Hello everyone I am new to this forum... 

I have a 1963 Grand Prix that I am getting it back on the road... After the exterior door handle was removed for a paint job, the car won't latch anymore the door closes all the way in but wont "catch" the stricker... I thought it was a defective door latch, ordered a new reproduction from ebay and after installing it I still have the exact same problem... How to I adjust these latches? 

 

 

Welcome to the site...

Is this pic of the end of the door...?? Or the jam on the body side...???

Some more detailed pics of both the end of the door and the jam on the body would be helpful in determining what would need to be done...

Thank you...

I was working on it yesterday and noticed that the star/gear shaped parts that rides on the striker moves freely in both directions and on the passenger door that is working normal it does not...  Is there an adjustment for that?

Here are the pictures

Oh oh ! Are you thinking what I am thinking is the fault two lane ? 
the clue is in the fact the outer door handle had been removed !!! 

very cool seats 63 gp !!! wrongway will see these and love them !!! ... he has a 63 gp and i bet he is gona want to chat to ya !

i see you have a very sad factory steering wheel like we ALL have had .... there is lots of info on fp about rebuilding them yourself !!! 

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Oh oh ! Are you thinking what I am thinking is the fault two lane ? 
the clue is in the fact the outer door handle had been removed !!! 

Yeah but even without the handles it was doing that... and only on the drivers side the passenger was ok... I am not sure if when they went to remove it they bent something or disconnected something inside the door that is giving me problems now... I have tried everything even buying a new reproduction lock mechanism and still no luck.

17 minutes ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

very cool seats 63 gp !!! wrongway will see these and love them !!! ... he has a 63 gp and i bet he is gona want to chat to ya !

i see you have a very sad factory steering wheel like we ALL have had .... there is lots of info on fp about rebuilding them yourself !!! 

Just had the seats redone last week, here is how they looked a couple of weeks ago. I know I am going to upset the purists that want everything stock, but I did the way I like it, I drive the car  and I love it.. It has a Buick 455/TH400 (Installed by the previous owner) so it does not matter, it is not a numbers matching special car... 

I am going to try to redo the wheel just bought an Amazon special 63 impala steering wheel to install while I have this one repaired.

 

I suspect that there may a missing or broken spring/tab inside the door...perhaps if you can look at the mechanism inside the passenger door for reference and see if it is the same...Or if something is missing or bent on the driver's side...

Edited February 14, 20242 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

Is that part of the lock mechanism or a separate part in the door? I am asking since I replaced the whole lock in the door and still have the exact same problem.

Has been a really long time (25 plus years)...Since I've messed with an old school push button door handle/related parts...I'm sure that I have an old GM body manual here buried here somewhere...Will look for it...But the handle and the key lock are separate from the internal mechanism in the door...

Edited February 14, 20242 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

63 gp 

your door lock cog is spinning freely because either the exterior door push pin is pushing on the lever in the latch … or the interior door handle push rod is doing it ….

first pic I am pulling on the interior door handle and it’s opening the gate on that sprang 

 

Second pic you can see the gate closed and that sprang can’t rotate freely 

Edited February 14, 20242 yr by 64 kiwi boni

See in this picture the star shaped cog . If the exterior door pin is pushing on the clash pad you can see at the top or the push rod from the interior door handle is pulling it opens the gate on that star shaped cog and your gear shaped cog on the out side of that latch won’t lock into the clash plate and lock .. 

Easy test … press the button on your exterior door .. does there feel to be a little free play before it touches that plate on the latch … I recon it would be about a 1/16. To 1/8 free play !!

second is there free play on the interior door handle ? One of them isn’t right 

it’s not your latch that’s at fault or is it adjustment of the pillar catch 

This is looking inside the passenger side door skin in my 64 parts shell .. and it’s super easy for you to see this in your girl too 

one or the other is operating the latch 

I recon if u take that door handle off and see if the gate closes you have found your answer 

Edited February 14, 20242 yr by 64 kiwi boni

9 hours ago, TWO LANE BLACK TOP said:

Has been a really long time (25 plus years)...Since I've messed with an old school push button door handle/related parts...I'm sure that I have an old GM body manual here buried here somewhere...Will look for it...But the handle and the key lock are separate from the internal mechanism in the door...

Thank you. I just bought a GM body manual from ebay hopefully it will arrive soon... Thank you for the tip did not know they still existed for sale...

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

63 gp 

your door lock cog is spinning freely because either the exterior door push pin is pushing on the lever in the latch … or the interior door handle push rod is doing it ….

first pic I am pulling on the interior door handle and it’s opening the gate on that sprang 

 

Second pic you can see the gate closed and that sprang can’t rotate freely 

Thank you, I will check that today when I get back home... I know for sure it is not the exterior handle, because I was having this problem without it. I was opening the door with my finger pressing the clash pad... I will check my interior handle bar.

 

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

See in this picture the star shaped cog . If the exterior door pin is pushing on the clash pad you can see at the top or the push rod from the interior door handle is pulling it opens the gate on that star shaped cog and your gear shaped cog on the out side of that latch won’t lock into the clash plate and lock .. 

Easy test … press the button on your exterior door .. does there feel to be a little free play before it touches that plate on the latch … I recon it would be about a 1/16. To 1/8 free play !!

second is there free play on the interior door handle ? One of them isn’t right 

it’s not your latch that’s at fault or is it adjustment of the pillar catch 

This is looking inside the passenger side door skin in my 64 parts shell .. and it’s super easy for you to see this in your girl too 

one or the other is operating the latch 

I recon if u take that door handle off and see if the gate closes you have found your answer 

Thank you, it is not the exterior handle as it also happens when I remove it and just use my finger to open it, maybe the interior handle mechanism will check tonight

Hey 63, welcome buddy. So first, you might want to spray everything out really good. You said it was removed for paint, sometimes dirt, dust and garbage can get inside those little gears and springs and "gum it up". I've personally seen it and had it happen to me when I've had things apart for paint. It probably won't fix the problem, but it can't hurt to do a good cleaning and maybe spray a bit of oil. Second, awesome interior bud, I love it! Would love to see some pics of the rest of the car when you can.

Kiwi, great pics of that latch bro!

23 minutes ago, Wrongway said:

Hey 63, welcome buddy. So first, you might want to spray everything out really good. You said it was removed for paint, sometimes dirt, dust and garbage can get inside those little gears and springs and "gum it up". I've personally seen it and had it happen to me when I've had things apart for paint. It probably won't fix the problem, but it can't hurt to do a good cleaning and maybe spray a bit of oil. Second, awesome interior bud, I love it! Would love to see some pics of the rest of the car when you can.

Kiwi, great pics of that latch bro!

Thank you, I was working on it today with the guy that took it apart, it looks like the interior handle had to be adjusted to stop pulling on the latch mechanism that stopped the cog from moving freely, it now engages the first stage of the lock, after inspecting and trying to align the door latch catch it looked like the stricker teeth are kind of worn out and that may be causing the my problems... I ordered a new one from ebay today hopefully this will end my saga with this door... 

 

I want to thank everybody in this forum for your time and extremally nice pictures that helped me a lot. 

 

Wrongway, the car is not completely done yet but here are some pictures of it...

 

Please everyone be kind I am not keeping it stock, it was not stock when I got it to start, and I like the way it is. Last place I posted photos everybody hated the fact that I was not keeping it stock, Buick engine etc... 

 

 

As far as people hating on you or your ride bro, it won't happen here. This place really is like one big family and the people on this site wouldn't put up it. We have a great group of very knowledgeable and very respectful people here.  Your ride looks great to me! I wanted my inside to look stock but only because I personally like the look of the stock 63, for now. The outside is NOT so stock and I'm sure it pissed off some people but oh well, I don't recall them putting money into my build.

Here's a mine and where I'm at bro, not so stock  

Thankz for the pic's.  We LOVE pic's round here.  Look forward to watching your progress on the build.  Keep the pic's coming! You wouldn't ruffle any feathers round here.  Very few can say they are 100% original.  We focus on gettin em back on the road and  having fun with them.  Keepin the dream and Pontiac legend alive.  No matter the roadblocks that always pop up.  If it was easy and inexpensive, everyone would do it! (even Fitzy)  We have all been to the edge and ready to quit,  but when it's right and runnin well.  There is no bigger ego boost then a carshow award or the many thumbs up and smiles received during a cruise, Justa out enjoyin your beast!  You at least have help and support here in the FP family.  Chat it up in the forum with us and add your knowledge to the pool when ever you can.

No hate here...

455 CID Buick engine = 4.312 bore...3.90 stroke...With the correct combination of mostly Factory parts can easily make one horsepower per cubic inch...and 500 ft lbs of torque...And have high quality Forged internal parts (crankshaft/rods/pistons) From the Factory...For reasons unbeknownst  to me...They are the most overlooked/underrated of all the GM 455 engines...

Due to the thin wall casting technology... They also weigh 150 lbs. Less than a 454 Chevrolet engine...

Edited February 17, 20242 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

8 hours ago, Wrongway said:

As far as people hating on you or your ride bro, it won't happen here. This place really is like one big family and the people on this site wouldn't put up it. We have a great group of very knowledgeable and very respectful people here.  Your ride looks great to me! I wanted my inside to look stock but only because I personally like the look of the stock 63, for now. The outside is NOT so stock and I'm sure it pissed off some people but oh well, I don't recall them putting money into my build.

Here's a mine and where I'm at bro, not so stock  

IMG_5644.MOV IMG_5627.MOV

Wrongway it looks fantastic. I love the color and the paint details on the roof, can't wait to see pics of it completed!!!  What color is the interior?

1 hour ago, JUSTA6 said:

Thankz for the pic's.  We LOVE pic's round here.  Look forward to watching your progress on the build.  Keep the pic's coming! You wouldn't ruffle any feathers round here.  Very few can say they are 100% original.  We focus on gettin em back on the road and  having fun with them.  Keepin the dream and Pontiac legend alive.  No matter the roadblocks that always pop up.  If it was easy and inexpensive, everyone would do it! (even Fitzy)  We have all been to the edge and ready to quit,  but when it's right and runnin well.  There is no bigger ego boost then a carshow award or the many thumbs up and smiles received during a cruise, Justa out enjoyin your beast!  You at least have help and support here in the FP family.  Chat it up in the forum with us and add your knowledge to the pool when ever you can.

Thank you. I will keep posting more pics when I do more things to the GP....

One thing that bothers me, is the brake system being all 4 drum brakes and one circuit for all 4 wheels... Never had a car like that before, what is your opinion on that should I upgrade the brake system to power brakes & disks in the front?

1 hour ago, TWO LANE BLACK TOP said:

No hate here...

455 CID Buick engine = 4.312 bore...3.90 stroke...With the correct combination of mostly Factory parts can easily make one horsepower per cubic inch...and 500 ft lbs of torque...And have high quality Forged internal parts (crankshaft/rods/pistons) From the Factory...For reasons unbeknownst  to me...They are the most overlooked/underrated of all the GM 455 engines...

Due to the thin wall casting technology... They also weigh 150 lbs. Less than a 454 Chevrolet engine...

Hello TWO LANE,

It has no problem spinning both wheels in first gear and when it shifts to second gear as wheel... the only problem is driving on the rain no traction control here 🙂 I bought new wheels for it hopefully I will be able to fit wider tires in the back for more traction,,, 

Have a great weekend guys!!!

3 hours ago, 63grandprix said:

Thank you. I will keep posting more pics when I do more things to the GP....

One thing that bothers me, is the brake system being all 4 drum brakes and one circuit for all 4 wheels... Never had a car like that before, what is your opinion on that should I upgrade the brake system to power brakes & disks in the front?

That's a safety issue,  I swapped out my front drums for Disk. You can change your master to a front/rear setup as well. Knowing you would still have some brakes in case of a blown line. But going that far. Make it safe and buy a kit for the whole thing including power brake booster. 

7 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

No matter the roadblocks that always pop up.  If it was easy and inexpensive, everyone would do it! (even Fitzy)  

I see my name has been used in vain, again! I suppose I should be glad that I generate interest.

What the guys say is all true, Ron. Authenticity is paramount if you're going concourse or you're a stickler for detail, but in the real world where 60+ year old cars have to mix it up with modern traffic, anything you can do to improve the experience is worth it. AND it's your car. The guys gave me the same spiel when I was dithering about some slight mods to my own car - in the end, it's yours and that's that.

34 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

I see my name has been used in vain, again! I suppose I should be glad that I generate interest.

What the guys say is all true, Ron. Authenticity is paramount if you're going concourse or you're a stickler for detail, but in the real world where 60+ year old cars have to mix it up with modern traffic, anything you can do to improve the experience is worth it. AND it's your car. The guys gave me the same spiel when I was dithering about some slight mods to my own car - in the end, it's yours and that's that.

Thank you Fitzy...  I am glad I found this group... I am sure I will have lots of questions/problems before the car is all done.. but at least now it will be drivable it again... It has been a long time since it went to the paint shop, putting it back together is taking a lot longer with my limited time to work on it and no garage to work on it at night.

7 hours ago, 63grandprix said:

Wrongway it looks fantastic. I love the color and the paint details on the roof, can't wait to see pics of it completed!!!  What color is the interior?

Thanks bro. Right now the seats are the original 1963 white interior. I have charged out the red carpet for black and painted the dash to match the body color.