My door is stuck and won't open!!!!!!!

[SilverRiff]

Man I am having a crappy day. I am getting into fixing the drivers door on my 1987 Monte, mainly the pin and bushings that are causing sag and tough closing. So I went up to advanced today to get some pins, and walked out empty handed because of the 20 different Gm rebuild kits they had, the "computer" couldn't tell me which I needed. The salesmans suggestion? Buy a few different kits (for $7 bucks a piece) and just bring back the ones I didn't need. Disgusted, I left and went to unlock the door and my door is jammed and won't open. It will still lock and unlock, but won't open from the outside or inside. What a freaking day. So I had a buddy of my who works at a Mr.Tire ready to rebuild my hinges for pennies on the dollar, but now I can get the damn door open! Like I said I have been having to lift and close the door for the past month I have had it, and the outside handle has always felt sloppy and weak, And the lock is tough to turn, AND the latch onthe door that engages the striker has bound up a few times where I had to manually open the "claw" that catches the striker. Now it seems like the perfect storm of crapulence has jammed my door up. Any suggestions on what I do know? Eventually I will probably find a whole door to put on there, but for now I just need to know how to get the damn thing unstuck!!!! HELP!!!!

 

[84cutlassjuggalo]

i am having a similar problem with my 80s parts car. My 80 cutlass is stuck its as if its locked but it will not open(front passenger). It also can not possible be locked because i persnaly took the lock off, also the doors all have the handles on the out side broken except that one and i have even tried prying the door open but it will not move and inch at all!

 

[86Limited]

You could leave It alone and bring back the dukes of hazzard way of getting in and out

 

[RITTER]

It sounds like the latch is actually stuck closed. You will probably have to take the interior door panel off and release the latch from inside the door. sorry man

 

[SilverRiff]

Yeah I tried the Dukes o Hazard entry on my 1972 Monte. Let's just say anyone who thinks about doing that must remove the lock knob first. That was an unpleasant surprise the first time I did that. Anyway is taking off the inner doorpanal a big pain? Everything is mechanical, no power anything, so it should be that bad. I just don't have a shop manual, but I'm sure I could figure it out. No some advice on what I I should do when I get it open. Does the latch need to be replaced?

 

[RITTER]

There will be a couple of screws (in the armrest) I believe the rest is just held on by the "push-in" body hardware rivets. Once you get it open I would definitely replace the latch. Finding that "NEW" may be a challenge

 

[SilverRiff]

Awesome, thanks for your advice guys. I will try and get the panel off and see what I can do.

 

[SilverRiff]

Alright all fixed!! All I did was pop off the upper half of the inner door panel and the door opened. Weird. Then after examining the latch, it looked like the pawl(?) in the latch had staked over the edge some, I guess from it being slammed against the striker so hard when it had bound up. So I filed down the little stake, and greased the hell out of all the linkage and now it's as smooth as baby butt. Of coarse it is still sagging, but a friend of mine will be replacing the pins and bushings this weekend, which will hopefully eliminate the sagging.

 

[SilverRiff]

Oh one other thing.... What are those black, springloaded paddle looking things at the bottom of the door jambs? Are they a popper to assist in opening the door or something? I noticed today that the one on the drivers side, the door I'm having issues with, is broken off. What are they and are they easy to get/replace?

 

[mkiiisupra]

Those black pieces are I believe the automatic seat belt tensioners for the front seat shoulder harnesses.