Rear hatch wont open unless parking brake is on ?

I was in my 85 10 minutes ago. I remembered this thread and tried it. My car is wired the way the Helms manual says it is:

The center console button does NOT function until the park brake is applied. Remember, this for a Manual Transmission car only, and only pertains to the console button.  (It would be difficult to engage a door button while driving, and the dome lights have to be on for the door switches to function. So the door buttons are "safed" while driving as well).

Other years, particularly the 90-up that have BCM's may be different.

OK. I was in a friend's 95 ZR-1 yesterday. Manual transmission, of course.  The console button works with or without the park brake applied as long as the ignition switch is off. When ignition is in run, the park brake has to be applied for console switch to pop the hatch.

It appears that indeed the park brake influences how/when the console button will be operative or not.  Depends on year.