Driver side door stuck shut

[ironhorse]

It's a '66 912, but I felt I'd have a bigger audience in the 911 forum (and the problem would be the same for a 911 anyway).

The car has been sitting idle for quite a few years. My driver side door wouldn't latch, so I slammed it shut. Well, that worked, but now I can't get the damn thing open.

I looked at the passenger side latch and catch in the striker plate and noticed that the catch assembly was full of gummed-up old grease ... supposing the driver side was just as bad.

I've tried spraying PB Blaster in through the door gap where the mechanism resides, but I don't think it's getting into the catch assembly to free it up.

The door latch mechanism appears to be working fine ... I think the problem is with the catch (which I cant get at).

Any suggestions?

[rsNINESOOPER]

I have had this happen on two seperate cars. One solution was to spray the latch with penetrating oil from inside the door. This required removal of the door pockets to gain access.

The second time this happened I used a space heater set on a crate near the latch/ jamb area outside the car. along with a thermometer to measure the temp near the paint surface so I could move the heater to a distance that maintained 120 degrees. I figured this was a temp the paint could withstand. I left the heater on for an hour or so until the heat had soaked into the jamb and latch. Then jiggling the door and lightly slapping the door with an open hand in the area of the latch got it to pop open. Then my housemate came home and closed the door before I had a chance to repair the latch. The heat worked again. It was really cold in the garage which is why I thought to use heat which I hoped would soften the old grease.

[porterdog]

Try putting a fair amount of force onto the door in the 'close' direction while actuating the latch. Unloading the catch should reduce friction in the mech and maybe you'll get lucky.

[E Sully]

On my car the problem was two fold. The interior platic of the striker plate was cracked and needed replacemanet. I also needed to replace the worn trigger mechanism in the handle. They seem NLA from pelican for your car.Pelican Parts - Product Information: PEL-901-DSREB-01
Prices at another Vendor are exceptionaly expensive.

[ironhorse]

We've tried pushing the door inward while activating the latch mechanism. Unfortunately, it won't move inward any further.

The door panel is off and we did spray PB onto the latch mechanism inside the door. The way the catch in the striker plate is designed, it's going to be difficult spraying up into it through the door gap.

I'll try the space heater method ... sounds like that might work.

My worst fear is that I may have broken the rotating catch part in the striker plate

Thanks for the input.

[Porchcar guy]

With the interior door panel off..can you get the exterior door handle off to give you more access to the mechanism ? Just a good guess ???

[ironhorse]

I'm going to take a more in-depth look at everything, but I don't believe I'll be able to remove the latch with the door in the closed position.

I'm going to try the heat approach this evening. I'll let y'all know the outcome ... good or bad.

[ironhorse]

Well, a portable heater and a very large flat-blade persuaded the door to open.




I removed the striker assy. and cleaned it up. Many small plastic pieces of the lower plastic guide came out with the old grease.






I can see why the door got jammed ... with the lower plastic guide gone, the latch travels straight in - never turning downward.

I'll be looking for a replacement soon

Thanks again for all the suggestions ...

[ironhorse]

Update: I case anybody else needs the early style repair kits, I found them at Sierra Madre for $35. each