Hi guys...new here. I have a new '69 Camaro (new to me anyway). The car is in great shape, but it has a punchlist of issues I need to tend to. First on the list: the passenger door doesn't open. Neither door handle has any effect. I took the door panel off so I can get at everything.
- The door doesn't seem to be tightly closed...maybe it isn't latched fully
- The latch mechanism inside the door looks brand new
- The rod from the inside handle to the mechanism is bent...clearly the prior owner was also trying unsuccessfully to open the door! And the linkage from the lock button is flopping around like a broken arm.
- I tried placing the lock linkage up, tried it again down. In both positions, I tried the outside door handle/button. No luck. I also tried pulling the bell crank where the rod (from the inside door handle) connects. Again, no luck.

Any ideas?

 

You probably need to release the tension on the latch, try pushing on the door and moving it around while pulling up on the latch, I have had the same issue with a few camaro's, keep trying , it will open.

 

Thanks...I'll give that a try tonight.

Jay

 

I'm not sure I've got this totally solved, but I did get the door open last night. What I believe happened is the button (outside door handle) wasn't fully releasing, so it was keeping some tension in the latch mechanism, not allowing the door to be unlocked. While messing with it last night I accidentally pushed the rod (back of the button) off of the latch mechanism lever...and I was then able to open the door. I'll pull everything apart in the next few days and see if I can solve the mystery definitively! If so, I'll post what I find.