i have a 71 t-top corvette and the driver's door has decided to stop opening. any ideas on how to get open? thanks in advance

 

Don't know if this is the same problem but my brother had this happen to his 79. It was the automatic door locks and locking system (needed to be cleaned). Found the answer in the archives. The only way he could open his door was to open the window, take a long screwdriver and push down on a lever inside the door. You should be able to find the thread, good luck.

 

This is a pretty common, and very annoying, problem with C3's. Look in the archieves. There's a lot of good information there. Somewhere's there's a good set of pictures showing how to insert a screwdriver down into the latch mechanism and open the door. You push the screwdriver down through the opening in the door for the window. (Roll the window down.) Your screwdriver will be pushing against a trigger lever and will open the door.

During the same time you start looking at the archieves, I'd go out and buy a new latch. They cost about $100. You don't want to experience this problem again. The old latches wear out due to dirt buildup loosening the tolerances on the internal lever pivots. The levers are about 0.070 inch soft steel, so once they get deformed/bent they'll be prone to jamb again.

Once you get your new latch, you'll be able to see the trigger latch that you're going to be pushing with your long screwdriver. Activate it holding it in your hand to see how it works. Next, it'll help to open your good door, remove the interior panel, ...this will allow you to see a good bit of a latch that's mounted in a door. I did this and then practiced with the screwdriver technique on the good door. Since you can see a good bit of the screwdriver as it moves towards the trigger, you can see how to position the screwdriver. After you practice with the good door, go over to the stuck door and open it. It took me 5 or 10 minutes fishing with the screwdriver until I managed to hit the trigger latch on the stuck door.

 

This is that picture. I had the same problem, and took this pic to help others after I replaced everything.

 

Will it not open at all. When I got my 75 the drivers door wouldn't open from the outside but worked fine from inside the car. Turned out the P.O. had lost the clip that holds the rod from the outside handle to the latch so he just placed the rod in the latch. Put the rod back in with clip and no problems for a year now

 

thanks for the picture. unfortunately it hasn't worked. it works on the passenger's side but pushing down on the lever maarked by the arrow still won't open the driver's door. any other ideas?

 

I can only suggest you push harder. There is no other better way, as that tab is a direct link...it's the actual metal piece that's holding the latch. I had to do this to both of my doors as well, and one was harder than the other.

 

Worked for me! thats the photo that got both of my doors open

 

This just happened to my passenger door. I pushed on the lever in the picture and nothing happened.
On mine I could see the striker pin in the latch. I stuck a thin screwdriver in between the the striker pin and latch jaw. It opened.
If I slam the door or push it closed too hard, it goes in too far and gets stuck. I guess the latch overcenters and jams. Just opened it last night now have to figure out why and how to prevent it.

 

Pardon me for repeating myself. When this problem occurs, I think you should buy a new latch and get rid of the old one. If you've been able to open the door, you should assume you've used up all your luck. If the door ever gets really stuck shut for sure, you're probably going to have to cut the door sill mounted latch pin with a sawzall. Not only are you destroying the latch pin, you'll probably damage something else, and then you'll still have to buy a new latch. Buy the new latch now or buy it later.

 

thanks for the advice. had to take the interior panel thats aft of the door off and from there was able to pry open the latch. needless to say it's headed for the trash!