Rear back hatch lift

[Garry 20 B]

Does anybody have a good way to have the back of the car lift up and stay there>

I use as piece of conduit once I lift it up, just wondering if anybody came up with something, other then a simple hood prop?

I had my slam down one time since it was windy at a show, didn't hurt anything just made a loud noise.

Open to suggestions.

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

I used gas struts.
McMaster-Carr

 

[Garry 20 B]

Well the problem for me is I have to lift it out of the pockets in the side latches, then slide it back over the muffler, then I can lift it up. What size and LB did you get, does it lift as soon as you undo the latches? Or do you have to help it up.

You have any pics of where you mounted them?

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

I have a race tail on mine. I have 100lb struts, they work fine. I had to change from 60lb after I installed the Lexan. Undo the catches, pull it free of the pins, and it goes up.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

Garry,

I wanted a lightweight prop without any lifting mechanism. I used a hinged aluminum prop made out of 1" X .125" aluminum strip, hinged at the chassis and at the body panel, and that brakes over in the middle. The weight of the panel allows it to hold itself open, but for those windy days, I insert a very short 1/4" PIP pin through two aligned holes that prevents the assembly from folding under. The weight of the aluminum lets it drop down and fold over when the hatch is pulled closed. I liked it so well that I fabricated another set for the front. I can use one on each side, but I chose to make them in pairs (could remove one side to work on that side of the car while the other side continues to hold the panel open). It will take a little figuring out on your end in determining where the break-over hinge is located so that it all folds neatly into place, but it is extremely light, easily removable, and easy to build. If this is of any interest to you, I'll snap some quick photos and post them.

I looked a gas struts, but was concerned about long-term warping of the fiberglass panel, and didn't want even more wiring than I already have if I used linear actuators.

 

[Bill]

Ensure the body attachment point for the gas strut spreads out the load. The gas struts exerts quite a bit of pressure when compressed and can deform a fiberglass panel over time.

Ask me how I know :coolgleam:

 

[Bill]

I cut out the rear diffuser in the street tail and recessed it a couple inches. That allows the street tail to tilt back much further. In fact it goes way over center, so gravity securely holds it open. Then I added a couple retainer cables to keep the tail from hitting the ground.

 

[Alex]

Ensure the body attachment point for the gas strut spreads out the load. The gas struts exerts quite a bit of pressure when compressed and can deform a fiberglass panel over time.

Ask me how I know :coolgleam:

not if you're using 10lb struts, huehueheuheuheuehue

 

[Bill Musarra]

I think you guys are missing the point of the lifts. Al has the answer(sort of) with the gas struts. If you look at his mounting points you will see that the strut doesn't extend that far, and the distance from the fulcrum is short. So the amount of lift(required) is greater. I don't own an SLC but my rear clam of the 40 is so heavy that I cannot pick it up by myself. I have to use an engine hoist to pick it up and mount it(I am old but not feeble, I do all of my work alone)). The mounting tabs for my clip are at the very back of the body and the clip includes the Plexiglas over the engine bay as well as all the fiberglass over the fenders. With no help, and mounted, it takes both hands and arms to lift this clip off its resting place. Once near its apex it is easy to move around, as it should be. My gas shocks extend about 10 inches. and the compressed distance is 11".

With the shocks I can easily raise and lower the clip with one hand with out it feeling as though it is going to fall. Check out this old video of my walk around. I open and close the clip with one hand while taping.
http://vid282.photobucket.com/albums/kk242/Billmusarra/GT%2040/P9140225.mp4

To break the hold to close, it takes about 3-5 lbs.. I gently lower it with one hand. I have been to shows that were windy enough to blow my hat off, and it has never threatened my rear clip. It is all a matter of where you mount your shock. The longer the throw of the shock, and the further away from the fulcrum, the easier it is to lift. You just have to find the right points, and extension lengths. The shorter the throw, the higher the amount of help you will need to raise the clip. Al uses 100 lbs on each of his shocks and they are very close to the fulcrum of the lift. I will wager my rear clip outweighs his by a considerable amount and I use 40# on both of my shocks. When installing my shocks one of them will support the clip while I connect the other. High School physics(levers).

Bill

 

[Garry 20 B]

Thank you all for the different ideas and pictures. Now I have to figure out which one will work the best for me, I have a race tail, but have to lift the front out of the center body first, then slide it back so when I lift it up in the front, it clears the triangle muffler to tilt.

 

[Mark Bajus]

wonder if a two step track might work for you- rollers mounted on the hatch that run in a track, so you can lift the hatch and roll it back to clear the muffler, then once its back far enough to clear the muffler, the rollers drop into a "slot" so you can then pivot it open?

 

[Garry 20 B]

Thats kinda what I do know, its more about keeping it up in the air instead of using the conduit. I think usings gas shocks might distort the rear deck lid more then it is already.

The slot has a needle bearing in it mounted to the race tail, so it lifts up, slides back, then I can tilt it.