does anyone know what the procedure is to use that big spring? i imagine its to keep the window rolled up? but how to install properly? Thanks

Tony

since I had to work on the window mechanism, so I'm straining to recall the spring you mention.

I do know this for certain; I found the Wick Humble "How to Restore your Z" book an excellent resource for the window repairs I made. I don't have it handy to look right now, and not to stray from the subject, but that book is a godsend to supplement the somewhat poor FSM, and not-much-better Haynes, Chilton, or Clymer books.

The Spring on the window regulator is there to counterbalance the weight of the glass through the mechanism. Without it you would have a heck of a time rolling up the window, and it might get away from you when rolling down.

With the regulator out of the car, and the gear cranked out of the crank handle gear, the mechanism should open up by 60-90 degrees from the last stop with the gears engaged. At this point the spring should be fairly easy to just slip out of the slot on the shaft.

If your spring is broken or sprung, it's a good idea to replace it as it will take the stress from cranking the window off the window crank handle gear.