The Door Handle is the Hardest Thing I Have Done

[Bob Chadwick]

Getting ready to go on a run up to the North Georgia Mountains with several others here on Friday. Finally get the electric door locks lined up correctly and am playing with them when the door handle breaks and I can't get the driver's door open.

Get it out last night. Not too bad. Go to The Last Detail (who is moving off of I-85 just inside the Perimeter to the old Corvette City site for us Atlantians) and get the new door handle and clip. So for so good.

I take it home and start on it tonight. Was told to feed the rod for the door actuator through the top and into the hole in the new door handle. After an hour of playing with it I decide that there is no way that is going through that hole with all of the angles. So I pry the retainer off the latch mechanism inside the door and remove the bar. Goes into the handle and down into the door with little problem.

I now have to put the clip that holds the lower end of the rod to the latching mechanism back on. I've got about 12 inch forearms and have to work my arms up from the bottom through the window regulator access panel to the top back of the door. With my size 12 fingers, I feed the clip through the small access hole on the top and eventually get the clip back on. I then have to try and get the pin on the lower rod back in the whole and through the clip. Finally get that done and that's where the fun begins.

I now have to get the two nuts that hold the door handle down on. The front one is fairly easy as I have mastered getting my arm up the access hole to the top of the door frame. The back one is another story completely. I can get the nut back there with a magnet and wedge it between the bolt and the door but there is no way I can get my hand back there. I try and try with all kind of tools and there is just no way.

Along comes my tiny wife and her first ever attempt to work on a car. Of course it can't be anything easy. To make a long story short, my hero gets the nut on but it takes here 15 minutes. She looks at her hands and says "the're all greasy".

So my hero saves the day and I have come to the conclusion that the C3 doors had have been put together in Japan. And to think she claims that I only got short with her twice. Of course I deny this, though it would be a record it it were true.

 

[wwilkins]

When you guys come to England I need to borrow her hands. My handles are still on with just one nut because my hands wouldn't fit and I didn't want to pull out the lock assembly too.

Bill

 

[red70vette]

Send her up here to NY. I could use her help. I have both handles held on with 1 nut. I too have size 12 hands but unfortunately my wife would have nothing to do with getting her hands greasy. So we drive with 1 nut on each door handle. The good thing is I am the only one who knows this.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Yea, Jody!

She is all-right!
Glad you both got the door handle on. Team effort!
Heidi

 

[Bob Chadwick]

My wife , the traveling Vette mechanic. Sounds like a good job to me. Send the airplane tickets.

 

[chuck]

If you remove the three screws holding the door latch and drop it down out of the way you can get at the nuts and clip much easier.

 

[81 Corvette]

The good thing is I am the only one who knows this.

Not any more.:L

Anything inside the doors can be a pain in the arse.

Lots of patience and cussing is required when doing door work.

 

[Jody Chadwick]

So we drive with 1 nut on each door handle. The good thing is I am the only one who knows this. [/B][/QUOTE]

Not any more!!! We all know now!!

I'd be happy to be the "traveling" mechanic, although England sounds much more exciting than New York. However, I have to mention that my mechanical ability is very limited. I grew up in New York and have NEVER been to England, so as Bob said, "Send the tickets!" He won't miss me too much! Yeah, right!

Seriously, I'm really glad I could help out! Bob works so hard fixing his "baby" and it made me feel really good that I could help. But, I still have grease under my thumb nail. Ugh!!

Jody

 

[Greekman]

Good partner.

Bob, I think getting her hands greasy is at least worth a new manicure for her. You still came out ahead.


.

 

[69MyWay]

If you remove the three screws holding the door latch and drop it down out of the way you can get at the nuts and clip much easier.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[paintdaddy]

I know what ya mean about the door handle.I have removed and reinstalled alot of them and often wondered if a dainty kinda guy installed door handles on the 68-82 corvettes.