The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Panel barn door rear latch

Having a problem with my 55 2nd rear door latch.. Latch will catch on first latch but not quite on second... It's SO close. Not sure if new rubber (Steele) is causing a problem. Anyone else encounter this?

my experience is they mostly require a good slam to latch fully, especially with new rubber, but there are some adjustments you might fiddle with, including the hinge bolts into the body

Bill

Thanks Bill... Tried that. I think we're going to get her latched from the inside and drive her around for a couple days to see if that seats the rubber better. Ah, nothin's easy!

Nope. Ain't working. Gonna buy a new latch set and see if that works.

My 57 3100 Panel was hard to latch. Really had to slam it. Usually two or three hard slams.

After a few months of that, my key stopped working to lock it. I felt it was the super hard slamming that jumbled it.

I messed with the latch on the stationary (left) door and now it latches nicely on the first medium slam.

Oh and my new matched lockset arrived last week from Brothers.

Hey Highsider, I just installed a new latch and striker plate. Still doesn't catch on the second latch... From the inside we were able to trip the latch so now it's closed tight. Tomorrow she goes in for final paint (Maaco) so I'm hoping that when they bake the paint it will soften up the rubber and help... we'll see. This is a real PITA.

I got a matched lock set but it didn't have the panel door lock... Does Brothers include that in their set?? darn.

"matched lock set" meaning lock buttons keyed alike? nobody supplies 3 buttons keyed alike, you'd need to have a local locksmith change your 3rd one to match the other 2, otherwise use the set of 2 on the driver side and rear, with a no key button on the pass side

Bill

Sorry to mislead you'all.

I got ignition, glove, two doors. I hadn't opened it up.

I currently don't have a key set on my passenger door, so I had in mind moving the current driver's door set to the back.
Therefore, having both "front" doors matched. It is a PITA dealing with crawling over the seats to lock the passenger door, so this will be a big improvement for me.

My original need was to remedy the non-functioning back door key.

Then, this winter the back doors get a new Steele brand weather seal kit. Wonder if that will disrupt the status quo on easy latching?

Oh, and hey Larry:
A report on the paint job and results on what the oven did to help, would be great.
Thx!

Yes, the new rubber will need time to conform, some adjustment may be required. After install, it is best to leave doors closed TIGHT for as long as you can. In Iowa, I would wait for summer, if you have one.

If your weather stripping is anything like my 52 Panel once you get the weather stripping around the door and you get the door closed.....get inside and make sure the rubber is not crimped or creased, in other words make sure its "under" the top of the body like its suppose to be. That way it will "set" where its suppose to go every time the door is closed.

bartamos - If my 57 Chevy Panel had been in Iowa this past summer I would have been afraid my weather stripping would have melted! BTW - I hate midwest winters!

Achipmunk - Thanks. I will get a bright light and check that when I install the new.

SUCCESS! The door wasn't closing - suspected it was the new Steele Rubber I had installed... Here's what we did...
- Installed new latch & striker plate
- It would lock on first catch but not second - it was thisclose
- With someone outside pushing hard, from inside door we used a screwdriver to flip the second latch
- Ignored it for about 4 days
- Took truck to paint at Maaco.. told them not to open rear doors
- Got it back and *voila* door latch works great!!

On to the next challenges...

Success story!

I think it was the combination of new latch, keeping it closed - but for sure having the paint baked had to soften up rubber. It's nice when a plan comes together!

Larry any pictures of the truck in paint?. I can not believe you are in paint already.
You will be done for show season. Bring it to the barrington truck show or let me know what shows you go to would love to see it!!!
Jon

Jon P- Sure like the 57 Burb.

Thanks Highsider!

Hey Highsider - She's DONE! Pics heah: http://fernscountrystore.com/

excellent job Larry, love the colors

Bill

What a gorgeous panel!

Thanks guys! 100 days start to finish

Nice! I really like it.

Nice work on the Burb Jon!

Larry Kudos great job so now enjoy! Can you give me an estimate on what Maaco charged to paint the panel? I have a 49 burb and just starting body work and a paint "fund". Thx.

Yes, and a few details on how much prep work you did.

Thanks!

Hi guys, my buddy Mike & I did the body work. Mike is a craftsman and wicked anal about his work... He is a past winner of the Ridler Award so that should tell you something... I had to keep reminding him that we were building a daily driver that wasn't going to Detroit for an award show! So there are places on the truck that aren't perfect - but I'm fine with that. I'm a couple years older than Bella and I have blemishes too.

Early on, I had gone to Maaco to ask about primers - they gave me the "we can't guarantee what we paint over yadda, yadda, yadda" So I went to their nearby paint supplier and asked them which primer would be compatible with Maacos paint. I didn't have access to a paint both so I sprayed the body with rattlecan primers. I used a self-etching primer on bare metal and sandable on the rest. Using cans was A) Expensive B) Didn't provide the build-up that would have made it easier... C) Time consuming

I painted the beige panels myself with rattle can... I also painted all of the little nooks and crannies - inside door and hood edges, etc. I had wanted a Hunter Green so that's what I used in rattle can. My goal was to make it easy for Maaco so they wouldn't have to do inside doors, etc. The Page 3 pics on our website show Bella with her primer ready.

When I scheduled the job with Maaco I brought the truck to them so they could see it. I also told them that we'd have all trim, bumpers, etc removed to minimize their taping work.

We couldn't find a color match to the Hunter Green so chose a metallic green... it took two hours to go through their piles of books.

Bottom line? Maaco = $710 which I thought was a great price. Doing it around the holidays probably helped - I got the sense they were slow.

Am I satisfied? Yup. Would I use them if I were building a show queen? Mmmmm.... that's a subjective one. Besides, with all of the store graphics on the truck - the warts are less visible.

Hope this helps.

Totally helps.
Thanks for the details.

EDIT: I just ordered a Steele rear barn-door weather seal kit.
So, what are the removal tips for the old stuff. It's not coming off easily.

I've used gasoline. Let is soak for a few minutes and then with a rag wet with it just rub the residue. It will come off.

As far asdoor locks go... Install remote power door locks, then you won't need a key. You can get these from junk yards....rock auto, JC Whitney...