Meteor (Galaxie, Commuter, Ranch Wagon et al) rear window ?'s

First time owner of a vintage FoMoCo wagon and having some issues getting the rear window down. To be honest, I haven't a clue how to accomplish it. I looked for a switch on the dash and cannot find one but there is a hole where a switch appears to have lived. The only wiring under there without a home is what appears to be a 4 prong trailer plug. The car did have a hitch at one point and there was a super janky trailer brake mechanism that I removed but it was not wired to anything. I tried using the key in the rear lock and it appears to turn both directions but nothing came of that either.

I am trying to open the tailgate/rear door and it appears that the window must come down first. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Can anyone recommend a good source for schematics and wiring diagrams? I have snooped around on the interweb and it appears that there should be a power feed off the starter relay up to the firewall to some other relay then to the dash switch. Am I in the ballpark?

I am close to firing it up but want to drop the fuel tank and clean it before I send whatever garbage is in there through the new fuel pump and freshly rebuilt carb. I suspect there must be access to the hoses and sending unit from within the rear cargo space since I cannot see anything underneath except the strap that appears to be holding the tank in place.

I will include a few photos of what I am looking at for reference. Thanks in advance.

Matt

 

First, what exact year is your wagon? Second, all connections are accessible from underneath, no matter what year it is.

In looking at the relay, I'm guessing mid-to-late Sixties. If there's an outside handle on the passenger end of the gate, that would indicate you have a 'Magic Doorgate', which can open as a tailgate (requires window rolled down), or as a door (window can be up or down).

 

It is a 1968.

Interesting that the connections are available from underneath. When I am looking up at it, the tank is jammed right tight between the quarter panel and the frame. Any access to the top would be strictly by braille. There is just a long bolt holding the strap that is visible to my untrained eye. I have been heating, soaking, wire brushing it but so far it is refusing to come off. Will likely need to just cut it and replace the bolt which is fine. Perhaps when I drop it down there is sufficient slack in the fuel line and wiring to access those things?

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes, you drop the tank after you siphon out any contents through the filler. Then, disconnect the hose and sender plug. Been a looooong while doing one of those, and only that one, a couple decades ago. Is the 'bolt' just a threaded stud with nut? If so, only cut the nut, not the stud. It's a hassle, but those studs are particular to FoMoCo cars, and are very difficult to find.

 

As for the window, can you remove the trim panel inside, if you can't still get the doorgate open as a door? If you can, the motor plug should be accessible, and you can use a power tool 18 or 20 volt battery to temporarily power it down and up.

 

Cool. I was hesitant to drop the strap and then have the works hanging by a wire with no way to undo it from the bottom.

The "bolt" in question is a mystery but appears to be stock just like everything else on the car. From the bottom, it looks like a length of all thread with a nut on the end that holds the strap. It wiggles around so I was figuring there is a hook of some sort up top that fits into a slot or hole. Can't see up in there to verify. Cutting just the nut off will be tricky without damaging the threads of the bolt. If it has a special piece on the top I am comfortable cutting it off and welding it back to a new piece of all thread. It reminds me of the battery hold down clamps in reverse if that makes sense.

 

That was my plan if all else fails. I was hoping to find a schematic of the wiring so that I can figure out the switch and get that repaired as well. The NOS switches I looked at have quite a few pins on the back so it seems abit more complex than just a simple 3 way switch.

 

What sucks is I know a junkyard I frequent that has a '68 Commuter, but the dash window switch was already gone. Along with the doorgate, front clip and the gas tank. But, the switch itself will be like a door window switch, six pins. One is power, one is ground the other four deliver the correct polarities to the motor.

 

In looking at the relay pic, I got the part number:

C8AB-14677-AB

Took a couple screenshot zoom-ins to get it.

 

Appreciate all of the info. I'll take a look under the dash for homeless wires. Is it a single plug or just 6 wires that I will need to decipher? I am assuming the 4 flat trailer plug is a reminent of the previous rv lifestyle. It has the cloth wrap on it so it is old.

Is the piece on my firewall in the 3rd photo above part of the rear window electrical system? The black wire with the spade connector looks as though it wants to be hooked to that part but is just hanging in the wind right now.

It is indeed the magic tailgate. Ill have to try opening it with the window still up. Im at work right now for a few weeks so it will have to wait. This is the only time I get to play on a computer.

Thanks again.

 

Well, that's the only power window in the vehicle so it must be for the rear. Perhaps that being undone is why the rear switch isn't operational right now.

 

Yeah, it'll be a single six-wire plug under the dash...assuming no one cut the pigtail off the harness. If you unbolt the relay, you should be able to find and ID the switch's power feed color code.

 

Just found this and I'll be dipped if the trailer plug isn't original. Looks like there should be another bit that plugs into it and then into the switch.

 

It could be corroded, it might not be getting power on the feed wire from the solenoid stud, or there's an open between the relay and the motor. If you don't have one, invest in a 12 volt test light; it's the quickest way to know if you have power, and a dim light indicates a connection problem. That tab with the screw in it, it's for another power accessory, like a power bench seat option.

 

Ooh, it is only four. Been a long time since dealing with that one I did the gas tank on.
So, wire '400' is your switch power feed, '194' is your ignition power feed and '517' is your battery power from the solenoid.