>I haven't looked inside for space ... but how hard would it be to install an
>electrically activated solenoid to operate the latch?
>
>Mike

Just yesterday I was "fixing" (deactivating) the power lock mechanism on
the rear hatch of a customer's syncro, and I was thinking about the same
thing. The problem with the arrangement of the mechanism back there is that
all the moving parts that release the latch move in a back-to-front
direction, so you'd need to get the solenoid to pull along the one axis
along which you have no room to mount anything. The latch itself is
released by a vertical tab that when pushed back rotates a little to the
side, so it MIGHT be possible to squeeze a solenoid with a cable end in the
port side of the hatch cavity and attach it to the tab. It might be pulling
too perpendicular to the initial direction of travel though. I wish I had
taken pictures; I'm having trouble describing it!

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"