RE: IML: Door Won't OPEN: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies (was "won't shut")

["Brooks Harkey" <vm.dude@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim, I understand your frustration.  What I believe I'm reading here is that
the back doors will not open, PERIOD, either from the inside or the outside.

Can you verify that the lock / unlock button is actually "doing something"? 

If it were my car, and I could verify that it seemed that the lock buttons
were actually functioning in there somehow, then here is what I would do
(and you can call me crazy; many people do; I'm just telling you what I
would do):

1) I'd realize that "Well, it doesn't work like it is."
2) I'd recognize that "I own the car, not the other way around."
3) I'd loudly inform the car that "This is going to operate MY way."
4) I'd park the car so that when the back doors DO open, they don't hit
anything.
5) I'd pile some kind of cushions on the ground directly outside the back
doors.  Do this when your wife's not home and you can use the ones from the
couch.  Spread them out on plastic garbage bags so she'll never know.
6) I'd make sure that both door locks are "unlocked".  If unsure which way
is which, I'd consult the owner / shop manual.  If that's not clear, I'd set
one in one direction and the other in the other direction.
7) I would climb into the back seat
8) Possibly with a beverage, possibly an alcoholic beverage (:-D)
9) If possible, I'd enlist 2 helpers and assign one to each side of the car,
and have each one hold one of the inside back door handles in the "Open"
position.  If appropriate, I would ply them with some kind of beverage,
alcoholic or otherwise, in return for their participation in my adventure.
10) If unable to coerce 2 helpers, then I would hold one door handle in that
position with one foot, and the other one with my hand.
11) I'd brace my back against the back end of one door and put my feet
against the other door.
12) Then I'd push and kick for all I was worth and maybe then some.  I would
probably make grunting and yelling sounds at the same time.  There might be
some colorful language involved, and it would all be through my clenched
teeth.

At least ONE of the doors would open.  The cushioning on the ground would be
in case I fell out of the car backward when the door opened.  That's why I'd
place cushions on each side -- in case I forgot that I only put cushions on
one side and then decided to turn around the other way while in the back
seat.

Your mileage would vary, of course, but that's the next thing I would
personally try before I tore up the door panels.  If anything else possibly
breaks, and I think the door would open long before that, then it's probably
more easily fixed / replaced / found than the door panels, which are more
typically made out of Unobtainium than the other door latch parts are.

Now.  If I decided that the door lock mechanisms were not actually locking /
unlocking..... I'd have to think on that one.  I might just kick harder,
hoping to break anything except the door panel, and then once the door was
open I could get the door panel off and fix ANYthing.


--Brooks in Dallas
  Still Crazy After All These Years



-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JIM LORENZEN
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 11:36 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies

I have the opposite problem with my '62:  I can't get the back doors to open

and I don't want to destroy the trim panel to get inside the door to lube or

some  how persude the latches.  I've drowned the wheel as best I can by 
spraying WD-40 in the space between the quarter panel and door but no luck 
yet.  The windows are up as well and inoperative.  Any and all help will be 
appreciated.

Thanks

Jim L. in OR
    '60 Crown 4dt hdtp
    '62 Crown 4dr hdtp




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