Date:         Mon, 8 Jul 2013 23:05:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Tom Buese <tantonbz@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Buese <tantonbz@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Fwd: Driver's Side Door Latch Removal w/ Door Closed?
In-Reply-To:  <CANMEa3ijhBJ-5dS6_8bKjMcruGaHQUPvn8KcR3aXj=0sTb9LYQ@mail.gmail.com>
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tom Buese <tantonbz@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 11:05 PM
Subject: Re: Driver's Side Door Latch Removal w/ Door Closed?
To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>


I /we have already done all that & we can not get it unlocked to open the
door-that is the problem!
The door handle has a fork on the inside that rotates when you turn the key
in the lock & either raises the latch lever or lowers it to unlatch the
door or latch it-a bent rod fits around the bottom of the lever & is the
push button attachment at the top of the door-there is also the rod that
comes into the latch in a different location from the inside door handle.
None of these will open the door presently which is why the locksmith says
that the latch is broken inside & must be removed to fix or replace!
Unless there is some way to manually unlatch the latch, the only way to
open it is as David says, use explosives or drill the latch bolts out, but
I am not sure that will release the latch either?

YMMV,

Mr. BZ


On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 5:26 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>wrote:

> You are going to have to get it open.  Take the inside panel off and you
> can
> at least see the lock button and inside lever rods.  Maybe you can beat on
> it in the right place.   Make sure it's unlocked and try holding the inside
> lever open and push on the door.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Tom Buese
> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 2:15 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Drivers Side Door Latch Removal w/ Door Closed?
>
> I have been battling the door lock on my 84 Westy for months now & have not
> been able to open the door!
> Today in getting ready for West River Westies Campout in Vermont, I finally
> took it to a locksmith, who couldn't open it either!
> He thinks that the mechanism inside the latch-not the door handle itself-
> is
> broken so no matter how hard you try to pry up on the lever into the latch
> it doesn't operate.  It appears that the latch needs to be removed/fixed or
> replaced, but how to do w/ door closed?  Drill out machine bolts that
> anchor
> the latch to the door frame from the inside of the door???
> Yikes, I hope not!
>
> Help?
>
> Mr. BZ
>
> --
> Tom Buese
>
>


--
Tom Buese



--
Tom Buese