Door handles & lock cylinder removal?

[Cutlass3800]

Hi. I plan to start prepping my 1981 Malibu for paint soon, but before I start tearing stuff apart I thought I should ask if there is anything to watch out for or tricks to know regarding removal of the door handles and locks. Will any springs shoot out, rods fall to the bottom of the door, or plastic pieces likely to disintegrate? Does anyone know how the trunk lock cylinder is held in? Rivets?

Thanks!

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

There is a clip you turn around on the lock cylinders to get them off the rod, and one you have to slide back to get the handle rod off. The slide back one is held on with a little tang, and you have to pull up on the part that has the tang slightly to get it off. It is the same type of clip that is used for the lock rod bellcrank that is easily seen on the door frame with the interior panel off, so look at that one first. The lock cylinder itself is held on by a C clip that is essentially the same as the one used to hold the breather filter to the factory air cleaner lid. The door handle is held in place with either 10 or 11 mm nuts, I forget which. Both are easier to remove with the door window removed, and the screws holding the weatherstrip removed. Be careful though as the weatherstrip may be glued on, in which case it is best not to force it off as you will ruin the weatherstrip if you plan to retain what is on there. Oh, and the door handle rod should be taken out after the handle as it is not held in with anything but gravity.

 

[Cutlass3800]

Thanks for the info! I'm reluctant to remove the door windows simply because I can see myself struggling to get them re-aligned after. Once the weather clears up and I pull a door panel off, I'll gain a better understanding of what's all involved.

I have the 1979 Service Manual, but it covers the mechanicals and doesn't go into things like door handles and window adjustments. Did GM ever make a Body & Trim Service Manual for g-bodies?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

All you do is unbolt the windows from their tracks. No changes are needed to the alignment settings. the only thing you may need to deal with are the upper stops and the pin, but they are pretty simple to do. The tilt of the window however is not touched when you pull the glass.

 

[GP403]

Did GM ever make a Body & Trim Service Manual for g-bodies?

Look for a "fisher body manual" for your year. It covers everything that isn't in the other book. Mostly.

 

[Cutlass3800]

Thanks guys! Hey, I even found a place where you can buy PDF versions of all three service manuals -

http://www.ssbuilder-tech-manuals.com/index.htm