trying to get hatch working
 

I bought the car with no rear lock, just has a hole in the back. The wire that goes to the motor was cliped and not connected. I bought the new arms and wire and got that all connected, but I dont know how to screw the midlle rotating peice to the car. Dont know if you need the lock or not, anyone have any pic? I will and try to get a pic. of the middle rotating peice to show you what I am talking about tommorow. I have to go through the back seat to unlock the hatch, and to securly lock it also. If I shut it from the outside, the left locking peice (in the pic.) will work some times, it seems that the locking peice is loose or something.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1226268431.jpg

As it happens I’m fixing my locking mechanism to. I have an 89S2 so there may be a slight difference in what the pre 85.5 looks like. I know there are 2 types of cables & 2 types of cable arms that attach to the motor armature. Your picture shows the earlier type arm & cable. The newer 85.5 & newer design has a pin coming out of the arm top and the cable has an eye that fits over it.
I have attached pictures of what my center area looks like. Seems kind of complicated for what it does!
Let me know if you need more pictures or if I got the wrong area of interest.
Robhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1226867057.jpg

Thank you for the pictures. It helps out a little bit, but I am pretty sure now, through the pics., that I do need the rear lock for it to work corectly, haha. Gotta find a junker and a willing owner to let me take the rear lock and key. Thanks Rob.

I don't know if pre 85.5 cars have the electric release button up front, but if you do that should release the hatch. Regardless of which way you open the hatch, the motor does the releasing. You will need the lock to open it manually.
Oklahoma Foreign & DC Automotive usually come through for me.
Good luck!

I have an 85 Late 944. It does have a front release button on the Driver's Left lower floor wall beside the hood release handle--if you have a motor in the back you should have the switch up front. So you don't really need a lock and key to open the hatch from the inside. You'll need the cables & make sure you're switch is working. sanfrancisco944

I would assume if you have a motor the pre 85 models would have some sort of switch up front

Yes, it's right next to the hood release lever. It looks just like a power window switch.