" style button in Rob's Pontiac trunk release auction was used in '68 & 69 Pontiacs. I recently pulled one out of a '69 Bonne, & my '68 Firebird 400 convert & '69 428 HO GP both have their original (assembly line installed) black "bubble" style buttons. I get requests for this style black button, along with the '70-early '74 (Pontiac-Chevy) green buttons, all the time. It is very common for e-Bay sellers to throw together working 1 piece electric trunk release packages using the common as dirt '74 1/2+ small yellow button. Also often missing in such auctions, the small trunk lid clips, that are not that hard to obtain. Hope this helps.
:3gears:
Roger

 

Yes Rob, pretty much what you said was what Joe confirmed. He likewise as I said has great knowledge on GM accesories and options. The main point I was trying to get across is that buick trunk releases when installed you cannot see them because they bolt into the trunk itself from the backside, as to the one on george's website and the pontiac one for sale they are not correct for A body Skylarks and install on the outer portion of the inside of the trunk, if that makes sense. Now will they fit, of course, but are they not correct? NO. The pontiac one does not have a buick part #, and was not used on any style of buick.

 

So do the ORIGINAL one piece trunk releases used on Pontiacs, Chevelles, MonteCarlo's, etc ou:

Please read above. As far as what is on George's website... the 1st two piece electric trunk releases were used on '70 1/2-81 Firebirds & Camaro's, '73-77 A-bodys, & some B-bodys. Currently have two fliptop tubs (over 150lbs) of these 2 piece "2nd Gen F-body" units. Agree with you, they are not correct restoration wise for earlier A-bodys, though they can be made to work, ie, one cannot just bolt on the popper portion, but has to swap on the latch that came with the pwr trunk release, then usually with a small sheetmetal mod, they can be made to work. I've worked big swappers where other vendors in attendence called the 2 piece units "over the counter" or "accessory" trunk releases for '72 & earlier GTO's & Chevelles, etc... :spank: . I have never offered the two piece units for sale that way, instead, we sold them as what the biggest market for them was... 2nd Gen Birds & Camaro trunk releases.

Roger