68 Dart 4 door. Passenger side doors inoperable.

[TX LeadFoot]

I tried to do some searching but only found threads where the doors couldn't be opened from either inside or outside, not both

I've been slowly going over the car after getting it home and trying to come up with a list of thing that need to be tackled first. Upon going over the outside of the car I realized I couldn't open both passenger side doors from the outside. I figured the must be locked and moved on. Once I got in the car the doors seem to be unlocked, but still won't open from inside or outside. Both lock rods seem up be up, however when you push them down there is some binding and they don't seem to actually lock or unlock. Both inside handles seem to have little to no friction on them like they aren't trying to actually open the latch.

Not really wanting to have to try and take the door panels off from the inside with the doors shut but at this point I'm not sure how to try and get the doors open. Any help or ideas is greatly appreciated.

 

[jas0162]

You could try hosing everything down with penetrating fluid. You can squirt it around the outside door handle push button and down the inside lock button hole, wiggling and jiggling everything you can. Good luck

 

[TX LeadFoot]

Honestly at this point I haven't thought of that, so it's worth a try.

 

[Bodyperson]

The latch may be actually triggered to open with the handles already but the latch is not letting the door open. Hold the inside or outside latch handles or button open and try kicking one or the other open from the inside.

 

[TX LeadFoot]

Thanks guys. Sprayed everything down with some penetrating oil as best I could. Let it sit for a while then took a soft face dead blow hammer to lightly tap around the areas of the latch. Then got inside and pulled the handle while giving it a good solid shoulder. Once open I got some oil directly on the latch and worked them a hundred times or so from both handles.

 

[Bodyperson]

Good idea with the dead blow.

 

[jas0162]

Ha. That’s the same color as my 68 4 door. Yours looks to be in better shape

 

[TX LeadFoot]

Ha. That’s the same color as my 68 4 door. Yours looks to be in better shape

It looks good from a distance. However I'm not sure when, but at some point it's been resprayed very poorly. They sprayed over almost everything, handles, seals, you name it.

The only areas of concern I've found so far is the right rear quarter panel, the bottom of the rear widow and the bottom of the truck lid.

 

[jas0162]

Mine is rusting away and very beat up. I’d like to find another one and swap out all my good stuff