Eric,
I've just replaced the handle/locking mechanism on my drivers door, and
had all kinds of problems getting the remote locking thingy to work.
First of all, the eye in the slit pin on the new lock was smaller than
the bar it is supposed to fit over, so I had to rescue the slit pin from
my old lock and use that instead. I dropped the shake-free washer that
holds it in place (oops!) and had real problems finding another one of
suitable size. And once I got all the sorted, it didn't work at all -
if you operate the lock from the latch inside the car, the split pin
moves up and down in the lock mechanism without actually affecting the
mechanism at all.
After a while of trying to fix this, I gave up and left it disconnected.
The net result is that you can lock the door from both the inside and
the outside, but if you lock it from inside you can only unlock it from
inside, and the same for the outside. It's not ideal, but it works, and
there are far more important things to be working on instead.
Dean Dashwood
'77 Spit 1500
----------------------------------
>----------
>From: Eric A. Yates[SMTP:eyates@enteract.com]
>Sent: 16 March 1999 19:56
>To: spitfire list
>Subject: Door handles/locks
>
>
>
>Greetings all,
>
>I am in the process of replacing my Spitfire's exterior door handles (and
>all the associated internal parts) with "new" units acquired from a parts
>car. After spending quite some time with these parts, first taking them off
>the parts car and now installing them in my car, I have two questions...
>
>First, the door lock mechanism -- especially the "remote" lock operated
>from inside the car -- seems to be a less than brilliant design. My
>question is, how many folks bother to get the door locks working perfectly,
>both with the key from the outside and with the switch inside. Is it worth
>it? If you've done it, do you have any tips to keep the mechanism working
>smoothly and reliably?
>
>Second, has anyone ever noticed that the exterior door handles do not
>attach very securely from inside the door? The small bracket which holds
>the handle in place only contacts the inside of the door on a small area,
>so when pulling open the door from the outside, a lot of pressure is put on
>a small area of sheet metal. My door is actually bent slightly from this,
>just under the handle. Has anyone ever reinforced this weak area? If so, how?
>
>Thanks very much for any input,
>Eric.
>
>-----
>Eric Yates
>eyates@enteract.com
>1978 Spitfire 1500 FM 71614 U
>Chicago, IL USA
>
>
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