Jughead

I wonder if anyone has a picture of the attaching/latching mechanism for the storage tray. Not on the tray but on the part where the tray snaps into or click into the latch under the rear window. Right under the window frame.

My tray was long gone and I have a replacement but I don't have anything under the window frame for the tray to attach. I was thinking of making something so I could use the tray.

Any pictures of the latch I could use for ideas?

Thanks
Len

RMS73

I believe the tray was secured differently for different years. The earlier cars you pull a lever forwarded and the tray became unlatched. In 72 the tray was secured with a push button located in the tray. I put a 72 tray in my 73. I will send you a picture of the latch receiver I used.
Roger

lostpatrolman

Ok, here are some pics. No pics of the handle though. It was never on there when I bought the car, sorry.
This is a top view of one of the rear hinges


Bottom View of one of the rear hinges


Pic of the front latch, latch is also adjustable front to back.


Another pic of the front latch. Here the J shaped latch catches on the stainless mount of the tray which holds it all up.


Sorry for the out of focus pics, seems the camera has a hard time focusing on objects from that close.

Marks69BB

Len - I don't have a pic but on my 69 there is a simple latch made of spring steel that screws to the underside of the rear deck near the molding along the bottom of the rear window. If you look under there you should be able to find two tapped holes for it. The spring steel piece has a block of metal 'handle' screwed to it with "Back Window Storage" cast into it. The letters are chrome and the rest of the block is semi-flat black.

There is no latching hardware on the tray itself. The spring steel part has a groove in it that engages the lip of the tray to hold it in place. When you pull on the handle towards the front of the car, the groove releases the lip and the tray drops down. The spring steel part and the 'handle' are both available from the Vette part vendors. Hope this helps!

71coupe

I have a hell of a time opening my window stowage compt. I usually just rest the window on the carpeted area & it stays put.

lostpatrolman

yeah, i have problems with mine also. It is either adjusted to where the latch barely grabs and the tray falls down sometime during the drive, or it grabs nice and tight and you have to struggle to get it open.

Jughead

The tray I have has a push button type latch. Much like the rear storage doors.

lostpatrolman

That sounds like a much better system then the crappy hook mine came with.

checklst

From my 71 hope this helps!!!

lostpatrolman

Interesting, so that is how the latch is supposed to work? HAHA, my handle is missing. I always thought it was just some handle mounted somewhere in front. Never occured to me that the handle and latch connect together. Check1st, could you post a pic of how the latches are supposed to hold the window in? My window doesnt seem to fit the way I have been trying to attach it, it might be because the tray sags in the center?

Jughead

cheklst is that handle attached to the under side of the window opening?

checklst

You can see the rivets along the bottom edge (the foam gasket was just barely thick enough to cover these. The window frame has taken quite a scratching over 30 some years, and this gasket also stopped a lot of vibration of the window tray.



Opps I failed to mention that if you push up on the window tray with one hand and pull the release handle with the other hand it helps releases the spring tension and friction and falls into your have vary easy at that point(I have read some having trouble getting it to release)

foundvettelifeisgood

Len,

Here's the push-button style...closed


open from below


open from above

Jughead

Thanks Jay, that's what I needed to see. I'll have to fabricate one.