Oh man. I went to open the passenger side door on my 85 Custom Cruiser yesterday and when I closed it, it just wouldn't shut. The latch wouldn't catch on the stud.

I can see the problem. The curved piece of metal that is supposed to lock in place once it strikes the stud in the door frame moves freely back and forth. If you push it back into the latch by hand, it should lock into place like the others I tried, until the handle is opened, but it does not.

My question is, can this be repaired, or will I ultimately just need to buy a new latch mechanism? I'm asking in case anyone here has already tried and I want to know if I'll just be wasting my time.

I am a tinkerer, and a bit mechanically inclined, so I was thinking of taking it out and seeing WHY the latch doesn't lock into place, and then, maybe rigging something up to fix that.

But I also have learned that wisdom comes from benefiting from others' experience and if anyone can shed some light on the situation, it would be greatly appreciated.

Luckily, the wagon is parked close enough to my barn shed that I was able to nudge a paddle between the door and the wall of the barn to keep it shut. I had to; we were expecting some serious weather last night.

 

I've never seen many successful latch repairs. These latches should be the same for all 77-90 B and C body cars (Delta, Ninety Eight, CC and the comparable Chevy-Pontiac-Buick) so a salvage yard piece will be your easiest fix.


My experience is that you need an impact tool with a heavy duty Phillips bit to break these things loose from the door assembly. Once it's loose it's not a bad job, you just might have to snake your arms into some weird contortions.


Make sure to clean the replacement part good and lube it with white lithium grease.

 

B and C body cars. Would that include Cutlasses and Regals you think?

 

Those are A or G-body. Latches may be the same but my guess is they aren't.

 

No.... Full size models only... Olds 88, 98, C/C; Buick Lesabre, Park Ave, Estate Wagon; Pontiac Bonneville, Perisienne, Safari Wagon.... As well as Chevy full size...........

 

Just my suggestion. Soak it overnight in degreaser, shaking it frequently. Then spray it down with WD-40 and give it a shot. Odds are it's just a catch inside that's gummed open. The hood latch on my mother's Civic does the same thing when it gets cold.

 

Try one thing first. While holding the outside handle up, push the "claw" all the way to the "open" position, then release the handle while holding the claw there. If the claw stays, try the latch. If not, chances are the internal torsion spring has broken.

 

Joe, I definitely tried that yesterday. I tried everything yesterday. Lol. It didn't catch at all, no way, no how.

I figured it was some sort of spring. That's why I was wondering if it would be worth it to try to repair it or rig something up.

Then again, I'm going to Pull-a-Part tomorrow to see if a couple of full size GM cars they have will bear fruit. So I reckon I might install the "new" one and pull the old one out and maybe tinker with it and see what happens. At worst, I'll just ditch it, but at best, I might have a repaired latch for the next time this happens....