Customs i feel stoopid, i need some advice, door stuck shut

so i picked up this cool '52 chevy truck that was originally built by So-Cal speed shop and used as their shop truck. the driver's door would not stay shut making right hand turns or what not. (the door does not sag, and the cab mounts are good, the gap all around the driver's door is good)
i first made shims to go behind the striker on the door jamb, same deal, door doesn't stay shut. next i installed a new latch assembly which worked fine in my hand multiple times, now after i put it in the door good and tight and shut the door gently, the door will not open. there is some movement in the latch, but i just can't get the door open now.
has anyone ever run into a situation like this? i'm thinking i should unbolt the hinges and try to move the leading edge of the door away from the body enough to get access to the latch at the door jamb or just pull the door off the body, but i see ALL kinds of headaches with this idea, and it may not even work.
ANY input is greatly appreciated at this point.
-tred

 

No way to remove the latch from the inside I'll bet. Perhaps it may even be an alignment issue, try pushing the latch from the inside and then pop the solenoid?

 

I'd put outside door handles on it with steel rods going to the latch...but that's just me.
BTW...Killer truck!

 

Is the latch locked by chance?

 

Oh, it's one of these latches....



very similar to that used on the 55-59 trucks. I've never had one stick to where the door would not open. If pulling the inside release doesn't work, then drill a hole in the door, where the outside handle would be, and push in the release lever like you would if you were pushing the button to open the door, normally.

I never did understand the urge some folks have to take the handles off of doors. But I also don't understand the urge they have to take the springs out of the suspension, either.

 

The door will never open again.....you just need to sell the truck to me . Sorry I can't help with your problem though, I to like door handles on my trucks. Killer truck.

 

Lakesters and Streamliners don't use springs

 

they simply flipped the springs to lower the truck, it has a false bed floor that hides the shackles but still a deep usable bed and it rides nice.

 

Tell us about how the latches are actuated....maybe a picture of the door, from inside the truck?

 

...and i did fail to mention, the door panel is still removed (i'm not that stupid to button everything up before testing), so i have access to the latch but can't move it enough to open the door, and there are no solenoids yet in the doors, that is my next step after digging out of this hole i'm in.

 

for now the latches are actuated by pulling the inside door handle, and the latch is exactly the picture you posted, jim, and picture(s) from inside the truck will not look like anything

 

If you post a picture, we can see what you can see, and it might make it easier to help you figure it out. We don't all have one of those trucks sitting around to look at.

I don't remember if there's enough room to get your hand inside where the latch is. If so, you might be able to reach the lever that the outside handle button would actuate. it's the top left thing in the pic I posted.

 

Another thing to try is to remove the "remote control", which is the part that the inside handle connects to. Unscrew it from the door, then pull the whole thing forward, so it will pull the release as far as possible. If the remote control is not adjusted properly, it won't pull far enough.

 

no, i mean i can't get my phone inside the door to take a picture, there's only a small access hole in the inner door skin.
i do have the stock latch assembly to reference, but can't move anything on the latch enough to release the door

 

I just wanted a picture of the door from inside the truck, not the inside of the door.

If you look down from the bottom of the window opening, can you see the latch from above? you might be able to pry on that release lever from the top?

 

i have removed the "remote control" entirely from the door and am trying to activate the latch with my hand/small pry bar

 

Can you pull really hard on the door, and then release the latch?


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

tried that too, but pushing really hard from the inside while activating the latch

 

i feel a certain sense of pride knowing that i've done something that no one else has ever done!
aha ha hah ha!

 

That's something!

 

I assume the door looks a lot like this, except that there's a window in it, and a window regulator, which make it hard to get into the inside and play with things.

 

I have the Same Problem on my 50 Merc RF door & just figured out the
Problem that My Door was Belley'ed in the Center
If I Push hard on the Center of the Door with the Inside door Handle it will evently
Open.
I have another Door that I am goin to put on.
Just my 3.5 cents


Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I doubt that's the problem here...different style of latch.

But might try prying the door and jamb apart a little, see if that helps?

It's possible something on the latch is messed up, because they make them in china now, out of soft metal.

 

ok, well if anything even close to that works for me, it tells me to remove the shims i installed behind the striker

 

yeah, it seemed like a cheap latch when i checked it out

 

Misalignment likely.
Is there still a button on the outside of the latch where the out side button would activate?
Is there somwhere you cram a rubber ball between the door skin to hold it open.....or let it open when it aligns? If not you will need an assistant or something to keep the interior latch activated as you work the door.

The latch must be open or ready to open as you,work th door. When it gets to the sweet spot.....it should unlatch and open. You can't work the latch and then work the door.....You have to do both at the same time.

By working the door I mean shaking the shit out of it. Up and down.....side to side.

 

Im thinking the same thing, latch is aligned enough to jam hard, but not enough to work right.

Try wedging wood shims between the bottom of the door and the sill to lift it a bit and see if the latch will release. Try different points around the door, bottom, rear, front. Wood shims or some type of shim that wont dent or scratch everything up.

 

That latch looks like a variance of a bear claw design that does not like pressure on it to open. Bump the door inward with your hip while yanking on the inside handle.

 

I think the last two posts are on to something. Sounds like you have the door and/or latch in a bind. Crazy problem. Good luck.

 

When all is said and done I would abandon the handle less look and the associated problems and go back to stock door handles on the inside and outside.
Hard to beat classic and simple.