stuck lock passenger door '76 CDV

[Hankk17]

Hey all - Anyone have suggestions on how to deal with a stuck passenger door lock in a '76 CDV?  I just noticed it today when I went to turn the engine over to charge the battery after letting the car sit in the garage hidden from the snow for a few months.

I'm assuming the door lock actuator is corroded stuck and I'll have to take the door apart to get to it, but at the moment its stuck closed and locked.  Would a slim jim get me out of this so I can open the door and take it apart easily?  I don't want to bend any of the rods inside.

ideas?

Thanks!

-Hank K

[bcroe]

I have had a couple of those.  In one the door handle hinge was corroded.  Once to was pulled, it
failed to go fully back, and because of that the door couldn't be unlocked. 

In another case the actual door latch mechanism (held by 3 big screws) was corroded. 
After getting it unlocked with the slim jim, took it out and cleaned it up.  There is stuff
to dissolve most rust when soaked.  good luck, Bruce Roe

[Hankk17]

Hey Bruce, thanks for the response.  so a slim jim should be OK to use in this situation?

[Hankk17]

update:  fixed!

somehow one of the rods got jammed diagonally the last time I used the door locks before I put the car in the garage for the winter last year.  Tonight I took my home made aluminun slimjim and after observing how the working door worked by watching through the teeny slit between the window gaskets and the window itself I pulled on the rod I thought should be the one a few times with no luck.. then in frustration I pushed laterally and heard a POP and viola the door lock started working again, woot!

tomorrow I take the door apart the right way and try to figure out what's bent.

I love it when a plan comes together.. lol   

-Hank

[TJ Hopland]

Cool you got it working for the time being.   When I get frustrated things usually dont start working.  Usually at that point for me things get worse. 

If you get a chance some pictures or sketches would be handy for when it happens to the rest of us.