Locking Drivers Door on an 1800

[Kauai1800]

Aloha All,

Well I am getting the brake light issue sorted out and tomorrow I should finally have my 1964 1800S on the road.

I can't figure out how to lock my the driver side door. It does not push forward like the passenger side does...I push it forward and it simply springs back.

Can't really seem to get the key to lock the door either. Not a big worry since locking the doors is not really something we do that much...but still I'd like to know how it should be working.

I have spent the last few days cutting a piece of wood to lift myself up a bit in the seat, and I put on a really sweet black leather lace-up steering wheel cover that makes the car look like new. Replaced the tailights with some halogen ones from IPD and sometime around 9 pm on Friday UK time, you can be sure I'll be out cruising.

And what would you spend your hard-earned £600 on? 15" minilites and new tires (ahem..tyres) or a THUMPING sound system hidden away where it can't be seen? (whatever I do I want to maintain a fairly authentic stock look).

Cheers!
John

[Derek UK]

£600? Good set of standard tyres, new shocks, complete suspension rebush plus any sloppy ball joints. Any money left? Should be enough to fix the seat properly with new webbing............

[48pop]

Seat fix cost approx £6 ($12)....
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...45&postcount=1

[Gordon Hunter]

After spending out on the above, you won't need a sound system. You can relax in those newly firmed up front seats, chill out to the sweet sound of a 40 year old push rod engine doing its thing whilst enjoying the fact that you are driving a truly unique classic.

have fun...

Gordon

EDIT:

It's really hard to say other than general wear what the problem is without having a look inside the door at the mechanism. However it sounds like one of the connecting rods has come off. The retaining clips can work loose and pop off especially if a previous restorer has fogotten to replace the washer.
If you get round to stripping it out and find this is the problem let me know and I'll dig out a clip for you if you don't find it in the door bottom.

G

[Gordon Hunter]

Hi again John,

This is a blow up cross-section of an 1800 door, guessing you are left hand drive, this should be the correct one.
Anyway, the red circle shows the clips that can come off, but it may be problems at the lock end.
Let us know how you get on.

[Gordon Hunter]

Here's an actual lock assembly with a clip circled. There are more than one of these clips in the whole mechanism though...

[48pop]

My amazon came without most of those......I've had to improvise with some temporary cable ties till I can get the proper items.

Cheers
Gerry

[Gordon Hunter]

Here's another scenario.
Sometimes if a lock is forced (not necessarily by a burglar) it can push the striker plate underneath the circled screw out of true. To remedy this, just tighten (or slacken) the screw a couple of turns until it just skims over the plate without snagging on it.
Or maybe the other parts just got worn over time and the plate no longer lines up correctly. Remedy still the same.