Upgrades for the Coupe de Ville

by Kurt

Dec 24, 2021

At long last I finally have power vent windows! I started collecting the parts 3 years ago. The one thing I could not find until recently is the 6 button driver's switch. Jason finally pulled one in and was more than generous with pricing. Thanks Jason! Installing the vent window motors was the easiest part of the project but many other tasks were spawned by this project.

  1. There is a hole in the door panels where the window crank was. I considered putting a hub cap emblem there but ultimately decided to add power locks and to install the door panel switches in the window crank holes. There is very little room between the door and the door panel so I had to shave the pins on the switches and make some side terminal connectors for the wires.
  2. If I add power locks, I might as well add a keyless entry controller too.
  3. The keyless entry controller has a trunk release output so I might as well add a power trunk release actuator too along with a trunk release button in the glove box.
  4. For some 50 years (even since my grandfather owned the car) I have seen the "TRUNK" tell-tale light lens between "GEN" and "OIL" on the dashboard and always wanted to see it light up. It's not wired without the factory trunk release so time to wire that up too.
  5. Find the vacuum leak causing the A/C doors to malfunction. Turns out it was the 20%-100% vacuum power unit. Possible to replace with the dash pad off but not fun.
  6. Fabricate new window up-stops which were rusted away in the passenger door.
  7. Find and fix any other problems in the doors and dashboard while they are uncapped.

All of this took about 1 month with alternating periods of happiness and frustration. Now that it is all done I'm very satisfied with the results. Pics and videos are attached.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11po8wibqbSy9ya8XP7mNJlDPjfeU9sFJ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12IN6TGdCmGLAWUqk41Jvv9un0kYxBLFS/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12H6kfLPSu-VOgvdeTmJt_12qByn_Q0cW/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12HQw2NB338RQ7cqlf4Uxogi4Q14e_zlm/view

Load Previous Comments

  • Kurt

    Thanks Jason. It was challenging but all turned out good in the end. At some time in the future if I have my door panels reupholstered, I will relocate the power lock buttons to the front of the armrests where the factory vacuum lock buttons would be. No problem on the future newsletter article. I have a ton of pics and vids of the whole project. 

    Dec 24, 2021

  • Kurt

    Thanks. Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to you and all.

    Dec 25, 2021

  • Rob Nance

    I know this is a really old thread, any details on what you used for the truck lock to open it remotely? 

    6 hours ago