Logan Bryant

Has anybody wired up a button to make a external hatch release? I would rather have a button in the back of the hatch rather than a key

AlkyIROC

For drag racing only, you can just leave the key in the lock.

Logan Bryant

It will be a drag car only, but I would rather have a button than a key if I had the choice. If not the key will do fine

AlkyIROC

When my car still had the hatch, the motor and latch system adds a lot of extra weight. I installed a simple push button at the back to release the latch. I used a trunk release button out of the glove box for some full size GM car.

My back window is now Lexan and is pop riveted to the body and the hatch is simply a sheet of aluminum held on with Dzus fasteners. The only thing I have back there is a battery and have boost posts on the back of the car. The only time I need to remove the rear piece is for tech inspection. Rear window and hatch are very heavy. The Lexan weighs nothing and the aluminum with the wing attached might be 10-15 pounds.

Beeman

I made a T handle and eliminated the lock cylinder. I drilled a hole in the Chevy emblem plate I have in the lic. plate holder and installed the T handle through it. No key and it's always easy to open. I still have the factory glass.
Alky Iroc what lexan rear glass did you buy? All of the ones I've seen are pretty pricey.

AlkyIROC

Bulk Lexan from a local supplier. Installation will not win any show and shine for looks or fitment.

I cut out the entire seal lip for the hatch except for a section at the back. The Lexan is slid under the body panels and riveted into place. It doesn't open and it's not water tight but this is a race car that doesn't drive in the rain. I made a lip across the back of the Lexan that the deck plate secures to. The deck plate is just a sheet of aluminum that's held down by a bunch of Dzus fasteners. I mounted a home made wing onto the deck plate. Undo the Dzus fasteners, pull the pins for the wind struts and the entire deck plate and wing can be easilt removed if I ever need to access the battery. With rear mounted charging posts on the back of the car, I never need to remove the deck plate.

Logan Bryant

Beeman, You got any pictures of what it looks like?

Beeman

If I can figure it out I'll take a pic. Basically a piece of round stock that I flattened on one end to fit into the latch. I drilled the outside end and pressed a long roll pin into it for a T handle. I used flat washers where it passes thru the body and a spring between the latch and the washer on the inside. Car is in the trailer, if I get it out this week if it ever stops raining I'll get a pic.

Alky Iroc, how big was the sheet of Lexan? I thought I measured and it was wider than 4' and longer than 4'. I made my side windows and windshield from a 4x8 sheet. I've seen peiple try to curve Lexan with heat and it didn't work good. I figured a home made one would need a frame. They want a fortune for a pre made one.

AlkyIROC

I can't remember the original dimensions but it was cut out of 1/8" Lexan so it could bend easier. There are also supports along the rear cage tubes to hold the Lexan up in the center. I've tried bending Lexan and Plexiglass with a heat gun but it never turns out the way you want it. The only way to do it properly is to put it in an oven big enough for the piece to fit then quickly form it to the shape you want (usually over a mold).

My Lexan does not extend down the back as far as the factory glass did. I'm pretty sure it was cut from a 4x8 sheet.

Logan Bryant

I am still looking into this, does anybody know of what wire/wires that I would need to slice into to put a button into. I plan on just using bolting the sliding section of the hatch to the rails, so it wont go up and down.

Logan Bryant

Anybody?

Beeman

Are you wanting to wire a button? You need a fused power wire to one side of the button and wire the other side to the hatch release. I don't now what you mean by bolting a section of the hatch.

Logan Bryant

I have the power pull down motor in my car. So, it will look like this, and then I want to replace the key with just a button to open the hatch, but also want to still use the hatch release in the center console.

Logan Bryant

I ended up wiring that switch up in parallel with the switch on the inside of the car. It works perfectly fine, except it will only be hot with the ignition on. I'm no expert when it comes to wiring, so would there be a way to make that button hot all the time?