Door Locking Mecanism ???

[Eddie 70]

I am trying correct a problem with my drivers side door locking mechanism. Right now I can lock the door with the key but am unable to unlock it. So I am gonna take the mechanism out and clean it up really good and relube with white lithium grease.

What I need to know is which of the two spring clips that attach the outside door handle to the latching mechanism is the easier one to remove and install.

I would also like to know what adjustment can be made to make the door lock unlock from the outside. The key will turn the lock plenty far enough to lock the door but it just won`t hardly go far enough to unlock the door.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BORDERBUM]

somebody help Eddie 70!!! Got the same problem myself on my 77, on the drivers side!! Thanks

GIT R DONE______________________BORDERBUM

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Eddie,

I just did the driver's side door handle and posted about my experience. To answer your question, you can only get to the lower clip with the handle in the car. To get to it you need to remove the window regulator access panel on the bottom of the door. There was a plastic shield that removed with two screws that the lower attachment point kind of hides behind. With the window rolled up it will come out through the access hole.

I then took a screw driver a pried the connecting rod from it's attachment point. Two bolts then hold the door handle in, though one of them is very difficult to access. You might want to order a new clip. Mine went flying off when I pried the connecting rod from it but you may not be so lucky.

I had the same problem with the unlocking mechanism. Liberal amounts of Wd-40 and lubing it took care of the problem with no adjustment needed.

If you take the door handle out, I would spend the $50 to replace it. It is not a project you want to do twice and evidently it is a common problem.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[Eddie 70]

I got it out just like you said Bob. I got the whole latching mechanism out the bottom of the door through the access hole. I used a can of carb cleaner on the mechanism last night. It cleaned up real nicely. I have plenty of white lithium grease that I will use to ensure good smooth operation. Apparently this thing has had problems for a while because there was all kinds of grease and gunk in it. Some of it 33 years old I am sure. It was all on the inside of the door too. Cleaned all of that up. Now it makes me want to do the window tracks to see if I can get them to work better.

Today, I will not have a chance to work on it because I have my son is having his last spring football game, but I will get it and post my results here.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Glad I could be of some help.

 

[paintdaddy]

BoBchad has become a door genius.I know who to come to the next time I have a problem with a door

 

[Eddie 70]

Hopefully today I will get some time to get the door worked out. Today I have a den full of car show trophies I must take to soggy Knoxville and pass out at East Tennessee Corvette Clubs 34th annual show.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

BoBchad has become a door genius.I know who to come to the next time I have a problem with a door

It's amazing what you can do when it is forced on you. Everyone else knows how to soup up their engines. I can fix the door and make the vents work.

 

[Eddie 70]

I got my Astrovent to work just a couple of weeks ago. Those little things are what keep you tinkering. If this door works better,(read survives this) I am gonna go for the passenger side.

 

[Eddie 70]

As it turns out it is the door lock itself. Not the mechanism. The mechanism is in great shape. The lock part that mounts to the door has worn to the point that when turned the in the unlock direction it is just barely turning the mechanism in the unlock direction. Sound familiar to my description at the beginning doesn`t it. There is a little ridge that is worn on the lock itself. Now I have to find me a door lock set and do both sides. So far most of the sets I have seen have the ignition with them but I am not to sure I want to go there having never done this before.

 

[paintdaddy]

Hey I have had to buy a few locks sets befor for different reasons and I know that Corvette america sells them as a door kit only.I dont know why anyone would sell the ignition lock with it,it takes a different key.

 

[Eddie 70]

I wound up ordering just the door locks from ZIP. They arrived today and I put the drivers side door back together and it probably never has worked so good. I am tickled with the way it went. Now I just wish I had replaced the door handle also. Oh well. Tomorrow, the passengers side.

I love it when a plan comes together.

 

[Eddie 70]

Both sides finished. Took both lock mechanisms out, cleaned with carb cleaner and relubed with white lithium grease. I also pulled the door handles mechanisms and did the same. The door locks now work like new. I also painted the door handles and lock to make them look a little better. Not even a bad job either.