1951 Cadillac Coupe exterior door handle removal help needed

[jaybobc]

Hello group! As the title of this article suggests, I’m working on a 1951 Cadillac coupe and I can’t get the exterior door handle off.  The manual mentions removing a screw that attaches the spring plate to the pillar face, but I see no such screw. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[jaybobc]

Here are a couple of photos for reference.

[Dave Ventresca]

just insert a screwdriver in the tab that is in your pic. it slides out. maybe spray wd 40. rust may be in there. Dave

[Quentin Hall]

The outside door handle has a 2 inch slider strip attaching to the inner of the doorskin (that tab thing at the lower middle of your pic) that needs to be pulled out half an inch or so. It has a key way to locate the barrel and the handle that goes thru the door. It’s always a bit sticky like Dave mentioned. I use a flat wide blade chisel and a rag against the paintwork and jiggle/pry it free. Sometimes they can be stuck hard and need overnight soaking in lubricant. I have several 53 doors apart in my workshop so if you haven’t had success by then I’ll post better pics to show exactly how.

[Quentin Hall]

Here you go. This is the slider I’m referring to.