As some of you know, I recently bought a lot of NOS parts. There was a drivers door latch in the lot and I saved it back for the burb.

I have had trouble with the latch for quite a while so last night at the car show I decided today was the day to change it.

Easy job, right? Just pull the handles, the arm rest, the door panel, 3 screws and it's out of there. Wrong.

I had to pull the window out. And of course to do that I had to pull the wing out too. And to get it out I had to remove the lower access panel. The bottom bolt didn't want to budge and the lower mount nut bracket on it pulled out of the rivets.

I changed out the latch then went to work on the vent assembly. I drilled the old rivets out of the bracket and attached it with screws. I ran a tap through the nut plate and applied Never-Seez to it and the bolt. The 'while I'm in there syndrome' hit and pulled the nut off the vent tensioner and ran a tap through it too. I brushed the threads of the stud and put it all back together with anti seize. Now maybe it will stay open on the highway.

And now the door latches when I shut it.

"It's just a phase. He'll grow out of it." Mama, 1964

1956 Chevy 1/2-ton 3100
1953 Chevy 6100 "The Yard dog"
1954 GMC Suburban Now with a new proud owner.