firstgear

I must be missing the obvious.....I struggle with getting the latch adjusted just right so that it opens easily from the outside as well as the inside on my 1960. There aren't a lot of adjustments, primarily the pull rod from the door handle push button.

But I can never seem to get it just right. I have adjusted it now that it is a real SOB to open from the outside, the inside is very easy to unlatch (of course there are no adjustments except to have the inside door pull go through the latch mechanism slot.

Anyone have any trade secrets that they would like to share on getting a real nice working mechanism?

thanks in advance...

1955 copper

OK this is just a thought ,when you push the button ,it pushes a rod to move a lever that release the star wheel . The lever may be bent or the rod is to short . Remove the handle use a screw driver and push on the lever , if it opens easy from out side put a rubber cap on the rod end to extend it or get a longer rod.

firstgear

anyone else with comments? tricks?

1955 copper

NOPE

rengawdor

I agree with Roy - There's not much to the actual mechanism. If all the parts are new, then wear shouldn't be an issue. What are you doing to adjust it in the first place? I don't remember any adjustmant in the mechanism itself save for bending the rods....
Rod

1955 copper

Your lucky that you have door handles ,but ME none

my58

I believe the "rube goldberg" mechanism works by the button pushing a paddle that pulls up on a linkage. the lever (linkage)has a small spring and washer that goes on before the retaining pin, make sure that you have that spring on the end of the lever. Also the small lever is threaded on the end you can shorten the throw by turning it a rotation or 2 before locking it in place with the spring and washer so it releases the star wheel a bit more. Hope my explanation was somewhat clear.

firstgear

yes it is....anyone else?

62Jeff

Herb I get the feeling this is some sort of test

I think Roy has already covered about all there is that could explain what may be happening to your car.

AZDoug

I happen to have gotten pretty good at reaching out the window with the arm closest to the door,and using my thumb to push the outside handle button while grabbing the horizontal bar with my fingers.

It is so second nature, that i don't even think about it, and almost never use the inside pulls unless the window is rolled up.

It is kind of hard to describe how it is done, you don't have to turn around or anything

It works quite well, try it. I learned it out of necessity decades ago, when i had a problem with the inside pull, and even though the problem is fixed, I still open the door using the outside handle, it is quicker for me

Doug

firstgear

I wish it was a test....but I have fussed and fussed with the door latch.

I adjusted it this last time such that the pull was already preloaded so that the push button from the outside should cover enough of the travel to let the latch free.

This worked for about 3 or 4 pushes, then it was like bound up and the only way to get the door open was to grab the inside pull.

In the past I have pushed the outside while pulling on the inside and I really wanted it to just open nicely.

I have had a situation a couple of times where neither the outside nor inside handles would make the door open. I had to get inside from the passenger side and pull the door panel off and the small cover to reach up inside and fuss with the mechanism enough that all of a sudden everything would work again. Because I was laying on my stomach across a couple of seats I couldn't see what I did, I only know that I wiggled enough things that it opened.

So I recently bought a new reproduction mechanism thinking the problem was my original one and while the inside does open smoother than before I still have the problem with outside push button.

So there is my dilemma, oh how I wish this was a test, then I wouldn't be holding my breath when I went to open the door.....

perhaps I need to buy some of the springs and clips etc and make sure that I have that correct for everything. I agree this shouldn't be that hard, but OMG what a PIA!

AZDoug

Herb,

sometimes ya just gotta accept what is and let it go.

That door latch mechanism was probably never that great from the get go, and unless you want to precision machine up a bunch of adjustable billet levers and trips and connecting rods, it will never operate like a Swiss watch, as there is too much slop in the mechanism, and it wouldn't surprise me if the repop parts don't have extra slop built in so they don't get returns and complaints because the parts are being put in 50 year old repaired doors that don't have the mounting holes in the correct locations.

I absolutely detest taking off my door panels and the time it takes to get them remounted, not to mention the wear and tear on the screw mounting holes, and thus, I really do not care if it isn't as tight as a Swiss watch, because i ain't gonna fuss with it. Maybe an experienced body man from the '60's can get it working better, but I have my doubts.

Good luck in your endeavor!

Doug

Frankie the Fink

Its been a while Herb but when I was in my doors a couple of months ago I found it was really easy to flip some of those rods around and install them incorrectly. I know this because my painter had mine on wrong. At first blush they look right but when operating the various door/key locks, etc. it wasn't smooth and I could see binding inside the door.

You may want to go back through the ***'y and verify everything is installed properly. I can tell you my inner lock rod (as shown in the attachment was mis-installed). Also I believe there is a plate on the back of the key cylinder that has to partially turn to trip the door latch when the button is pushed...if this plate is loose it may not travel enough to operate the latch properly. Be interesting to swap key locks on the doors and see if your symptoms change. Assuming one side works OK.

You CAN get them to work as mine work perfectly after fiddling.
BTW they make the WHOLE door inner plate ***'y in reproduction form now if that turns out to be a problem. Not cheap but they are out there.

kenmo

Frankie...thanks for the pdf.... Another great document for my Corvette collection of how to's from this great forum....

my58

Herb,

If you look at the last picture in the pdf supplied above, behind the outer lock rod you will see the linkage with threads at the botom that is causing your grief. The inside and outside mechanisms do NOT effect one another. I assure you if you release that linkage at the top and rotate it clockwise (so it becomes shorter) your push button outer door will work perfect. There is no black magic to this mechanism, its not always fun sticking your hands inside the door, but it is very simple. Please no matter what anyone tells you DO NOT bend or tweak any of the linkages. I have worked on lots and lots of these mechanisms and am sure this will solve your problem. I wish you were closer to CA. I would reach in and fix it for you.

P.S. Herb if you think it would help I can talk you through it on the phone.

firstgear

PM me your phone number.....I will call next week as I am headed out to Las Vegas for work and won't be back until Sunday night....

thank you for the offer......I know this isn't rocket science, but sometimes the obvious isnt so obvious when you have been starring at it for so long....

INMYBLOOD

Really Greasy latch Used to be you could get all the small parts, I guess you still can. I believe I once needed to replace the small rod with the thread and nut. I think the door would not open from the outside....Hey I've had it 25 years just starting to forget some of the small stuff.

you can do it Herb

P.S. which A/C kit did you use. Thanks Gordon

firstgear

in the '60 for A/C I roll the windows down and drive faster....in my project '63 I bought a Vintage Air set up.

grease is good too.....perhaps I need to buy all the small parts and make sure I have the right clips and springs etc....then I need to stare at the darn thing and see if I can figure out why the outside button would not push at all, binding up. When you look at the mechanism it is simple, but some how it binds and usually when I can't get my eyes in there to see.......

DZVette

Herb

I agree with Robert (My58). Adjusting that rod pivot fixed a hanging latch on our '60 passenger door.

Pics in attached PDF might help you get the lay of the land.

Dave Z

Frankie the Fink

I should have credited DZVette (Dave) with the PDF file on the door that I posted earlier in this thread....

I have quite a collection of his wonderful documentation at this point...