Can the sheet metal portion of the hatch be easily seperated from the glass portion? If so how. Just curious if anyone else has done this. See if there is an easy way to do it before I go ripping into mine.

 

Easily? Only if you have people to help you hold the glass. Look in the tech articles for aligning the hatch, instead of loosening the nuts you would remove them. HOWEVER, WARNING!! I was doing this by myself (because I was painting ech piece individually) and if you over torque nuts (you need a torque wrench) or leave the gas struts on, the hatch will shatter into a million pieces. It is not fun to clean up and not fun to find and transport a replacement. Why do want to remove it? I'll post instructions for decklid removal from the factory manual later on tonight.

 

I exploded my hatch glass tonight!
Was changing back tire over to new drag radials to test tomorrow. I heard a loud PPSSSSTTT and oil blowing out of the right strut by the shaft. Before I could react the hatch slammed down, WITH my hand holding onto the side.
OUCH!!!!......
and then the sound we all hate.....
Glass everywhere!

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86 T/A 5.0 A4 & 2.77 gear
15.62 @ 86 mph
93 Civic 1.6L
13.5 @ 100 mph

 

ouch, that sucks.
can you even buy replacement glass for the hatch or do you have to purchase a whole new hatch?

 

Update......
The glass is glued to the metal portion of the rear deck and also uses 8 nuts with big washers. I saved the deck piece but did use a putty knive to cut through the adheasive. Gonna cost $2000 to replace the glass, metal trim, and new struts.

I'm looking into either a Lexan replacement or a 'glass notchback like on GT Auto Acc.

FYI the 86 foam spoiler weighed 27 pounds and the steel part 23 pounds. I also figured about 75-80 pounds of glass.

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86 T/A 5.0 A4 & 2.77 gear
15.62 @ 86 mph
93 Civic 1.6L
13.5 @ 100 mph

[This message has been edited by Mista (edited September 15, 2001).]

 

Mista,
I got an entire replacement hatch at a junk yard for $100 delivered to my driveway. I just then swapped the metal deck lid from my original to the new one and paid for pizza and beer for my friends to help hold it while I installed and adjusted it. $2000, GM must be smokikn' s***. Remember, any 82-92 Camaro or firebird hatch will do. To find junk yards near you that carry it, go to www.car-parts.com

 

I have access to 2 hatches. Insurance is gonna pay for it all, but I like doing it myself.

How did you reseal the metal deck to the new glass? Mine was repainted 4 years ago and matches. I will have to get a new spoiler GT Auto Acc. and will likely painted it flat black to match 1986 specs.

I was quoted $1200 for the glass + $450 for the 2 trim strips. I'd luv to find a Lexan replacement!!!!!

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86 T/A 5.0 A4 & 2.77 gear
15.62 @ 86 mph
93 Civic 1.6L
13.5 @ 100 mph