How to repair door latch on drivers side

HOT4CARS

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1977 FORD THUNDERBIRD
4.9L
V8
RWD
AUTOMATIC
150,000 MILES

The bolts have come out & lock rod is missing & door will not close shut. The drivers door the bolts came out of the door clasp that hits the striker & keeps it closed & the lock rod where you used to open & lock the door pressing the electric switch disappeared. The clasp is like a jaw see photos & in closed position. The key will turn but it does nothing to open the door.

The door will no longer stay closed. Photos show last one is the other good side & all other ones are the problem. I have no bolts & need to know where to purchase & how to fix. Yellow is the string I am keeping it closed with until I can fix. How to repair door latch on drivers side the bolts have come out & lock rod is missing & door will not close shut. The door handle on outside is OK not loose.

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HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

It looks like the bolts holding the latch in are broken or sheared off so take the latch out and get the bolts out first if not then get some grade 8 bolts at a hardware with flat washer to hold the latch in. The door rods may be inside the door as there are clips that hold them in if they aren't you'll need to get some from a junker or wherever you get your parts. The door lock on the outside may have been punched inso se if the metal will bend back it will look like a 4 piece thing and there is a large spring clip that holds the door lock in. If I remember right in my pic you take a large screwdriver and push the one I've pointed to back towards the top arrow. You will need to take the door panel off for this which will be held on by clips and screws going through the armrest. We don't have any pics on this. I did find one off a chevy which yours will be similar with the exception of the clips that hold the rods on an dthey are lh and rh so if you get them on wrong it won't work.

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Wednesday, May 21st, 2014 AT 3:18 PM

HOT4CARS

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First how do I take out the latch? What Screws do I undo. 2nd How do I get off the door panel? What screws do I undo. Clips are where? I need more detailed instructions as a novice & this makes no sense to me.

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Wednesday, May 21st, 2014 AT 7:17 PM

HMAC300

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First thing is you should really try to get a manual 76-7-8 are pretty much the same if the bolts are broken off, then there are rods connected to the latch and it should come right out as all the bolts hook up from the outside. As I said I don't have any drawing schematics of this due to age and said there are screws off of armrest and then clips around panel. You have to look otherwise have someone that is more familiar with vehicles. Do it for you if it is above your ability to do this. You can use a screwdriver to remove the door panel by prying under it at the bottom and remove clips there may be a bezel that holdsthe mirrorcontrol in place and if the arm rest h as a pull handle there may be a screw there on top that goes through the door. Again due to the age of this car we have nothing that even remotely shows a diagram to it. Our manuals do not go back that far and I am doing this from memory as I've worked on those as I've done this for 50 yrs.

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Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 AT 5:49 AM

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Where do I pull the latch out? Are you saying that I should pull it out of the hole in the picture? I can line up the holes back while it is in there so should I get the bolts & try to screw it in again. It worked fine & then started rattling & then when I got home it would not close.

Just tell me where I take out the latch & If I can realign the holes & put in the bolts without removing it. Just tell me where I take out the latch & If I can realign the holes & put in the bolts without removing it. So I can get it to latch. And close and lock. How do I open the clasp?

I do not have the resources or the patience to have this done. When I take it to a mechanic--it is not returned for 8 months with calling everyday as it brings many customers in so they are in no hurry to fix it--so I want to try myself first. Last mechanic I had to sue--he rebuilt the steering column--took 10 mos & then turn signal did not work & he refused to fix it. It turned out to be he connected a wire wrong & he could have easily checked that. I won the suit. He did not care if I got killed with no signal & I paid lots of money to have it rebuilt in stead of replaced with a junkyard as supposed to be good as new he said. One mechanic kept it 3 mos & never opened the hood & kept it so people could see it on the street. Mechanics are not like you here. They have no work ethic in my area. I love this car & have put thousands of dollars into it just recently.

Just tell me where I take out the latch & If I can realign the holes & put in the bolts without removing it. So I can get it to latch.

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Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 AT 1:29 PM

HMAC300

MECHANIC
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I went through my junk her ein the basement and found some pics of he latch and rods. It is off of a truck however but yours will be very very similar. I've copied in pdf so you can enlarge it as well as print it out hopefully you will be able to figure out hoew to get the latch out. Of course you have to remove the screws and it ahs to come out the inside of door and you'llneed to remove the rods so you can. You can 't see wha tyou are doing so it has to be done blind. I have found a panel which shows clips yours may have more I cannot help you any further than these pics show your best bet if it's beyond your ability stop at an interior repair shop and ask. This is the absolute best that we can supply an dyou are very lucky that I had these old books lying around. See pics.