This trunk latch BS is frustrating me to the point I don't even wanna look at the car.

I need help. I don't understand what the issue is.

I have a 88 Camaro IROC with electric trunk latch... When I got the car, don't know what the idiot previous owner did but it never latched. I removed the struts so it doesnt open up while it got towed back home..

Fast forward a month or so later it's finally able to drive. I don't wanna drive it with the trunk like that, so I got a trunk latch assembly from a 86 since i have no clue what happened to the one in mine.

So I get it and the trunk lock cylinder doesnt mate up with the cable. It's the same cable as my 88's but it has a metal housing? I'm not sure. Either way, I order a new lock cylinder as I was told that was my problem and I guess it was.

After putting the cable on the lock cylinder, the lock cylinder won't turn. It turns fine without the cable on, but it won't turn at all with it on.

The damn thing won't even latch, I tried saying F it and just bolting down the latch since it's in the full up position, but when I did that and tried to latch it, it didn't even latch!!

Could someone please please help me out I'm itching so bad to drive this car and I feel as if I can't with my trunk like this, anyone can just open the damn thing!

All I wanna do is latch the damn thing and be able to use the key to open it and worry about the motor later.. looks like more hackjob wiring in that area too..

 

Kinda hard to tell you how to fix it without seeing it...
The rebuild kits for the hatch motors in not that hard to do.

If the guides are worn out, the mechanism will move, making it difficult to latch.

 

Sorry I'll take a couple pictures...

And the original latch moves forward and back like crazy and the guides are almsot all gone..

On the 86 one, they don't move at all and seems very solid..

 

top-down solutions has instructions with pictures so you can figure out what's wrong, and parts for sale.
i ordered the guides couple weeks ago and they are great.

1A auto has a video on replacing the trunk pull down unit, and I believe it's even a 1986. So you can peek at what the parts should look like.

 

I've seen several photos of hatch pull down assemblies for 3rd Gens and it appears that there are two or three different types.

Are they all interchangeable between model years?

If not, could this be an issue?