I need your help. Door latch on the '49 is a little broken. Is there anyway to make a repair or re-engineer to allow it to work again? The broken part is in the blue oval in the first pic. 2nd pic is with the piece rotated in space 90 degrees. 3rd pic shows the back of the broken part where it is actually broken at. The outside door handle inserts into the piece circled in blue, then when you push down on the door handle, the piece rotates opening the latch. Originally that piece looked to be flared, that's what held it in place. Now nothing holds it in place and when you push down on the handle the return spring force causes the piece to come out of where it is supposed to be and the door latch will not work anymore. Let me know what everyone thinks, I'll listen to even the most hair-brained ideas. I know I might be able to get a new part custom fabricated, but I would like to fix it without resorting to that. Junk yards have been not helpful.

Latch1_zpsf7af5396.jpg

IMG_6898_zps07a4319e.jpg

Latch3_zpse526ccda.jpg

IMG_6904_zpsd9cb941b.jpg

IMG_6899_zps739a3ec1.jpg

Here are the pictures with the door handle shaft inserted:

IMG_6908_zps3c8f6ba4.jpg

IMG_6907_zpsd5d5fa6b.jpg

IMG_6905_zpsff45a93b.jpg

Thanks,

 

Can you try and drill the door handle insert and use a cotter pin to hold it in ?or maybe like a hitch pin?

 

maybe something like this?

 

For some reason, the passenger side is blind. There is a piece of sheet metal in the way. That is what was done on the driver side by a previous owner as for some reason there is not that piece of sheet metal. This would have to be fixed before I install the latch.

 

I'm clueless, but you might try posting this in the vintage forum. We have picked up quite a few of the 39-50 Olds type guys who may have parts or ideas......Tedd

 

No luck searching 2 of the biggest yards that have the old cars.

There were a few 1951-2 Pontiacs.

 

Pictures

 

Here is the latch from the driver door.

Looks completely different.

 

Could you drill/tap a small hole in the end of the spindle part (the part that rotates) and then epoxy in plastic push fastener that would collapse as you insert it and then expand once it is through. Similar in concept to those plastic anchors you use for drywall. Or like the fasteners you use for the firewall insulation pad but with the flat head bit cut off.
If you need to remove it you could just pull it out with some force.
I do not know the dimensions so it is hard to think of something robust that does not compromise the strength of the spindle.
I would draw a picture but I do not have a scanner at home.

Good luck, Peter

 

Peter, that's an interesting thought... So far you are winning the title of CO McGyver.

 

I like Peter's idea, but I was leanin more towards 61 reoldsman's idea. Really looks like a household door latch system to me, so I think drilling a hole in the peg and putting a cotter pin in place is the way I would go

 

Except the latch has to install before the handle, and once you do that, the back of the handle shaft is not accessable. It worked that way on the driver's side, drilled & tapped a hole on the end of the handle, used a screw to hold a plastic then a metal washer on, but the back of the handle shaft is accessable on the driver's side. It is not on the passenger's.

 

Hopefully i can explain without pics.

drill that piece in the blue oval in pic 1. you need to drill to remove the flats and a little beyond.

fabricate (would need lathe and miller) a new piece that from the side looks like a t. the top of the t would be the shoulder you no longer have. center of the t would have to be machined to give you your slot back for the handle.

the t is pressed in from the back side. it first need to pass through the plate into than press into the hole that you drilled. the t may need to be stepped as you will need to make sure you dont have too much play in the plate.

If my description isnt clear i can sketch it for you.

 

If you have access to a lathe, you could make a piece that is just long enough to fit inside the part in the blue circle, after trimming this part back to good a surface, without obstructing the flats. have a ring groove cut into the outside part so you could put an "E" ring (Jesus clip) on it to keep it from backing out. Have this part silver soldered into the blue piece so it would not come apart. No need for the "T" to hold it together.

 

You could weld up the broken area and have it machined to original specs... or call Zeb's Auto Salvage... http://zebsautosalvage.com

 

Silver solder or mighty putty.

 

But would mighty putty stand up to the stress of the door handle turning? The springs are rather stiff.

 

That was a joke, neither silver solder nor mighty putty will work.

I will draw up what I was suggesting a post up a sketch.

 

I'll give it a try. But I'm not sure of something... the bolt sticking out of your broken piece. Is that used to tighten down on the circular/rectangular shaft of the door handle? It looks like it is.

How about drilling out the rectangular hole in your broken piece and threading it so you can put a pipe bushing in there. You would likely have to modify the piece that the broken part fits in so you can get the pipe bushing in and have the broken piece rotating freely.

Here is a website with some pipe bushings: http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-pipe-bushings/=m97z2x.
You would have to modify the bushing a little so that long bolt can tighten down on the door handle shaft. You might also have to insert something in the bushing to work with the rectangular shape of the handle shaft since the inner hole in the bushing is circular. Wouldn't be perfect but it should be sturdy.

If I've got it wrong, I hope I gave you some ideas at least. Good luck!

 

Yes, that bolt is what holds the handle in the latch assembly. It is accessed through a very small hole (a normal 1/4" socket will not fit) in the door.

 

I knew the silver solder was silly, but had hopes that mighty putty lived up to it's name

A sketch would be welcomed.

Thanks,

 

Bill May would tell you to use it.


Here is what i was thinking. Its not my best sketch work but hope it is good enough to explain.


The T piece i was referring to is the piece on the bottom.

Any chance you have a spare latch assembly?

Email_zps645599e2.jpg

 

Just why do you think silver solder is not strong enough? It has 180,000 PSI tensile strength, depending the amount of silver in it. Unless the original part is aluminum, which it is not, silver is the logical choice. In Pete's drawing, the new piece would not be a press fit, which would have to be made precise size, but would be made the same OD as the original piece only shorter. There would be no flange, but it would have the ring groove, on it so it could be assembled with the "E" clip. Pete's part would have to be made with the two flats inside and would have to be broached to get these flats.

 

Yeah, it looks like Pete and I have the same idea, only I use a pipe bushing (threaded) and he uses a T-piece (press fit).

Assuming you don't want a lot of machine work, the pipe bushing method could be done with a drill press (and the right drills) and a tap with the same thread as the pipe bushing.

Both the T-piece and the pipe bushing would need some drilling/grinding to allow you to tighten down that long bolt.

 

Great if all you need to worry about is pulling.

Yes it would.

Yes there would.

No it would not.


I find it interesting and odd you have the desire, time and energy to insist what i am recommending isnt needed or wont work.

Am i on ROP?

 

edz, maybe you want to tell us all how Richard's idea wont work either.

 

Hey Alan, do you have a pic of just the broken piece? I'm interested in seeing the part where it's broken. If you could weld/solder a kind of metal sleeve on there where it's broken, you could do like Ed's saying and not disturb the flats.

I don't know about welding/soldering enough to know if it will hold, but it would help to see the broken part of that piece to see how much "meat" there is.

 

[Great if all you need to worry about is pulling.]

Just what other forces would there be if not pulling to hold it in place? No torsional forces would exist, they would be left up to the flats to control twisting.

[In Pete's drawing, the new piece would not be a press fit]

The press fit I'm saying would be not necessary is if my method is used.

[Yes there would.]

No flange would be on my piece.

[and would have to be broached to get these flats]
[No it would not.]

How would you recommend getting the flats in the internal portion once you drill/bore the inside to get the press fit? Milling is an option but the end mill would have to be so small it would take forever to machine.

[edz, maybe you want to tell us all how Richard's idea wont work either.]

Same problem about the two flats inside of the original piece, they would go away if you drilled it and tapped it for a bushing.


I am not saying your idea would not work, just that there is another solution to repair the part and keep the detail of the two flats that match up to the flats on the handle and are needed to insure the part will work.

 

Starfire, if you will mail this part to me, I will repair it free of charge. PM me.