How to open tailgate 1965 New Yorker wagon

[MonacoBlue]

Sorry...I guess the question is...what exactly are you trying to accomplish, at this point?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Open the gate. Window is down finally, but tough to move. Latch mechanism is stuck so opening the gate the next thing. Then freeing up the glass, repairing the motor etc.

 

[MonacoBlue]

Ah ok. PB Blaster. So this is the “tailgate one way, door the other” mechanism? If it opens as a door but not as a tailgate you just have get to whatever you can access with PB Blaster and let it soak. That lever on top of the tailgate itself is the key to getting the tailgate to open down. Got to push it all the way over.

 

[mopar440]

Sorry...I guess the question is...what exactly are you trying to accomplish, at this point?

Ross is correct, I finally the window down using a combo of ideas . Now the lever/latches don't move. Been soaking a day in PB blaster. Vice grips and pry bar, tapping don't get them to move. Building a vice grips slide hammer right now to try and jar them loose. They don't budge at all

 

[mopar440]

Ah ok. PB Blaster. So this is the “tailgate one way, door the other” mechanism? If it opens as a door but not as a tailgate you just have get to whatever you can access with PB Blaster and let it soak. That lever on top of the tailgate itself is the key to getting the tailgate to open down. Got to push it all the way over.

As far as I know, a 65 just opens down

 

[mopar440]

Found a pic of one, looks like it's gotta move quite a bit to unlatch

 

[MonacoBlue]

Sounds like you now know what needs to happen, and how to make it happen.

 

[mopar440]

Sounds like you now know what needs to happen, and how to make it happen.

Yes, thanks for the help, got the driver's side to move! Soaking pass side overnight to try it again

 

[xxcarguy]

Glad you got it to work!
How aggravating.

 

[mopar440]

Glad you got it to work!
How aggravating.

One side so far, aggravating is a understatement lol

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

With the glass down you should be able to get PB Blaster on the actual latches from inside the tgate, no?

 

[MonacoBlue]

You’ll have to post a pic once it’s down.

 

[mopar440]

With the glass down you should be able to get PB Blaster on the actual latches from inside the tgate, no?

Yep, I can get at most of the latch. Got a vice grips on now, and smacking it with a hammer. If it doesn't go, putting the torch on it if possible. It's tight in there tho

 

[mopar440]

You’ll have to post a pic once it’s down.

Yep, definitely

 

[mopar440]

Success!! 2 days of soaking, pulling, hammering, and heating carefully with a map gas torch, it's open!!!! Only goes down this far yet tho, soaking the hinges... First time in n probably 40 years!!

Thanks for the help again!

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Congratulations!

 

[crazyboutwagons]

I would remove the whole latch assembly and wire brush all the rust and corrosion and put it back together and lube everything. I replaced my tailgate a couple years ago . the tailgate I bought the latch was rusted and was hard to operate. I removed everything and used the parts from my original tailgate instead. I have the parts somewhere to use as spares should the need ever arise.

 

[mopar440]

That's the plan, thanks! My motor works too...the window was siezed in the track

I would remove the whole latch assembly and wire brush all the rust and corrosion and put it back together and lube everything. I replaced my tailgate a couple year sago . the tailgate I bought the latch was rusted and was hard to operate. I removed everything and used the parts from my original tailgate instead. I have the parts somewhere to use as spares should the need ever arise.

 

[MonacoBlue]

Sweet!! What part of the country did the car come from? Was it Minnesota? General condition? Interior should clean up nicely. I used lithium grease on the tailgate slide rod, after PB. Disassembly and cleaning a good idea. More pics!

 

[MonacoBlue]

That’s a good feeling.