See this thread for back story.
I've volunteered to rescue the abandoned truck. Unfortunately, it's locked up tight with no hidden key.
Anyone have any insight on how I can get in? It would also be nice if I could defeat the steering lock mechanism so I can steer it onto my trailer.
I don't have any slim Jim experience. Would a coat hanger be any help?
If it's like most 80s Japanese cars, you can easily unlock the car faster than with a key because Japanese engineers were morons with respect to theft prevention. I know it works on old RX-7s (I can never lock myself out of my own car) and I was even able to get into a friend's uncle's mid-90s Hyundai for them after he passed away suddenly.
I really don't feel comfortable saying how to do it on a public forum. You need a little imagination as to how the door lock rod is shaped in order to get from the button to the latch, and a thin stiff screwdriver.
I have an 87 4Runner. It won't be easy. This only works with crank windows. Best I can see, get some wood shims and force the top corner of the door out to give you some room. Bend a circle at the end of a steel rod. The circle needs to fit over the crank. Use it to pull-pull the crank around to drop the window enough to reach in and unlock the door.
Pickup with a sliding rear window is easy. Does it have one?
In reply to sesto elemento:
It doesn't. 
That was my first reaction as well.
AAA? One of my kids had an 80's something Toyota and frequently locked the keys in. AAA used to get into it with a wedge in the door frame and I think they pulled on the inside door handle. My memory is that the locking mechanism is a lever not a knob/button.
Does the wing window on those open? If it does you can slide in jack knife and open the lock. If it doesn't it would probably be the easiest to repair if you have to break something.
Sounds like you need the owner to fed ex you a key.
When I locked myself out of my 86, I pulled the rear window out by the seal.
If you can get a heavier rod than a coat hanger should be pretty easy. If I remember right it has a flat button sticking up from the top of the door panel.
Bend a small finger in the end of the rod.
Gently pry the top of the door away from the body.
Slide the rod through the opening and press the finger against the button pushing it towards the window.
You should be able to pull it up and unlock the door. It may take a few tries and if you can putting something grippy and rubber in the top of the rod will help.
I'd avoid slim jims as most people just knock the rods loose inside the door making things worse particularly on older doors with brittle clips inside.
The Big Easy Stick Is my favorite unlock tool. It's quick, pretty much idiot proof, and works on damn near anything.
First get something to wedge into the top corner of the door. A old house door wedge will work or even a good ice scraper. Anything that is thin on one end to slide into the door and thicker on the opposite end to create a small door gap. The best rod to unlock the door, is a the metal rod that comes with RVs for opening the awnings but any stiff metal rod will work (old coat hanger. Not the cheat ones from the dry cleaner). Bend a 90 degree angle on one end. Slip the rod into the opening you made with the wedge and release the unlock button or grab the release handle and jerk the rod to open the door. A car with Power locks? Tap the button with the end of the rod.
In reply to Wall-e: Yes!! Beat me to it
Have we clarified whether or not this is a manual or automatic?
DO NOT use your crappy old flip phone as the wedge in the door.
DO NOT stab repeatedly and violently at the door lock button with a large stick in an attempt to unlock it.
That's all the wisdom I have to share.
2002maniac wrote: It would also be nice if I could defeat the steering lock mechanism so I can steer it onto my trailer. If your winching the truck onto your trailer and the wheels are turned and locked, have someone stand on the brakes. The truck will stay straight relative to the winch. Rollback wedges work great here.
A work around to the locked column is to use wheel dollies
The whole lock assembly comes out with a bit of brute force (and some damage) if the steering lock really needs to be un done. Drop the plastic off the bottom and it's pretty clear.
A wedge and a coat hanger can Grab the door handles pretty easy, they are a square shape with a hole in them.
Knurled wrote: I was even able to get into a friend's uncle's mid-90s Hyundai for them after he passed away suddenly.
I could break into my old 88 Excel with a piece of cardboard. Just pushed it past the window seal and pushed down.
Don't bother pulling at the door handle loop. Will not pop the lock. You must pull the blade type knob on top of the door sill.
Appleseed wrote: Don't bother pulling at the door handle loop. Will not pop the lock. You must pull the blade type knob on top of the door sill.
Great info. Thanks everyone. I've got an assortment of prying/wedging devices and some 3/16 Tig filler rod. Hopefully that does the trick. Even if the steering is locked I think a well placed snatch block should drag the truck up.
No need to get into a 4x4 to make it roll unless they set the parking brake, just slide under and pop the transfer case into neutral.
sorry, didn't read everything:
Ok, the video kind of has it, but not quite the easiest way: Instead of just making a U with the coat hanger, give the short side a horizontal tab (about 1-inch long). You're going to use the U-shape to go under the window, and through the inner/outer window seals (both of which are missing on the truck). Then you twist the coat hanger a bit to wedge that horizontal part between the window glass and the flat side of the lock. Pull up. Done!
(make sure your U is deep enough to allow you enough room to go under the glass AND to account for the travel of the door lock)
It'll take you 2-seconds the first time, but after some practice you should have it down to about a second. Maybe even half 
If you need to get it started, I can help there too:
Take the bottom trim off the steering wheel column with a #2 phillips (IIRC)
Follow the wires to the plastic back cap on the ignition lock cylinder. There's one phillips screw that holds that in. Remove it and look! You now have the perfect key fob for a flat head screwdriver.
You got to use your feelies on this part as you CAN overtravel the switch and nothing will happen. SLOWLY turn that screwdriver until you hear the starter and hold it there till it starts (the magic number is 3-times to pump the gas first). It might take you a couple tries to find the sweet spot on the switch but that should make it quasi-mobile
(defeating the steering lock is another issue, but I'm not above letting you go at it with a hammer until it disengages if that's what it takes 
)
Thanks again!
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