Upgrades for the Coupe de Ville

[Kurt]

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/v...

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

[Kurt]

Rob, I used a door unlock actuator with a rod that I custom bent for the trunk lock mechanism. I also replaced the trunk lock mechanism because the original one is totally enclosed. The later GM trunk lock mechanisms are the same bolt pattern but are opened (not enclosed). I wired the actuator to the keyless entry controller as well as added a button in the glove box. I have more pics, let me know if you want them. There might also be kits for adding a power trunk release for vintage cars if you are not up for fabricating your own.

[Rob Nance]

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

[Kurt]

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

[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. 

[Jason Edge]

Wow! That looks fantastic.  What a cool Christmas Present to yourself. The crazy thing is you bought some of the parts for the power vent setup way back and I swear it seemed liked every 1/3 car the prior few years I had been pulling in had power vents but as soon as Kurt took the partial parts  plunge I pulled in zero power vent cars for the next 2 or 3 years! Nadda, Nothing, Zilch! I really hated it for Kurt ... but these parts and what the next parts car will come with is always a roll of the dice.  The last parts car, that 63 convertible was mostly stripped of the interior parts, but had a 6 button switch in the floor board that seemed like it would work. I immediately contacted Kurt when I saw I had it and think he managed thru the few other odds and ends.

OK, back to the upgrades. You really took on several big challenges and knocked it out of the park! We need to get this in a future newsletter... so keep those pictures and text of what you did.. and of course we can add more. I remember when I first got my power vent windows in and working and I had it a lot easier as my power vent parts were plentiful... Kurt really had to be patient with his and of course on the 63 you can't just swap out the upper metal plate with a solid one like you can with the 64, and end up with a hole in the door panel.. and he came up with great improvisation. 
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS! WELL DONE!