How-to: Flip-flop rear trunk

daaboots · Post by **daaboots** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 1:41 pm

Disclaimer: I assume no responsibility for injury or death by following these instructions.

You've seen them at car shows and in magazines. Now it’s time to "flip-flop" the Neon. And best of all, it's almost free!

Tools and parts you will need:
- 10mm socket & ratchet
- Flat tip screw driver
- Reciprocating saw or angle grinder
- Hacksaw
- File
- Thick clean blanket
- Masking tape
- Two washers
- A friend

Overview:
We will be cutting the bracket on the trunk lid so that the connecting arms can pivot allowing the trunk to "flip-flop".

Steps:

First draw a circle around the bolt connecting the trunk to the connecting arms. This will allow us to correctly position the trunk when we are finished.

Disconnect all the wires and pull the harness out of the trunk. Use the flat tip screw driver to open the clips holding the black wire casing to the trunk arms.

Remove the bottom bolts on both sides of the trunk using the 10mm socket and ratchet.

Now with the bottom bolts removed, lower the trunk and remove the top bolts. This will prevent the trunk from falling on your rear window. I suggest placing a blanket under the corners of the trunk just in case it slips.

Once all the bolts are out, get your friend to help you remove the trunk and place it on the thick clean blanket. BE CAREFUL not to scratch your paint!!

Mask of the sides of the trunk bracket and some of the surrounding area.

Using the hack saw, cut a small notch into the bracket. This will make it easier to start cutting with the reciprocating saw or angle grinder.

Now using the reciprocating saw or angle grinder, cut a section out of the bracket so that the connecting arms can freely pivot on the bracket. Clean up the sharp edges with a file so you don’t cut yourself.

The finished product.

Now get your friend to help you re-install the trunk. Start with the top bolts this time and insert a washer between the trunk bracket and the connecting arm. Don't tighten it too much at this point. Once you have both top bolts in place, the trunk should be able to easily pivot. If it does not easily pivot, you may need to remove more metal from the trunk bracket.

Finish the project by installing the bottom two bolts and reconnecting the wires. You may want to paint some parts for a better look.

Now when you go to a car show you can pull out the bottom two bolts and "flip-flop" your trunk

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:22 pm

Great write up.. a better one with detailed pics....

Here is the other write up:
http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=2042

danielc24 · Post by **danielc24** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:23 pm

what if you dont put the other bolt in? would the trunk be loose when shut?

daaboots · Post by **daaboots** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:29 pm

danielc24 wrote:what if you dont put the other bolt in? would the trunk be loose when shut?

I didn't really try it to be honest. I'm thinking about buying some quick release pins so I dont have to carry around a socket & ratchet with me. I'll update the how-to with I complete this.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:42 pm

If you dont put the bolts back in, when the trunk is closed it will stick up be the rear window....

timplett · Post by **timplett** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:56 pm

Does the trunk lid just balance like that when it's up or is it catching on something?

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 9:06 pm

Its all on how you set it, ingeneral it will sit like the above posted pics but you have to guide it there. This is definately a great free mod for the show guy but I wish I never realy did it since now I have a modded trunk that shows the mod clear as day since the door edge moldings wont stay in place and show the hacked lid every time I open it....

BlackMagic · Post by **BlackMagic** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:56 pm

ive always wanted to do that maybe i'll try it.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:02 pm

Get the pins - much better than a ratchet

Great write up,btw! Much better than any I have seen on other sites

Great job!

J-Villa · Post by **J-Villa** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:42 pm

Very good write up...we need more like this for other mods

flip flop ftl...imo....

plus i have heard more than half the people that have done this now have leaking trunks...

Paralyzer · Post by **Paralyzer** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:41 am

J-Villa wrote:Very good write up...we need more like this for other mods

flip flop ftl...imo....

plus i have heard more than half the people that have done this now have leaking trunks...

If you notice how our trunks are designed...we have a uplifted lip with stripping......they won't leak.

WiTeOuT · Post by **WiTeOuT** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:52 am

I really like the finished product, but for some reason or another could never do this to my neon. Still not sure why as I look at it but I don't think I ever will do it. Great job on the write up though!

rmc03 · Post by **rmc03** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:08 am

if you do the pins take a pic

great write-up!

eVilcreations · Post by **eVilcreations** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:21 pm

I still stick by my how-to on this mod. I would not recommend cutting the WHOLE bracket out like shown in the how-to in this thread however as that takes away the lateral support for trunk movement. Not saying it is WRONG, just saying that I would not recommend it.

http://www.xtremeneons.com/how-tos/flipfloptrunk.html

Josh

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:19 pm

eVilcreations wrote:I still stick by my how-to on this mod. I would not recommend cutting the WHOLE bracket out like shown in the how-to in this thread however as that takes away the lateral support for trunk movement. Not saying it is WRONG, just saying that I would not recommend it.

http://www.xtremeneons.com/how-tos/flipfloptrunk.html

Josh

so basically the only difference is the you didn't cut the whole bracket, right?

eVilcreations · Post by **eVilcreations** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 4:51 am

dblsg wrote:
eVilcreations wrote:I still stick by my how-to on this mod. I would not recommend cutting the WHOLE bracket out like shown in the how-to in this thread however as that takes away the lateral support for trunk movement. Not saying it is WRONG, just saying that I would not recommend it.

http://www.xtremeneons.com/how-tos/flipfloptrunk.html

Josh
so basically the only difference is the you didn't cut the whole bracket, right?

Correct.....I cut out as much as possible, while still leaving as much lateral support as possible.

Josh

SinfulNeon · Post by **SinfulNeon** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:21 pm

Hi I like the how to but I have a question, I have subs and I hate trunk rattle and I have it where it does not rattle anymore but if I do this mod will it cause my trunk to rattle again or will there be no difference?

farmboy · Post by **farmboy** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:02 pm

shouldn't if you use the bolts and not pins. i had pins in mine and it rattled like a bitch. once i put the bolts back in everything was cool.

i'm with eVilcreations though. i only cut the channels to about 1/4 inch past the top bolt. that way, when it's flipped, there is a fixed stop point that the trunk will not rotate past. it saves the bottom corners of the trunk lid from rubbing on the trunk arms. i also put nylon washers between the bolt head and the metal washer. this allows me to have the bolts tight, and still have it able to flip.

SinfulNeon · Post by **SinfulNeon** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:07 pm

awesome thanks, I think I will do this tomorrow ^_^

Edit: Its been raining these last few days and will continue to rain for like the next two weeks >_< so I will have to wait on doing this

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 6:19 am

FYI, dont do this mod to your only trunklid!
No offense but once this mod is done your stuck with it

SinfulNeon · Post by **SinfulNeon** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 6:27 am

true but if your handy with a welder you can always weld a new plate to correct what you did and make it good as new. But none the less thanks for the warning.

SinfulNeon · Post by **SinfulNeon** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:15 pm

and it has been flopped ^_^

I ran out of day light and it was starting to get pretty cold so on my next full day when its not raining, so sometime next week I will take the lid back off, sand and repaint and weld some stop points and just overall clean up the appearance and the ease of making it flip ^_^

toddw814 · Post by **toddw814** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:43 am

i floped my trunk as weel which looks great but the back of the trunk isnt flush with the lines or shape of the car
any how to fixes beside putting the back two bolts back in or caring a wrench with me
i also did a lill more modifieing and added a brace across where the back 2 bolts go in so it opens up evenly

Jenni · Post by **Jenni** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:01 am

pics?

Yellow04r/t · Post by **Yellow04r/t** » Fri May 25, 2012 12:40 am

I'm considering this... Maybe if Im bored or something one day lol just a thought instead of regular bolts or if yu don't want it to rattle with pins you could use a wing bolt and wing nut? Just a thought though...here we go guys almost done gotta add a brace and paint up some spots and its done.

heres the wing nuts i made out of the exsting bottom bolts. i cut them short so it doesnt take 3 hrs to screw em in and out.

fox02neon · Post by **fox02neon** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:55 am

Very nice!