stuck door 1965 body a

[65skylark 10]

i have a door that won't open. all the linkage seems to be in place, but the door won't go beyond the initial release. can anyone help me open my door? thanks

[JohnD1956 6,251]

try closing it again and then lifting it by the handle while opening. I'm thinking the hinge pins are worn out.

[65skylark 10]

thanks for your reply, i tried to lift the door and forcebly pull on it with no luck. i was wondering if there might be a way to open the door from the inside by working the door catch somehow. i spent 3 hours trying this, also with no luck.

[JohnD1956 6,251]

I would try using a tire iron ( or other crowbar) from inside the car to raise the door. Stick it under the latch edge, but not too far in. You don't want to crush the sill plate, but you need it under far enough so you can slide the door in and out to jiggle the latch against the pin. Have someone else hold the inside door release lever so you can keep the pressure on the tire iron while shaking the door.

[NTX5467 1,197]

It might be that a rod inside the door has come off of the latch attaching point. In many cases, the rods had a shallow ring cut in the end, which then snapped into a metal clip that held it in place and also allowed it to move. Time and moisture and such can result in a rusted clip that finally came apart and the rod disengaged from the latch.

IF, per chance, you had the door locked when it was closed and the rod which came loose was attached to the lock rod, then the door thinks it's still locked, but if it's the driver's door, it should have an over-ride with the inside door handle--I think.

Perhaps you could take the door panel off of the opposite door to see how it all goes together and works? That way, you might better know what you're looking at in the other door, hopefully, and might be able to trigger the latch with a coat hanger.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[JohnD1956 6,251]

As I understand it, The door latch unlocks the door partially, so it does not seem to be the lock rod. I did have a problem with my 93 Regal once, when the rod from the handle to the latch got bent ( presumably in icy weather) and the door would only open partially like this. In this case I took off the door panel and bent the rod back into position and it's still working in that same car today.