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door latch not latching

tarafied1

tarafied1

Well-Known Member
I swapped out the broken vent/wing window on my friends 67 today and now the door won't latch. All the linkage is still hooked up and moving. Any ideas what is wrong?
 
Did you change the glass only or the entire wing unit? If the whole unit, then it must not be lined up properly and it is hitting the body. Otherwise, if just the glass, sounds like the door latch got messed up by chance.
 
It was just the glass and I had the whole mess apart but the latch won't lock into place. Even with the door open, if you try to click the "fingers" closed they spring open. The door panel is still off and it looks like all the linkage is working I can lock the door, work the linkage with the inside and outside handles, it just won't latch.
 
Check the door handle button, I believe it will do that if the door button is not fully released. Repops SUCK...
 
this one is still original. I did check that, I even tried to move the linkage from the button inside the door and feels like it's working and the button appears to be all the way out (compared to mine and the other side).
 
I don't know for sure, but I don't think my '66 will let the locks work if the door is not latched....... Might compare to the other side. Remove the panel and look.
 
Do you have a spare door latch laying around?

I've run into this exact same problem before. Part of the door latch mechanism (inside the door)..... one of the levers/actuators isn't seating properly. It's so much easier to understand how the door latch works if you can put one in a bench vise and play around with it. If you need one, let me know, I have extras.

Worse case scenario, just remove the whole latch assembly..... three screws and disconnect the rods and play around with it topside where it's easier to see. Clean it with brake cleaner and then lube it with white lithium grease after you figure out the problem. It's likely just "gunked up" with grime.
 
My driver's side door won't latch unless the release handle inside the passenger compartment is fully forward. With the panel off and the door handle off, it's possible that it isn't fully forward.

Just a wild-butt guess.
 
I don't have any of those Dave. I did put the handle back on the inside so I could check the linkage. I have tried to make sure the handles/linkage is all in the normal position as that was my first thought like you suggested Mid. I'll pull it out tomorrow and clean it up and lube it. This car sat in a feild for 12 or 13 years so it could be rust/crude problem.
 
yeah and all that time with the vent window broke out too. I need to use the weed wacker on the carpet!
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Craig if i were you, i would talk some sense into your buddy. That thing looks perfect to make your kids a desk out of.
 
this is one of those cars that sits and rots away, the owner won't sell and says he'll fix it one day but never does. Our kids go to school together and I found out about it a couple years ago. Every time I would see him I would ask when he was gonna drag it out of the field. It took a couple years and me threatning to get it myself. Finally talked him into bringing it to my house. I traded some parts and a little labor for a 57 Chevy also rotting away. It's actually pretty solid for sitting in a feild. It has the original 289 4V and 4 speed. It's in better shape than mine was so I wouldn't cut this one in half!
 
Could this be a problem with the spring that holds tension on the latch? I've had a couple go bad on my fastback over the years and had the same problem as you describe. They are 6 bucks new from NPD, and are not something you want to scavenge used.
 
"sigtauenus" said:
Could this be a problem with the spring that holds tension on the latch? I've had a couple go bad on my fastback over the years and had the same problem as you describe. They are 6 bucks new from NPD, and are not something you want to scavenge used.
Click to expand...

+1 The spring function is to lock the latch when closed.
 
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