Is there any way the operating lever could move normally without bringing the latch pin along?
” This could be a surprising answer, but yes, if something broke it may be possible to have spring return without release. The latch pin is a rectangular steel bar. It has a large notch cut about half way through the thickness where the release arm operates. If the latch pin were to break at this “thin” spot, about half way along the length of the pin, then the manual pull rod and spring return would work normally, but the working end of the latch pin would not move to affect the release. >”I marked the hole location on the bottom of the boot floor tonight but couldn’t yet bring myself to drill it. I keep thinking there must be something else I should try first.” If your boot latch pin is broken, then if you were REAL lucky you might be able to affect release, without having to modify anything. I am attaching another picture of the interface of the latch with the striker. Notice the angle of the hook surface on the tip of the latch pin, not parallel to the direction of travel of the pi
