I have just purchased a 1978 standard Corvette with a L-82 M21. She has a lot of miles on her. I need to find step by step instructions on a lot of things. Right now I have received my new xterior door handles but they didn't come with installation instructions. Can anyone here help direct me to find some?

 

Yup, first of course take the door panel off. There is a series of screws that have to be taken off, the lock ****, and the screw that holds the inner door handle trim. Then, look inside the door and remove the clips on the rods to the outer door handle. Then the fun part, removing the 2 nuts. The one closest to the front won't be too bad, I think I was able to get it with a 7/16 wrench. The back one is the pain. The secret is to remove the 3 big screws on the outside part of the door the faces the back of the car. These are the screws that hold the latch in place. It will drop down and give extra room to get to the door handle nuts. Just reverse everything to put it back together.

 

The secret is to remove the 3 big screws on the outside part of the door the faces the back of the car. These are the screws that hold the latch in place. It will drop down and give extra room to get to the door handle nuts. Just reverse everything to put it back together.[/QUOTE]

Now ya see... it helps to know that little bit of 'secret' information. I got the old one out in the hardest to remove the linkage. Putting the new one on using the 'secret' information should help a bunch. Thanks Next it will be to replace the key barrel ignition switch.

 

The "real" secret is to have hands the size of a chipmunk

SEMPER FI--1970 Dave

 

Here's a picture of what you are trying to get off. The 2 nuts you see are what holds the door handle on. This happens to be a 78' also.

 

Be careful tightening the nuts. I had to buy a new handle because the PO tightened them too much and broke the top flange.

 

Thanks guys. That description is going to help me also. A little different problem here. The rod loosened up and doesn't connect to the mechanism. I have it and I'm off to the internet to rent an chipmunk to finish this PITA. Thanks again

 

I never did get the second nut on the handles. After several hours and about a pint of blood I decided that it should hold OK with 1 nut. That was 5 years ago and it is still holding fine. I may try that trick that TerryOrge mentioned I think that it will work.

 

The secret is to remove the 3 big screws on the outside part of the door the faces the back of the car. These are the screws that hold the latch in place. It will drop down and give extra room to get to the door handle nuts. Just reverse everything to put it back together.[/QUOTE]

Be carefull when you tighten the screws on the door latch if you do it the wrong sequence it will jam and the door will always be locked I learn that the hard way just double check before closing door. Tip on the back nut put in on your longest finger tip and give it alittle twist to start

 

As I remember from 1.5 years ago installing new door handles, removing the 3 screws and lowering the latch gave me just enough room to get the nut started on the back stud and then I still had to tighten it with a box end wrench and I don't own the ratcheting type, so it was tedious. What I couldn't figure out without the help of this forum was how to get the back nut started. That suggestion came from here, I just wish I could remember who to give credit to. BTW, all I did was unscrew the latch screws, then reinstall them, no problems with it being always locked, but a good suggestion to make sure they aren't locked.

 

Actually it was pretty easy with the exception of removing and replacing the handle linkage. Is there some trick to this part of the job? Man it took forever doing that part of the job. Thanks for the help guys. One down ...one ta go.

 

I guess my 78 must be the easiest one in the world to work on. I didn't have to remove the door latch to change my exterior handles. All I used was a combination wrench. Pulling the door panel was the hardest part & that was a cake walk. Really was an easy swap.

 

I got it guys !!! Man it was so easy, after I thought about it. Duh !!!

1- I disconnected the lock and inner handle linkages.
2- I removed the door latch assembly from the door (three screws facing the back of the car)
3- I removed the two 1/4-20 nuts holding the flapper

After those 3 steps the flapper linkage almost fell out on its own if not for the rod keeper. Reassembly was just as easy. You can pull the linkage way up through the flapper hole and attach it and install the keeper. Just as easy as saying it, it's done. Drop the flapper in install the latch, go back install the gasket, install and tighten the two 1/4-20 nuts and hook up the linkage. The hardest part turned out to be reinstalling the arm rest. I wound up epoxying 1/4-20 nuts behind the shallow threaded points and now it's solid. There's nothing can take the place of experience. And no better feeling than doing it yourself and re-engineering a good thing and making it better.

While I had it all apart I sanded off, primmed and painted away what little surface rust that was there. I also took the lower metal inner door panel access cover off, removed the door latch assembly through the opening and cleaned and lubricated it before putting it back in.

An additional problem I was having was the flapper spring rod had worked its way out about 1/8in locking the door body edge between the spring rod tip and the flapper flange.

I also got the ignition key barrel switch changed out. Not too bad of a job and the change corrected the malfunction with both the key release and wheel locking devices.

Thanks for all the help men! Next I'm gonna start researching the front & rear suspension.

 

I got it guys !!! Man it was so easy, after I thought about it. Duh !!!

1- I disconnected the lock and inner handle linkages.
2- I removed the door latch assembly from the door (three screws facing the back of the car)
3- I removed the two 1/4-20 nuts holding the flapper

After those 3 steps the flapper linkage almost fell out on its own if not for the rod keeper. Reassembly was just as easy. You can pull the linkage way up through the flapper hole and attach it and install the keeper. Just as easy as saying it, it's done. Drop the flapper in install the latch, go back install the gasket, install and tighten the two 1/4-20 nuts and hook up the linkage. The hardest part turned out to be reinstalling the arm rest. I wound up epoxying 1/4-20 nuts behind the shallow threaded points and now it's solid. There's nothing can take the place of experience. And no better feeling than doing it yourself and re-engineering a good thing and making it better.

While I had it all apart I sanded off, primmed and painted away what little surface rust that was there. I also took the lower metal inner door panel access cover off, removed the door latch assembly through the opening and cleaned and lubricated it before putting it back in.

An additional problem I was having was the flapper spring rod had worked its way out about 1/8in locking the door body edge between the spring rod tip and the flapper flange.

I also got the ignition key barrel switch changed out. Not too bad of a job and the change corrected the malfunction with both the key release and wheel locking devices.

Thanks for all the help men! Next I'm gonna start researching the front & rear suspension.