Other: 1964 Wagonaire rear window stopped in the closed or up position.

[edanna97]

I just bought a restored 1964 Studebaker Daytona Wagonaire. The tailgate electric rear window was slow so I took off the two tailgate access panels, cleaned out some minor debris and lubricated the electric window mechanism. The tailgate rear window suddenly went up and down with amazing quickness. Today with the rear roof open I raised the tailgate electric rear window to clean it on both sides and it suddenly won't retract. The alternator needle moves when I click the tailgate electric rear window switch down so I think the motor is getting current. Could this tailgate electric rear window motor suddenly go out after it was only recently working so well or can anyone think of anything else it might be? I want to know what I should be looking for before I go in again with tools. Thanks in advance! Sincerely, Ed

[stude1964]

Ed
I had a problem w/my '64 wagon-first check your circuit breaker(20 amps I believe) on the inner fender well. It has 2 wires going to it near the electric window relay. You might also want to check if your car has a small mercury switch in the tailgate wiring. It is designed so that DA's don't open the rear window while the tailgate is down. I hope this helps. Rob in PA.

[wagonairedriver]

I wondered if maybe it went up a bit further than usual, since you said you had the slider open? Maybe just get someone to push down on it a bit, while you operate the switch?

[studegary]

I think that it went up too far. Maybe with a little "help" you can get it to start down. I normaly wouldn't run it up with the roof open (no stop).

[edanna97]

Wagonaire with stuck rear tailgate window.

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! I was out on the road all day (in the Wagonaire) so I couldn't check my computer until now. When I cleaned the tailgate out and lubricated it last week I noticed that mercury switch had been bypassed. Someone had just unplugged the wire from the mercury switch and jammed it under the switch. I may have lost an electrical connection there (poor ground?) from rust and a poor fit of that wire just that was just jammed under the metal mercury switch where it is attached to the tailgate. I figured that had to be a mercury switch for the purpose mentioned and I'm glad I got conformation on that. I'll connect that up the way it should be and see if that is the problem. If not I'll try the other suggestions. After lubricating the rear window mechanism I had that tailgate window going up and down so fast I can't believe that motor just burned-out completely and without warning like this. You Studebaker tech folks are the best! This Wagonaire is my retirement toy and I am enjoying it. As long as it isn't raining or snowing I have it out and it generates a lot of interest in the club at car shows and on the road. Thanks! Sincerely, Ed

[edanna97]

Thanks folks, The rear Window is fixed in my Wagonaire, thanks for all of the tech suggestions! Two things were wrong, I rewired that mercury switch back into the tailgate window circuit and the tailgate window had risen up too far without the roof to stop it.

There appears to be a switch safeguard built into the window regulator that opens the circuit to the electric tailgate window motor if it rises too high (in my case because the roof was not in the closed possition to stop it.) The shop manual was no help on this but as Brad suggested a photo showing all the parts in exploded form helped greatly in disassembling everything.

I now know everything there is to know about a Wagonaire tailgate.--Ed