Canuck Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Opening the door on the 71 Monte has always been a little tough but got worse this summer. I was going to look into it this fall but the door decided I should do it now. The problem is that the door won’t open now. It opens a little but still catches. I can’t get enough clearance to remove the interior door panel. Any ideas on the next step? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Tough to open, when it did, from inside, outside or both? If from outside the outer handle button "pin" may have been too short to fully press the door latch or sometimes they were bent and possibly bent more to where it doesn't work. If from inside, the rod from the inner handle to the latch assy may be the issue. By any chance is the door hanging up on the striker? Like worn door hinges? I doubt your car(s) have worn hinges but had to suggest it. Also is the door lock fully disengaged? You can try opening both front and rear windows and possibly, where the door weatherstrip meets the quarter window, move it enough to get something down there to push on the latch assy, where the door handle (outside) contacts it. Won't be easy, but possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 I got this far. Now looking into what needs to move to open it and I’ll get a coat hanger down there. If the issue is inside the latch it may be tough. The door has a very slight sag and may be resting on the pin. It was never an issue opening from the inside, just from the outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbolt Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 try applying pressure downwards on the outside handle while pushing the button. When mine sticks that seems to fix it Oh I see it doesn't open from the inside either. Ugh nevermind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S. Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Catches on the jab, or on the front quarter panel ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 It catches at the latch. It it similar to when you lock the door and close it but does not close all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Try picking UP on the door when opening it. If it's already got a sag due to worn hinges, it may be hanging up on the latch. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 9 minutes ago, jft69z said: Try picking UP on the door when opening it. If it's already got a sag due to worn hinges, it may be hanging up on the latch. Tried that. The latch is not releasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 2 minutes ago, Canuck said: Tried that. The latch is not releasing. I figured as much, but just in case. I imagine you were probably horsing that thing all around like I would have been, saying bad words the whole time... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 25, 2023 Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 It appears that it is releasing the latch (including the safety) but something isn’t allowing the latch to open all the way. A part could be broken inside the latch casing and causing the latch not to rotate fully. The investigation continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted September 26, 2023 Share Posted September 26, 2023 Possibly the "lock" portion. The key lock that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 26, 2023 Author Share Posted September 26, 2023 The plastic guide shown here circled in red on the passenger door is missing from the driver’s side. It may have fallen inside stopping the latch from rotating fully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S. Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Are you to the point of welding the doors shut, painting a big Union Jack on the roof, and becoming the Duke of Summerland ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 53 minutes ago, Scott S. said: Are you to the point of welding the doors shut, painting a big Union Jack on the roof, and becoming the Duke of Summerland ???? Not there yet... LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 You may end up at the point you have to remove the front seats and console to be able to remove door panel. I hope not but it would beat welding the door shut. rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 11 minutes ago, Rob Peters said: I hope not but it would beat welding the door shut. Basically, it already is..... (too soon?). Aaron & I talked over the weekend, told him I ran into that situation before & mentioned to the owner that I could zip it open real easy from the outside, with the plasma cutter 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 16 minutes ago, jft69z said: Basically, it already is..... (too soon?). Aaron & I talked over the weekend, told him I ran into that situation before & mentioned to the owner that I could zip it open real easy from the outside, with the plasma cutter 😆 Claw hammer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I had a pos 69 chevelle 4 door back in the 80’s that did that. I just stretched the top of the door panel over the lip and rolled it out to the seat and hooked up the rod. Opened it and fixed it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S. Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 22 hours ago, Canuck said: Not there yet... LOL Yeah, at this age, that might require a small ladder to execute gracefully. LOL !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted October 23, 2023 Author Share Posted October 23, 2023 Finally got it. As I thought it was a broken piece of the plastic shoe that was preventing the latch from rotating fully. With some help from Joe sending me photos of a latch he had and talking it through I was able to finally see with a scope where the plastic piece was. I was able to get it poked out with a coat hanger bent just the right way and the door opened. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 Great to hear Aaron. Now you return the plane ticket to Carlisle and drive. Shouldn’t take long. Lol. Modern technology is great sometimes. A scope is much better than a hammer and chisel. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 56 minutes ago, Dtret said: Great to hear Aaron. Now you return the plane ticket to Carlisle and drive. Shouldn’t take long. Lol. Modern technology is great sometimes. A scope is much better than a hammer and chisel. Cut-off wheel or plasma cutter are my tools of choice 😁 Air chisel with sheet metal bit would have opened it up pretty quick too... 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 Aaron, Glad to hear you were able to get it open. That second picture is about as clear as mud but I am sure it makes more sense if you have a decent reference point to compare it to. rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 Aaron i am glad you got her taken care of and now opening with no problem!!! Great Job!!! Joe you also!! Question, where did the plastic shoe piece come from, i don't remember any plastic other than the window rollers?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 46 minutes ago, willie said: Question, where did the plastic shoe piece come from, i don't remember any plastic other than the window rollers?? If you open the door and look directly into the latch assembly, you'll see there are those plastic pieces in the upper and lower position that guide the striker pin into the latch. The bottom one broke off and wedged into the mechanism that stopped the latch from rotating to the full open position. What you see in the borescope camera image is actually that broken piece (it's the off-white colored piece). Here's what the bottom piece would look like: Where the broken piece was wedged, and the location of the borescope cam picture: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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