SC Door Handle Stuck!

[OsoMoore]

Tonight I drove home with my wife in our 79 SC. Being the gentleman that I am, I went around to open her door.
SNAP! Or something like that. The door latch handle closed all the way and stuck inside the handle! She had to open the door from the inside. It opens and closes fine from the inside, but the strap (RS door cards) rattles, unlike the driver's side. The moving part of the handle remains full retracted into the handle itself. Has anyone seen this before? I'll pull apart the door tomorrow...

[timmy2]

Good write ups here:
Door Handle Assembly
Door trigger snapped

[Ramathorn]

I dont quite understand the part that snapped (do you have a pic?).

That is a pretty good write up on the door handles.

I never really relized it but, my rs straps rattle a lot too. Anyone know of a solution?

[OsoMoore]

Here are two shots - one from the working driver's handle and one with the stuck/broken passenger side.

[timmy2]

All I can suggest is to remove the door panel and the handle to see what is going on.

[OsoMoore]

Look what fell off! Well at least I now know what is broken. Time to find a replacement latch puller-thing.

[Windsor4273]

Exact same thing happened to my car on the driver's side. It was an easy fix tho.

[OsoMoore]

I've posted in the parts forum. Anyone got one?
Want to Buy: SC era door handle latch trigger

[OsoMoore]

Thanks lonewolf! He got me a good deal on a new trigger assembly, and last night I finally took the door apart. Getting out that little nut behind the lock is tough and required a new ratchet, but as night fell my wife held the flashlight and I got it all back together. I had to mix and match the pieces - the trigger fit but its vertical spring holder was different.
The "new" trigger has a little more travel, but it works great. Feel free to PM me if you have questions about your own door handle/triggers - I took lots of pictures.

[OsoMoore]

The other one went! I guess if one goes after 33 its not too odd that the other dies after 35. Anyone have another spare trigger?

[sugarwood]

How hard was it to replace the trigger the first time?

$79 here
http://www.porschedoorhandles.com/

$79 and free ship
http://www.**********.com/ShowItem/253389%20Porsche%20911%20Outer%20Door%20Handle%20P ull%20Lever%20Trigger.aspx

Ebay repro for $28
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131232784850?item=131232784850&viewitem=&vxp=mtr

[OsoMoore]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

How hard was it to replace the trigger the first time?

Does this work for you?
Search SiteSearch 91153194128 - ECS Tuning

Unfortunately the ECS site has no picture or description, so I can't be sure. I did find a guy selling some he makes himself on eBay for $30. He has lots of legit sales so I'm probably going to go with him if something else doesn't turn up.

It was pretty easy if you know how to take the door apart. Once you have the mechanism out it only takes a few minutes. Given that it is a high of 30 degrees F outside, I may wait until spring to do the actual swap. Then you just put the door back together with a new moisture barrier - god knows I've done that enough times! I use trash bags and duct tape and it takes about an hour to do a real careful job.