I am unable to open the drivers door of my 70 Chevelle from the outside or inside. Button pulls up and goes down and the inside handle is not stuck but the door does not open. Using a slim jim it appears that the rod going from the lever to the lock is still in place but outside button and inside lever are dead. Crank window, any ideas?
Had this happen before. I got lucky, I unscrewed the lock pull button and grabbed it with a set of dykes (gripped onto the a screw threads). Pulled up hard while working the outer button and it popped open. Took it apart and cleaned it and was good to go. Got this latch picture from a Chevelle forum....
Its the button you use to lock and unlock the door. It sticks up through the top of the door panel by the window. The chrome button just unscrews by hand revealing a threaded rod. Grab it low, by the door panel with a pair of dykes or pliers and pull up. As to unlock. Keep upwards pressure on it and try to work the outside door handle.
I had that happen on a 70 GS. I had replaced the outside door handles with a new set and the pin on the outside door handle button was straight and not bent down like the original. When pushed in, the pin slid past the "paddle" on the door lock assembly and everything got jammed in an in between position. I don't remember how we fixed it but took some time.
What usually happens is the small spring on the latch assy breaks and falls into the mechanism jamming it. No easy answers here.
Thanks for all the ideas guys. I have an old school slim jim set I have been using with no luck. Will play some more today.
Lots of tweaking with various old school slim jim tools and some WD40 has seemed to solved the issue! Just glad something was not broke or at least it seems that way for now! Thanks for all the ideas.
Darn thing is busted again. I will try spraying with WD40 again but I think I have some sort of spring issue. Drivers side button is alot easier to push in than passenger side!
If original, or INCORRECT handles, the thumb button push pin slips past the ring groove on the stem and catches it in no mans land. Got buckets? Pull the drivers side out to get the panel off. Bench seat? You know the drill. Unlock tab or push button rod is worn/bent. "A" shows a bent latch lever. Th3 next one shows a well worn rod "A", and "B" and "C" show a worn guide with "C" showing the spring loaded guide in place. These pop off. Youll need to pull the handle and push and turn this to remove. Its pot metal and probably bad. FWIW... the chevelle and skylark handles are different. The Buick handles sit level and the chevy handles will point up if installed on a buick.
