went to open drivers door, and it will not open and is not locked.inside handle works fine,just will not open door.At 6'2" kinda awkward crawling in from passenger side.Any idea's? How does door panel come off? took out all the screws i could find but no go on removing panel.

 

You said the inside door handle works fine - I take it that it opens the door?

 

No,handle moves like it should,but door does not open.

 

This is fairly common on older vettes ... there is a weak link in the design of the door latch linkage ... after X number of openings, the actuator rod ends, which are very narrow and necked down for threads, start to bend ... and when they bend enough you can't generate enough movement with the handle to open the latch ...

 

how do i remedy this ? i will try to take door panel offtonite if i get a chance.any tricks involved in this?

 

Do a search on posts by ED T. He posted some great pics on how to open a "locked" door without having to take out the air chisel. They were on the forum the first week on Jan this year.
Warren

 

Thanks

 

Glad to help. This is a cool forum, these guys (and gals) know these cars inside and out.

 

This may be your problem....



Had same deal with drivers door on my 78...took two hands to jerk it open...now it opens real easy....you can check yours by pushing on the roller on shaft..if it has alot of play(loose) then you need to replace it...got mine off a parts vette...
Rich

 

If you have a door lockout problem, a common problem, you have two possibilities for opening the door by probing with a screwdriver, etc, from the top of the door window opening. (See the previous postings of the screwdriver.)

The door latch mechanism has a horizontal T-shaped lever arm. If you push on one side of the lever, it can open the door....if the internal door latch mechanism lock lever is not bent. The above screwdriver photos show actuating what I am referring to as athe horizontal T-shaped lever of the door mechanism. However, this use of the screwdriver will not work if the door latch mechanism internal door lock lever is bent, read below....

The door latch mechanism has inside it, three levers all co-mounted on a common shaft. These three levers are stamped from 0.070 inch soft steel and so they can be bent easily, especially in an old door mechanism where internal lubrication is not good.
The top lever, of the three, is basically the door open lever.
The middle lever is for the door lock/unlock function. If the middle lever is set in the unlock position, then rotating the top lever to the unlock position, will cause a tang on that lever to contact the bottom, thirdmost lever. The thirdmost lever, when rotated - now by the topmost door open lever - will push a trigger mechanism. Actuating the trigger, the prawl (a claw or hook shaped fitting) which is wrapped around the body mounted sticker bolt, will now snap open and the door can be opened. However, if the middle lever - the door lock/unlock function lever - is in the lock position, it acts as a de-railler. Now when the top door open lever rotates, the middle lever will de rail, or alter the axis of rotation of the top lever. The tang on the top door open lever cannot contact the bottom lever which would other wise cause a trigger to open the door. Not being able to trigger the mechanism, it will not be possible to open the door. It will never be possible to open the door without actuating this trigger.

However, ....it is possible to trigger the bottom thirdmost lever with a thin screwdriver if you know exactly how to position it. You have to train yourself to do his. First take the door panel off of the door that is operating.

Now with this door open, try for the easy solution - that T-bar shapped lever for open/close. Learn how to toggle this lever (I think that the 1970's and above may have a plastic shield to make this difficult.) Can you toggle this lever on the locked door and make it open? This is the easy solution. If this works you have good luck. If it doesn't you now will have the much more difficult problem of getting the internal door mechanism, that internal trigger, to actuate.

Next, assuming you need to get to the basic door trigger, learn to push the trigger on the normally opeating door you have just opened. Don't know where the trigger is? You'll have to look. With a long thin screwdriver, practice opening the "good" door you've opened. Once you've been able to trigger it open, now go to the locked out door. It took me many, many times but finally I triggered my locked out door open.
..........

Good news. If you have a 1969 to 1982 C3, you can buy a new door latch for $100. Buy one. You'll need it anyhow. When the new latch arrives, all the above text about the T-shaped lock/unlock lever and the trigger mechanism will be obvious. You can practice by holding the latch in your hand and actuating the T lever and also the trigger and then going and trying the same thing with a long thin screwdriver on the door that does work. I's difficult. I got my door to unlock after about 1/2 hour of continuous trying.

I have a 1968. I did buy a new 69-82 repro door latch mechanism to help learn how to get the door open. The 1968 latch is a little different because the external door push button opens the door and is unique for a 68. After a long tedious process, I ultimately found a nice used latch from J & D Corvette for $150.00.

If all this carry-on is not fun, I don't know what is!!!

 

Roll down the window and soak the mechanism in WD-40 or something similar. This may allow you to open it with the handle.

 

Waiting on new window switch so i can get window down.Guess car is getting even with me for leaving it behind during hurricane Rita,although my shop came thru w/o any damage.