Door lock issue

[Alan L]

So my manual '82 door lock is jammed - locked. No warning. Been absolutely fine til now.
Won't open with the key, or the interior knob. I can only pull the pop up rod so far then, stuck. Same with turning the knob and the key - goes so far then stuck. Reading the posts, it seems something is jammed.
But this seems to mean removing the door card - which would normally be simple enough. But first I will need to remove the seat. Won't be easy - race seats - bolt in from either side - against the door card.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Alan

[GeorgeK]

Park it in a shady neighborhood and watch it. will be slim jimmed quickly enough.

[Alan L]

Haha.
I do wonder if I can free it up by slipping something down the window - which is open. It is 'plastic'.
It would be very helpful if I can get the door open. The card is up against the roll bar - may be difficult to remove with door shut.
Alan

[TastyReuben]

the door card will be very difficult to remove with the door closed. first that comes to mind is that the top trim has a screw on the front edge that you wont be able to get to. Don't know if you will be able to get to the screws along the bottom edge either.

[zuch]

Any chance you can get a borescope between the glass and the fuzzy strip so you can see what is going on?

[blucille]

Have you tried twisting the lock/unlock knob while shaking, tugging on the door open handle/lever. There is a bit of an interlock between the two functions.

Aside from that, I agree, you’re in for some real challenges trying to take the door card off while the door is closed.

You might want to take the other door card off to see what goes where and then use a stiff piece of steel to try to emulate the action of the door lock mechanism. You might have more luck from the inside of the car/inside of the glass rather than outside.

One other thing. Make sure the door is fully closed.

[Alan L]

Yeah - I have shaken and pushed the door while twiddling the lock. The door is fully closed for sure.
Yes - pulling the other card and looking at what I am trying to achieve may well help. Yes - I recall now there is a screw in the latch end of that top trim. These cards were not meant to be taken off with the door shut.
I will have to try and burgle my way in.
Maybe I should place a 'wanted' add on Craigslist or something similar?
Thanks for the suggestions - got something to work on now.
It has had a long haul home on a trailer and I had it 'locked' for the duration. So over some bumps or something I am guessing something has fallen out of place.
Will post a result when I find a solution.
Thanks
Alan

[ccallana]

old school locksmith will be able to stick a shim down the window and pop it open likely.

We used to take the metal straps that they used to bundle stacks of plywood and cut a notch in it to use as an unlocker..

[Alan L]

Thats kinda what I am thinking. Just need to have a look at the other door to get a vague notion of what I am trying to do. The nice thing is the glass has been replaced with 'plastic' so some decent room to work with there.
Am about to upskill myself on breaking and entering.
Alan

[mike sampsel]

I'm sure you have tried reversing the key in the lock? If not, I know my trunk lock is funny that way and my doors have been as well. Reverse the key and then they would open.

[Alan L]

Thanks Mike - but it is not the key. I can't move it from the inside knob either. Something is stuck.
Stay tuned. Working on a bunch of other stuff too.
I pulled the oil gauge unit to take some wiring pics for a fellow pelicanite who had 'spare' wires.
Then I find my LH park lights are on when reinstalled. WTF. Pull the gauge again and they go out.
These old cars drive you nuts.
Alan

[mike sampsel]

My park lights go on when the turn signal switch is pushed to the left (left lights, to the right right lights) no key in Iggy, light switch off.

[silverlock]

Can you unscrew the top knob from the rod and get a set of pliers on the mechanism?

Pull it up. Photo of the lock mechanism on my ‘78 - it’s the same on a 3.2 door card. Vertical rod goes up. The round knob screws down on front. You can pull that off too.

[Alan L]

Yeah probably - the knob comes half way up.
I could also remove the interior knob and grab that bit too at a guess.
Will have a look.
Just dealing with a bunch of other stuff too. Really didn't need this one as well.
Thanks
Alan

[Alan L]

When I get a chance to get back to it I am going to try a spanner on that square lug.
Alan

[Bill Douglas]

Or the problem is with the actual latch mechanism that meets the door Stricker plate.

Just a thought. Probably won't work but it's an easy try. Take the back wheel off then with a hammer do a TAP TAP TAP on the back of the door striker plate to unstick whatever has locked up.

[76FJ55]

Just looking at the design of the mechanism one observation:

The way the lock mechanism works it that the tab on the opening rod either aligns with the release arm (unlocked) or passes behind the release arm (locked). This is happens in the are circled in red. the opening rod is rotated by either the tang on the lock cylinder when the key is rotated or by a plate/pin interface when the inside knob is moved to unlock. if the opening rod has not fully retuned to its spring-loaded fully out position, either due to friction on the opening rod in the latch mechanism or due to the door handle button not fully retuning after being push to open the door from outside, then the tab will be located behind the release arm. since the opening rod tab is trapped behind the release arm the unlock process causes the tab to contact the back of the release arm and wont let it rotate to the unlock position.

I would compare the drivers side push button height on the door handle to that on the passenger side to see if you think it is sticking in. if the drivers side button is shorter that the passengers, I would insert the key and while turning it back and forth light pull out on it to try to get it to fully return.

if that doesn't seem to the the issue, see of you can feel how far the button need to be pushed to contact the opening rod. if you feels like the initial contact is further in then I would repeatedly tap on the button in an effort to try to get the internal opening rod to spring the rest of the way back out.

This is just a concept and hasn't been confirmed, so may net you no value, but won't cost anything either. also the above description of parts is my own nomenclature, so may not align with official part descriptions.

If you need any clarification on what I'm trying to explain just ask.

[Alan L]

Thanks guys for all the helpful suggestions - I was at a loss as to how to move. Finally freed it. Still not quite sure where to go with it - but got the door open. Put a spanner on the square lug - applied some pressure (I guess a lot more than twisting the plastic knob), banged on the door a bit and, bingo. Now I can get to it.
Thanks for all the helpful ideas - and 76FJ55 for the detailed explanation etc.
Alan

[Fab64]

Originally Posted by mike sampsel

My park lights go on when the turn signal switch is pushed to the left (left lights, to the right right lights) no key in Iggy, light switch off.

Many years ago I was told that's a feature, not a bug. That's so one can illuminate the parking light on the side where traffic is going by, to increase visibility of your parked car.

[avenbugt]

Originally Posted by mike sampsel

My park lights go on when the turn signal switch is pushed to the left (left lights, to the right right lights) no key in Iggy, light switch off.

Completely normal.