[Deadhead]

Been going to a yard for some parts lately. Seems like every car I want to get something off of has the latches stuck on the doors, making them impossible to open. I have tried the usual of working the lever & spraying PB inside the door at the latch/catch assembly best I can but was wondering if there was any trick to this. Mostly I am working with mid-60s full size cars.

Thanks for any tips,

Bruce

[zbuickman]

push the button in, give it a big hip bump, while lifting up and out.

[THEGTOCHISM]

like zbuickman says sometimes that works. if you can get the door pannel off you can work the release rod from the inside. I've gotten inside and held the door release lever open and kicked the pannel from the inside. i once found a complete 60's star chief big pontiac in the yard. inside was perfect becouse all 4 doors were locked. but the front end was gone. i just unbolted the drivers door hinges and i was in.

[Deadhead]

I have been going in through the windshield & taking out back side glass in wagons & going in that way. Been jerking on actuators w/ vice grips & pounding with feet from inside without success. Was originally after one of the front doors, so I oculd not manhandle from the outside without damaging. One car I needed the antenna body off of I had to bend the front fender all back (already crumpled) to get to the one bolt & have enough of a hole to get it out. Will continue until I perfect some method. Every car door in the place seems stuck fast.

[GTO JOHN]

I have a 70 GTO with both doors stuck shut. We got the windows down but doors will not budge. Any ideas ?

[Deadhead]

Found another '66 4 door sedan near me today. Was going to get some things off of it, but same thing - doors stuck. Can not even move the handles on a couple of the doors. More practice. Tried bumping with the hip method, but no go. Will head back with a crow bar, torch & some PB. I take the panels off & then hose latch down with PB & try working the handle until I get that working. Might try a propane torch on the back side of the latch Mech.

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by GTO JOHN

I have a 70 GTO with both doors stuck shut. We got the windows down but doors will not budge. Any ideas ?

cut your door panels off since you are inside the car (I assume they need to be replaced -- I don't think you can get them off in one pc with the door closed). soak the latch asy down in WD40, let it sit a day, then soak it down again and tap the latch from the inside with a hammer while someone pulls on the door (I assume the release went in and stayed in when you press the button on the outside handle?) I've heard of the trick of taking the hinges off (after removing the fenders), but I think it will destroy the latch bolt area of the quarter panel. (as in you'll get the doors off that way, but you'll never put em back on!)

If the release is frozen on the outside handle side, you can get some vise grips in from the inside and bend it back. if the release is going in and out easily, the lock rod may be frozen down in the locked position.

[69gp400]

ditch the pb buster for some wd 40 and keep pulling.i had to saw a catch off to remove a door from a 69 gp

[Held for Ransom]

John, try working the inside door lock up and down a few times while pulling up on the handle.

[carcollector]

This may or may not help. While installing my strikers a while ago, a friend stopped by to chat. While walking around my car he couldn't resist closing the opened passenger door, not knowing the striker was loose. I had to use a long drill bit and drill the latch apart from inside the door.
I was not amused.
As for my friend?...well, they will never find the body.(kidding)

[gregneun]

If you can get to the hinges, you are in the clear.

I went to the local Pick a Part today. They are having a 1/2 price sale tomorrow. It's a zoo when they have this sale. Mostly immigrants looking for tires.

They had some Buick 225's and I figure that if I could get some window motors, I may be able to make it work. I also found some good steering gear boxes. No decent Pontiacs. One Firebird, looked good from a distance, but it had a v-6, I was looking for v-8 heads. Another Firebird had a chevy motor in it.

Good luck,
Greg