Can I switch my electric rear hatch with a (door slammer) one? I was looking at an 84 camaro and I noticed that when he opened the rear hatch, he just used his key and then when he was done he just slammed it shut (the way I think this car's rear hatch should close). I have an 89 camaro and it has the electric motor for closeing the rear hatch. Can I swap it for a normal one? If so what years carried the normal hatch closure systems? How much do they usually run for?

Thanks for your help!!

 

The power pull-down hatch was an optional feature on most models, I think it came standard on the nicer models like GTA's and IROC's. You don't need to change the entire hatch, just the latch assembly. I would say pick one up from the junk yard, but I think you'll need the key for it. I dont think you can swap your lock to a non-power latch.

 

I think we have about 10 junk-yards within 120 miles of where I live. I have called every one and not a single place has an 82-92 camaro or f-bird. I looked through HAWKS and I've been on Ebay. I have never seen a "standard" latch assembly anywhere until I saw this guys camaro.
So you know that for sure if I can find a "standard" assem., it will bolt on perfectly in place of my power assem.?

THanks.

 

Heres a cheap one on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/82-90...32830353QQrdZ1

 

The power pull down assembly started in the '86 models and was standard on all of the F-body cars. The main reason behind this was the number of rear glass that the dealers were having to replace due to the slamming of the hatch shattering the glass.

 

Well, that would explain why I mostly see them on GTA's an IROCs, but I had always thought it was because those were optioned out models. Oh well, I learn something new every day

 

The 1982-85 slam-latch is not a direct bolt-in swap for your 1986-91 power pull-down latch motor. The mounting for the latch is different. Yours has a much larger spacing between the mounting bolts. To use the earlier style latch you'd need to cut out the mount from your car and bolt, rivet or weld the earlier style mount from a donor car.
I have all the parts available to rebuild your power pull-down motor better than new. I reinforce the plastic motor housings with aluminum and epoxy. I also manufacture replacement guides from solid nylon. In both cases the pieces are stronger than GM originally offered. These, along with any other repair parts for the power pull-down motor are available from my web site. You can click on the TDS (Top-DownSolutions) sponsor link above to purchase them.
I also wrote a Tech Article on repairing these 1986-91 pull-down units.

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

 

I swapped out my pull down for a manual latch. I did involve drilling out the spot welds on the bracket, welding in the manual braket and adjusting the manual latch with the hatch closed. Really a 15-20 minute job. I am much happier with my more simple, Reliable manual latch.

 

I could argue the point that my power pulldown is just as reliable, the one on my '86 was still going strong in '01 when the car got hit in the back and destroyed it but I never had a problem with it, of course I never slammed the hatch against it is the main reason of failure in them.

 

So MNformula350, you didn't try and mess with drilling and tapping new holes, you just ripped the whole mounting bracket out and put the new one in? After that, it was really only a 15min job to realign everything? It sounds like it would be hours trying to get everything lined up perfectly. Do you know where I can get the "whole" thing (metal bracket and all)? JDubya18 had that link to ebay, I thought it looked like a power latch but maby it wasn't. Are the camaro and f-birds the same?

 

lonsal, thanks for you help. I really dont want to keep the power one in my car. The reinforcement is a great idea, I am just tired of puting money into this stupid little thing.

 

quote:
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Originally posted by MNformula350
I swapped out my pull down for a manual latch. I did involve drilling out the spot welds on the bracket, welding in the manual braket and adjusting the manual latch with the hatch closed. Really a 15-20 minute job. I am much happier with my more simple, Reliable manual latch.
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So MNformula350, you didn't try and mess with drilling and tapping new holes, you just ripped the whole mounting bracket out and put the new one in? After that, it was really only a 15min job to realign everything? It sounds like it would be hours trying to get everything lined up perfectly. Do you know where I can get the "whole" thing (metal bracket and all)? JDubya18 had that link to ebay, I thought it looked like a power latch but maby it wasn't. Are the camaro and f-birds the same?

 

I just drilled out the spot welds, and removed the whole pull down bracket becasue it is shaped differently than the manual one.
Then aligned the bracket and rivited it in to get it all aligned, then welded in the bracket, bolted on the latch and adjusted the latch and was done in 15-20 minutes.
You should be able to fidn a manual assembly off any 82-85 Camaro or Firebird. mine came off of a 85 Z28