'93 Hatch Latch into an '88 (conversion)

Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Apr 14, 2003
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Cuba, AL
Has anyone ever swapped a new style hatch latch (92-93) into an earlier hatch....say an '88 model? This would require the newer style striker as well.
Anybody? :D
 
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I used to get them in junkyards but they have no more Foxbody's.
LMR carries the old latch, at least they did last time I looked.
They still do for $26.99
That's the striker. I'm talking about a complete swap to the newer latch and striker.
 
The strikers match up to the different latches. They are a set. SO if you stuck a newer hatch on the older car, you need the new striker.

But I too have always wondered if the newer 92-93 style hatch latch would retrofit on an older hatch. My guess is yes as I can't see ford redesigning the hatch for this.

I always thought the newer latch seemed more secure and solid when the hatch was closed. But that could also be in my mind as it's been a while since i've touched another fox body other than my own.
 
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Ok so here's why I was asking. My hatch has been popping open lately. The latch itself opens as if I did it with a key. The car is very solid with the MM full length subs. I just think it's just worn. That got me thinking. I remember having a brand new OEM Ford latch. I also remember thinking that it didn't fit anything of mine and I thought I threw it away. So today I grabbed one of my plastic tubs of parts and got lucky on the first one. Found the latch. Ran the Ford number on it and it's a 92 or 93 hatch latch. Yaayyy!
I decided to see what's what. After some figuring, I installed it. I first got it to open with the key so I wouldn't have a permanently closed hatch. Then I made a temporary striker to see how it fit. Bingo....closes just fine. Now I'll make me a real striker and make the conversion permanent. No I'm not spending $25 on a bought one. I have extra old style ones so I'll just modify one or make a new one from scratch.
Oh, and Mike, it does feel more solid. I just hope it solved my hatch popping open. Tired of sniffing exhaust!
 
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I was just looking back into this. This is the hatch striker on my 1991. Is there supposed to be a plastic bushing over the striker like on the door strikers? I assume so and that I need to order a new striker or get some Delrin out and make a bushing.
26F582A1-CB8E-4FAD-939C-6792BD3F745C.jpeg
 
They sell the plastic bushings in the "help" section of most parts stores...Advance, O'Riellys, and Autozone.
 
I should have went to LMR first. This is the right striker for May 1991 through 93. No bushing. It did not seem like I would have replaced the weatherstrip and left the striker wrong.

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Yeah, and they are a PITA to get on.


I was thinking of converting my car to the 92-93 style latch. I assume I need the latch and a pin right?
I changed all my fox hatches. 87,88 and 89 models to the 93 latch. It’s 100x better. You need the pin, latch and then there’s the dumb wiring. Took me like an hour to figure that out the first time I did it.
 
You can cut the factory "non removable" washer off. Then you can make it easily removable for bushing replacement. Just get a standard washer of the same size and no more difficulty. That's if you want to stay with the old style.
 
Ah, I figured it out.

Ford did away with the “plunger” that activates the interior lights and instread put an internal switch on the latch itself. When the latch is open, the switch inside is open and your interior lights come on.

So two plugs on the latch. One for the release solenoid, another for the interior light switch.

So not only do you need to change the solenoid connector, but you need to run 2 wires from the interior light plunger connector up into the hatch. Or just leave the connector for the “plunger” disconnected which means the interior lights won’t come on with the hatch open

You’ll notice no more hatch depressor on the 5/91-later latch (right) vs the older latch on the left.
CE1A1F86-D5C9-4092-A943-E806DCD14C2F.jpeg
 
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