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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 05:45 PM
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Default C3 locked door.

I just purchased a 1976 Vette and I locked the right door with the key and now it will not unlock. The car has power door locks but it will not unlock the door. The drivers door works fine. The cas has only 36,000 actual miles on it and has been in storage for years. Can anyone help me,I'm new at this game? Thank you. riverman
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 05:47 PM
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Does the pull **** move.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 540 vette
Does the pull **** move.
Yes,but not as far as the drivers door.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 05:59 PM
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I had a similar problem. I had to replace the door lock mechanism
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 06:03 PM
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Thank you,but how do you get the door open to replace the lock?
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 06:07 PM
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I was able to open mine from the handle on the inside
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 06:22 PM
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With the door locked,the inside handle will not open the doors, according to the owners manual. I tried the inside handle,no luck.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 07:04 PM
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Default door locked

Do not know it this will work on your year of Corvette. Works on a 68 though. With the window rolled down all the way and dark outside or in the garage peer into the door from the window area with a good flash light and see if you can see any rods going to the door latch.

On the 68 I can see rods connected to the latch and a long skinny screwdriver can be used to unlock a door.

I think later models had some shielding over the latch so this may not help you.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 08:46 PM
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There are threads on this topic, but don't recall if it was for a 76. Do a search and you will find the posts.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 10:25 PM
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I had the same problem today and used a long body flathead. Bear with me because I'm not sure if I'll describe it right. Under those rods there is a flat tab sticking out towards the inside of the assembly. If you can push down on this lever,tab, the door will open without having to have it unlocked. If you have a cataloge from Mid Amer on page 55 item J shows the assembly. That lever is located on the right side of the pictureabove thlittle tab with the hole in it. Hope this helps. Sorry for the vague description.
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Old Jun 13, 2012 | 10:35 PM
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the 76 have a plastic shield that covers that area to stop people from using a slim jim to unlock the doors. Try turning on the inside lock and grab the door handle , try opening the handle real fast while turning the lock to open the door(make sense?).
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Old Jun 14, 2012 | 08:54 AM
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Your right about the shield but mine doesn't have it. I was just telling him what might work. I'll shutup now. Good luck.
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Old Jun 14, 2012 | 09:14 AM
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With your window down insert your key, and while turning it from lock to unlock pull up on the interior lock device and it will open.

Mine gets stuck from time to time on the passenger side and it works every time for me!
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Old Jun 14, 2012 | 09:53 AM
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Maybe what I do can help you. I can not unlock my passenger door unless I try the inside door handle first. I pull on the handle 6 times really fast & hard(not hard enough to break it off) and then I can unlock it from the inside. It's been this way for 15 yrs now. I'll get to it and fix it one day. For now I park it in the garage so I have no need to lock it.
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Old Jun 14, 2012 | 03:29 PM
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Thanks for all the info. but I made an error in my original message,my Vette is a 1979 not a 76.Sorry for the mistake I am trying all the advice anyway in hopes somthing will work. Thanks again. riverman
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Old Jun 14, 2012 | 04:06 PM
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Don't feel bad my vette is a 79 not a 76. I still hope what I wrote helps.
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Old Jun 15, 2012 | 04:27 PM
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Great news,I got the door unlocked.I want to thank everyone that replied,I needed all the help I could get.You Guys are all great and thanks again for all the help. riverman
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Old Jun 15, 2012 | 06:43 PM
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ok.........tell us how you did it....
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Old Jun 21, 2012 | 12:05 PM
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None of the tools I had worked including silm jims,a piece of PTO interior cable,with a hook bent at the end worked great to pull up the little tab shown in the picture.It only took me 3 days and a lot of help from you guys to get the job done.I cleaned all related parts and lubed them good to prevent it happening again.Thanks again.
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