Door Latches on 70 Cuda

[Coupe1]

Hey there,

My drivers door will lock and pop open when opened from the inside but doesn't open from the outside. I have already broken a handle forcing it to open. Trying to open the door from the out side, it seems to be stuck and if you push the door back in it seems to lock because you can here it pop back in. It just doesn't seem to open. I have adjusted the rod by lengthening it slightly and shortening it slightly to try and engage the opening mechanism. The door is lining up correctly with the striker.
The passenger side door opens both from the outside and inside but when you lock the door with the key you are able to open the door as normal. When turning the key the locking lever on the inside is working as it should. You can not open the door from the inside when it is locked. The driver side door I can open from the inside when the lock is engaged from the inside  This makes it unlock-able which means I cant be far from the car just in case.

Cheers
Damian
 

[Beekeeper]

Has it always done this or only after it was reassembled from say a new paint job?

If the passenger side works properly, You will need to use it as your reference guide. A service manual might also have good reference pictures.

I have not yet disassembled an ebody lock mechanism but I have done enough other cars to know that one of the rods is turned backward or not connected to the right pivot spot. It might be easier to remove the whole assembly, clean it well, and lay it out on the bench to study how it all goes before reassembly into the car. Then you can compare parts to the passenger side as you go noting orientation, bends, etc.

[Coupe1]

That is how a imported the car. Unfortunately one of the pitfalls when doing that.

A good clean out sounds like a start but all the rods seem to be in the correct position. I will pull it out in the new year. Too busy to do anything now.

Cheers

[Beekeeper]

When you start on it, you might post asking someone put up a picture. Someone here probably has a Cuda in mid restoration and should be able to provide some close ups of rod position and orientation. Who knows, maybe the car was painted recently and the painter mixed up a couple things with stuff from other cars he was working on. My painter gave me a box of stuff that turned out to be from someone else's car.

[miamivice]

I actually have the same issue on one of my handles.  Have not had much time to trouble shoot, so if you find the issue please be sure to post back up here...  thanks!!

[Coupe1]

I'll be working on the driver side door first as that is a bummer not being able to open the door from the outside. I did however have another look inside and it seems that the lever that actuates the the door from opening bends a little as you lift the door handle. Yes the car was painted before I got it. Aussie Mopars have the same sort of latch but different in size so might have a look at those to see if anything can be retro fitted.

Will post pics later.