Everything was fine on my 145 except for my license plate light. The wires through the tailgate hinges have broken, or were cut at some point.

A few questions:

1.) I found this workaround in the archives for a 245:

http://brickparts.d--r.com/tailgate.htm

Will it work on a 145?

2.) Would I be better off redoing the wires through the hinges by removing the tailgate and installing replacement harnesses? Patching the original ones this way?

3.) How do I drop the headliner on a 145?

Thanks as usual,

Steve M.

Raleigh, NC

73 145
84 240

Steve,

I can only recommend you do not butcher your car the way shown in the link you posted. While you will reduce the possibility of repair in the future, it really is a hack. I have done the job the way it was meant to be done a number of times and it is easy enough to do. I would be happy to explain in detail if you like. It is a good project for learning some things.

reply to e-mail

j.pelchat
1970 164

You call it a hack, I call it an improvement. Then again, I created it. The original design calls for repeatedly felexing wires around a 8mm radius. I thin that's a poor design.

Even,

no slight intended on your part. I applaud your ingenuity and efforts to diseminate the information. As I said, it will prevent further need for repair. I just think that when possible, the car should be maintained in its original state and the systems should be used as intended. One improvement on the original wiring scheme would be to use a good quaility double wire like you see on appliances and such. It has thicker and more flexible housing.

anyway, no offense intended.

j.pelchat

"I just think that when possible, the car should be maintained in its original state and the systems should be used as intended."

I respectfully disagree. This particular system was designed in 1967 or so. A lot has changed in the automotive world in the last 35 years; some of those changes are improvements. If I feel I have the opportunity to improve on what I feel is a poor design, I do.

If I was restoring a coucours 145, of course, I would stick with the original. But I'm not expecting to see a 145 at Pebble Beach anytime soon!

Evan

I guess I would simply buy a "hi-flex" hook-up wire with same overall AWG, but many more (thinner, higher AWG) strands in it. Look in electronics part catalogs, like Digi-Key. It can be routed where the original wire went, and it will last much longer, maybe even outlast the car.

Personally I wouldn't re-wire my car with a wire you get in places which don't specialize in electronics and not carry a decent selection of wires. For me, no common place like auto parts shop (or RadioShack, for that matter) comes anywhere close as far as wire selection is concerned. You can save a lot of work by carefully selecting the wire you need.

Cheers, Kuba Ober

I'm not sure about the 145 headliner - but if it is cloth, one layer, then most likely it is like the 245.

With them, there is a metal lip up against the roof, and a flat rim under the headliner hem. Staring at the back of the headliner, near the tailgate, gently pull the headliner outward. If it moves then there is a rim. If this is the case then slowly pull the rim past the metal "lip" until it disengages. You have to kinda roll it away from the lip. Reinstalling is the reverse, pull it away and roll it inward then insert under the "Lip."

As far as the wiring - When all the wires to my 245 tailgate went kaput, i found the easiest methid was to bypass the hinge and wire directly into the tailgate.

Up hear the top corner, on the inside, locate a spot where you can drill a 3/8" (Approximate) hole, without danger of drilling into the rear window.

Splice extra wire onto the existing tailgate license plate wires, and run them through the hole in the tailgate frame. Use a rubber grommet to prevent the edge of the drilled hole from cutting through the insulation and shorting out the wires.

If you have the wires offset (from under the roof, to the tailgate) then when the tailgate is closed, the wire will not hang down so far. Also, auto parts stores sell a plastic wrap ( wiring loom) that looks good covering up the wires.

The downside is you have a wire hanging down a bit. The upside is it is a fast, wasy, and permanent repair. You may even want to pick up a center rear brake light from a later model 245 and install it and run the wiring for it at the same time.