1975 Coupe...

OMG - whoever it was that designed these latches must have been drinking HEAVILY.

So the door, once locked, would never open again. Thanks to Willcox's drawing I was able to figure out how to unlatch the door without much trouble.

Anyway, some PO had most of the latch disconnected. IE the lock push rod was not connected - neither was the door lock. I presume because once locked - that was it - the door wasn't going to open again. So rather than fix it - just disconnect any hopes of locking it. UGH

Got the latch out, cleaned it up, got some new clips and spent 10 hours putting it back together.

Now with the door open - I can lock it and open it from the outside and inside.

If I close the door so it "just" catches the striker bolt (IE door not completely shut), I can lock and open the door from the outside and inside.

So far so good. BUT if I shut the door tightly, once I lock it with the key, that's the end of the story. Can't unlock it with the key or from the inside, have to resort to the break-in method to release the latch again.

Is there a "tightness" adjustment or some other adjustment I need to make?

So close yet so far.



Thanks,

Len

 

SO... after removing the latch for about the 100th time and testing it in every possible situation outside of the car... I found that one of the springs (top most) needed to be "adjusted" - as in it was a bit out of line. That improved the mechanics of locking / unlocking - regardless of the position of the strike catch.

Then I installed the latch (yet again)... the silly rod that is for the outside door opener has a threaded end to adjust the throw. Too short and the door wont open, too long and the door once locked will stay locked. I started at the top of the thread and ended up five full turns down - which seems to be it's happy spot.

Door operates correctly now... or should I say "for now"..

I still contend that the engineers were smoking pot when they came up with this design.

I can't imagine how the car came off the assembly line with functioning doors.

Onward through the fog....

 

I feel your pain...just got done with the drivers side door on my 81. The mechanism was gummed up as well as the outside door handle spring was broken. All back together but my hands are scrapped up and sore from the workout LOL. Now I get the pleasure of doing the passenger side...geesh!