Sticky door handle button - 65'

[David K.]

This one is a bit tough to explain.......experiencing a sticky passenger door handle button......... on the way out, it binds slightly halfway out & then releases normally. I was tempted to spray something into the door in order to losen things up, but held back with concern of affecting the surrounding fiberglass. Any ideas...?
Thanks in advance.

[Ed S.]

Re: Sticky door handle button - 65'

David, I have a '64 and I suspect that the door handle / locking mechanism is not very different than your '65. The problem may not be in "the thumb push button" - there is an equal or possibly better chance that the problem is the rod that connects to it or the actual door jamb locking mechanism - the component that is released when you press the button in. The good news is that these parts are not complicated and there are not very many moving parts. The easiest way to get to the problem and correct it is to remove the door panel - not that difficult. Once you do that, with the window in the full up position you will have good access to the back side of the door handle and button and the mechanism that released the mechanism that holds the door closed. You can examine it for worn or lose parts, clean and lube it. Take a look at some of the vendor part catalog schematics - they show all the moving parts pretty clearly.

As far as spraying something "in there" - from my experience, I don't think you can get a lubricant on the moving parts by just spraying something in there. Also, not 100% sure about this but..... lubricants like WD40 may be absorbed into the fiberglass from the unfinished side and cause problems down the road.

This is all assuming that there has not been a shift in the frame, chassis, door or door jamb that is causing the binding.