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'74 ELDO door door latch pin.

Started by Viator Trudeau, June 15, 2015, 08:24:52 PM

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Viator Trudeau

The door latch pin is adjustable, I had to really slam the door hard to get it to engage.  I cut a short piece of of thin wall copper and slipped it over where the door latch engages the pin. 
Apply lub so it will rotate when latch strikes it, cut it a 1/64" short so it will rotate when latch engages it when pin is tightened up.  Now the doors close much easier !! If there was a plastic or metal pipe there before It was not there when I got the car.
V.Trudeau         

TJ Hopland

I think the original was some sort of plastic.   Those pins fit a lot of GM stuff over a lot of years so I would expect they should still be available.   I would be checking the condition of the hinge bushings.  Could be worn letting the door sag a bit and mess up the alignment when it hits the pin.   If its a convert they are naturally a little mushy to start with so worn bushings does not help. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

m-mman

Search the words 'Dorman 38420' on google and pick your price . . .  ;D
1929 341B Town Sedan
1971 Miller-Meteor Lifeliner ambulance
Other non-Cadillac cars
Near Los Angeles, California

CLC #29634

The Tassie Devil(le)

How badly worn is your door lock?

The last picture shows the inside of the lock where the pin has worn it away.

The cause of this wear is from worn out door hinge pin bushings.

I have rebuilt door locks by pulling them to pieces and filling in the worn spots with new steel and welding.   Plus, re-bushing the hinges with kits from Rock Auto.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Viator Trudeau

T. J.'s  comment about a plastic sleeve is correct, the right door lock- pin has a plastic sleeve on it,which I think I put on when I was aligning the doors, a few years ago.I guess I did not have a sleeve to put on the left door,at that time. so seeing the plastic sleeve on the right door,and it closed so well, I then put the copper sleeve on the left door. I had a 12" length of the correct plastic tubing but could not find it,so I used the copper sleeve,a few days ago,works great!!!   The door hinge pins are tight and the latches are like new.    Hope readers can follow my story.

V. Trudeau  #8697 

mgbeda

Sounds like a great fix/improvement, Viator.  Those original plastic sleeves did not last long, so I have no reason to believe the new plastic ones would either.

-mB
-Mike Beda
CLC #24610
1976 Sedan DeVille (Bessie)

Viator Trudeau

Re     '74 ELDO ;;;  since the copper sleeve worked so well on the left door W/ door closing so easily I looked to see what my '68 had on its latch pins, the pins have the original plastic sleeves. I was always wondering why the '68 doors closed so nicely compared to the '74.  The '74  had no sleeve on the left door, now it does and  that door closes very good.  A simple fix to puzzling problem.

V.  Trudeau

The Tassie Devil(le)

Could it be that the '68 was a Coupe, and therefore less body flexing?

The Convertibles after '70 had lots of flex, and might have required a stronger locking striker?

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe