The chromed handle in the driver's side door jamb - the handle that operates the rear deck release cable - is a bit loose. The cable still works and the deck opens, but the handle used to have essentially no play in it. How would I go about tightening the handle? Or is it a matter of adjusting that the cable to keep things taut?
If you lift the handle, there is a screw beneath it, that goes through the back into the body door jam. If you are lucky, it is just loose, but do not overtighten it, since the handle is plastic and will crack. You don't want to go through the entire replacement, since it involves removing the cable completely to get the handle out. You will need a flashlight, room to open the door all the way, and lay your head on the door sill to see it.
One other thing. The deck release is based on the cable pulling enough to trip the latches. It is a simple design with a large outcome for failure (deck does not open). Hopefully, if you tighten the handle, it does not create too much slack. It shouldn't, since the cable is working rigt now, but when you tighten down the handle, the amount of cable pull will be increased and you don't want to run out of handle travel before the latches trip. I replaced my handle and cable last summer, and it is tricky to get the adjustment correct to have the right tension and release the latches. Let me know if you run into any problems. I recommend doing this with the deck open, and test the releases by pushing them down and pulling the handle to see if they still work. Don't want them to fail with the deck closed.
Make sure the handle fully closes into position. If its sticking out a little and you slam the door itll break some parts.
Checked this today. Maybe my assembly is different than yours. There is a single screw in the plastic housing (going into the door jamb) and it is nice and snug. The plastic is intact. The silver handle itself has a bit of play, maybe because the cable isn't tight enough, but I see no other screws that could have worked loose. I may run the car over to my mechanic this week and see what he thinks. It's not broken, but as you point out it's probably easier to adjust/correct this while I have access to the engine bay.
If the screw is tight and the black frame is tight, but the handle is loose, then either the cable has slack or the spring on the handle is loose. If it was mine, I would buy a new cable for a future fix, but leave it alone for now. Loose handle, tight frame, and the deck release works means no problem.
Mine was broken and flopping around. Still worked like you described. Hinge portion broken. PM Verell. He makes replacements that has worked and looked like the original.
If this is a new problem, then most likely your cable stretched because it's fraying. If so, replace it before it breaks. If not, then you're going to have to pull the latch housing out to see what's wrong. If you need a new plastic housing, I've got them on the shelf.
It is new - happened Friday when the car was in the have a new coolant tank put in. The cable-stretch idea seems likely, so I think I'll plan on replacing that. The handle assembly/housing looks fine. Thanks all!
When you do replace it, I posted a detailed step by step a few months back that should make it easier. Like I said, tricky to get right on the adjustments, and the penalty for failure is huge (deck does not open). Here it is repeated: Repairing the cable is not too hard, but takes some patience and proper adjustment. I replaced mine last summer, since it was fraying at the cable end. You are lucky that the emergency cable opened it up. There are stories of failed main and emergency cables. Supposedly, the only solution is to break out a taillight or similar drastic means. Remove the interior pieces around the latches. Three screws each. Look to see where it feeds through the latches, since you will have to accomplish this with the new cable. Study it to see how the cable nut trips the latch. DON'T close the lid until later. Get a good light and a small bowl to catch the cable nuts if they fall off of the cable ends. You will have to bend over and look at the latches upside down while making the repair and adjusting the cable nuts. 1. Get a new cable from a dealer. You can make one or get a bicycle shop to make one, but I went with the proven cable. 2. The cable frays where it enters the bodywork near the handle by design. I bought an extra cable for future use. 3. Lift the handle and remove the one screw that holds it in. The handle will come out and you can pull out the cable after you loosen the lock nuts at each latch. 4. Now you have the cable out and just the emergency cable going to the driver's side latch. 5. Attach the new cable to the handle with the nut and lock washer. You have to feed the entire thing through the hole to get the ring over the post with the nut and washer. Don't overtighten, since the handle is plastic. 6. I put some cable lube on the cable and fed it from the door to the first latch. Don't force it or you will kink the cable. I bought a third cable, since I kinked the first one and used the spare. As it comes out of the bodywork at the first latch, feed it through the latch and into the cable nut with the emergency cable. 7. The cable nut is what trips the latch when the cable is pulled, so push down the latch, and line up the cable nut with the piece that springs open the latch. If it is lined up, start feeding the cable through the metal line to the passenger latch. 8. At the passenger latch, feed it though the latch and put the cable nut on the end so it is in the same position to trip that latch's mechanism. 9. Now everything is in place and needs to be adjusted. The goal is to pull the cable and trip both lock nuts to open both latches. Also, the emergency cable needs to trip the driver's latch and pull the main cable to trip the passenger latch. If the cable broke between the latches or is too slack between the latches, the emergency cable does not work to open the passenger latch. 10. Replace the handle and screw near the door. 11. I grabbed the cable end at the passenger side and pulled it tight. You want a little tension, but not straining the cable. Tighten the passenger lock nut. With the lid open, press the passenger latch closed. Pull the handle and see if it unlocks and if the handle feels like it did before (not too tight, not too loose). Just a little pull, the cable lock moves, trips the latch, and the handle pulls a little more. 12. On the driver's side move the cable nut with both cables in it against the latch and tighten. Test it a few times. 13. With the lid open, push both latches closed and pull the handle to open both latches. Best is near simultaneous, with the passenger side maybe a hair sooner. Remember, the emergency cable doesn't help the passenger side if the slack is between the cables. 11. Test, test, test with the lid open. Do the latches release easily? Does the handle pull, release both latches, and have a little more pull left? Is the cable tight enough to release both latches, but not too tight that it binds making the bends? Are the lock nuts against the latch releases and tightened down so they do not slip? 12. Now close both latches and test the emergency cable with the lid open. 13. Replace the interior pieces. Lube the latches. Not too hard, but scary the first time you close the lid with the new cable, because you are afraid it won't work.
Thanks for posting this step-by-step. The regular cable does release the rear deck - haven't touched the emergency release cable and don't plan to. BTW: The handle on mine appears to be metal, not plastic.
Yes, I just looked at my old one. Metal handle, black plastic frame. If and when you do dig into it, it would be interesting to see if your cable is frayed near the handle. The way it goes through the back of the handle when using seems to rub the plastic by design. I just thought of something. If the main handle does not work and the cable is not broken, it may be due to too much slack in the cable. The handle has limited travel and wont pull anymore. However, the emergency cable has no stop, so it can be pulled as far as needed to trip the latches. Not really applicable for you, but it just sort of clicked for me. That is why when my cable locks slipped a feww MMs, the main handle did not work, but the emergency one did. Best of luck on your repairs. Let me know when you start, and I can be available for any questions.
This is almost the same set up as on the front hood also. I just removed and re-did mine on the front when replacing the carpet. It's not that hard if you are mechanically inclined at all. The backs are actually easier due to a different design on the cable locking nut.
Now is a good time to ask a dumb question .. where is the rear deck lid emergency cable located on a 329 gts? Better now than when faced with the real deal, eh?
Behind the driver's seat, near the top of the rear firewall, there's a plastic pull. You need to un-snap the top cover to see it. If your car has black carpets, like mine does, it is easy to miss it.
Update: The cable is adjusted properly. The problem is that the plastic surround, in which the metal handle is housed, fatigued around the hinge holes - so it has the vertical play I mentioned originally. The new handle is on the way -- will install next week. $135 list price. Maybe I've been around these cars too long, but that didn't make me flinch. It might have just failed because it's 20-year old plastic, but you might use a delicate touch when opening the front/rear bonnets on your 3x8.
