My project is "done". However, I continue to tinker with it and make it "better". As recommended in other posts, I replaced the weatherstrip I had originally installed because the doors shut too hard. The new weatherstrip works great. When adjusting the striker, I must have tightened the striker too tight and stripped one of the screws--or more specifically the hole into which the screw is threaded. The screw appears fine, but it threads only part way into the hole and then spins freely.
I have looked through the shop manual and the factory assembly manual and cannot determine if there is a "threaded plate" on the backside of the lock pillar that is removable and therefore replaceable. Or, is the "plate" welded onto the backside of the lock pillar? Depending on the answer, I think I have two choices: 1) Replace the removable threaded plate; or, 2) drill and thread a slightly larger hole into the plate that is welded onto the lock pillar. Looking through a couple of parts catalogs, I see replacement plates, but they don't match my year of vehicle--'53 Chevy 3604.
Any and all thoughts on this problem are welcome and appreciated.
