I want to put a switch that will lock and unlock the rear tailgate of me wagon from a switch on the dash (saves me from having to switch off the ignition to remover the key to get something out the back)

 

Has this been done before,... i know from a gregories service manual, some soobs from 86 had central locking.

 

I was gonna put some 6x9 speakers in the rear door while i was at it also, anyone got any tips on this.

It was an option on most early EA82 cars. The later ones got it standard. There is a button the inserts into the dash also.

I know Andrew has tha switch in the '85 2wd GL wagon he recently sold. Just gotta scout the yards for cool stuff like that. I know that there is a mechanism inside the hatch which will lock and unlock it with the doors....

I should also note that most US spec vehicles are prewired for the switch and actuator.

85's and 86's have the dash switch, and I'm assuming the later models have the wiring in place for the optional switch (though I've never tried retro-fitting one). One thing I've noticed when junking old tailgates is that some of them have splices in the wiring harnesses near the power lock actuator. I'm guessing that this is where the "optional" dash switch is added/deleted at the factory.

6x9's can physically be installed in the hatch, but the location is not good for fidelity. The rear seat will absorb alot of the sound. A better placement would be up high in the rear corners in self-contained boxes

good luck, John

You can get an actuator either off a junked GL or Loyale or at a stereo shop, although you'll need to fab stuff up if you go with a universal one. GLs could unlock their hatches individually, but Loyales have it just linked to the power locks.

... GLs could unlock their hatches individually, but Loyales have it just linked to the power locks.

My '85 Gl-10 has the separate switch, all of my later models (GL, GL-10, and Loyale) operate of off driver's lock.

 

Regarding speakers in the hatch: Any significant weight added will cause hatch to creep/drop closed, overpowering the air struts.

The air struts from a hatch are a bit longer and stronger? Maybe they might offset the weight of speakers. just a thought.

I will pop down to the wreckers today

 

(P.S. My car is a wagon)

 

Would the weight of 2 speakers realy affect the car that much, i have 2 6x9's in 6X9 boxes just sittin on the floor in my boot, only problem is they slide around as i go around corners

6x9s can be pretty heavy. They tend to have pretty burly magnets. And my hatch doesn't like to stay up when it's cold, so I wouldn't push it.

 

Why don't you take those boxes and bolt them to the ceiling or something? Then you would gave tolerable fidelity (well... for a 6x9 ) and you wouldn't have anything sliding around, nor a hatch that might fall on your head.

I also put boxed 6x9's in the back of my wagon and had the same sliding around and tipping over issue (i like the speaker facing up so the sound makes it all the way to the front) - I solved it by screwing a small piece of plywood (about 3x6") to one end of the box so it sticks out the side a little - mainly as a tipping preventative, but it also works well in preventing the boxes from sliding around.

 

stuck the boxes behind the rear wheel well, with the plywood end at the very back of the car - they stay put now, unless I get really wild around corners, and I dont do that much

 

ps: the rear hatch lock works with the drivers door lock on my 89 GL wagon....no dash switch