1984 Lincoln Mark VII trunk motor suddenly stops working, possible causes?

The trunk latch motor has stopped working, when I push the small arm/clip in that activates the motor, the trunk light dims and there is sometimes a metallic clunk, as if the motor has locked up. Just a case of the motor locking up and going kaput after 31 years? Thanks for the help.

Edit: The copper wires that power the motor are all kinds of f'ed up and I've found some ground up bits of something in the motor area, so I just put in an order for a new switch and motor with Tom C. from the Lincoln Mark VII club.