So I just picked up this 1965 Laurentian 4-door sedan that has a 283 w/ powerglide and (among other ailments...) sticky doors & windows. I want to take the door panels off, scrub the crap out and fix it all up but I can't seem to get past the door handles & window cranks...
How are the secured... and more importantly (right now)... how are they dismantled? If anyone's got anything for me it would be much appreciated.
New to the forum... and new to the old-car-fixing game...
There is a special crank/handle clip tool that removes the unusual shaped clip holding them on. If you don't have one, you should purchase one. It eliminates the damage you may do to the panel if you use the backyard method (2 screwdrivers behind the handle or crank to pop the clip off)
If you don't know how it should look, just say so here and I can post a pic of the tool later tonight.
Oh, and welcome to the forum!
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson at 20:13, 2008-09-17
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
If you've got a picture of the tool you can post, that would be great... just so I know what I should be looking for. I'm anxious to get to work on 'er... and bein' that it's already getting late in the year I've decided to start inside and work my way out!
-F.D.
__________________
"I like my cars like I like my music... old & shitty." - Me.
If you get the handle gently pulled as far out as you can, and the panel pushed in as far as you can you should be able to get your face right in and see which way the clip is on. It is a "C" shape and the tool pushes onto the open end of the "C" spreading it enough that the handle pops off.
After you've done the first one, it's real easy.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
open end of the c clip should be facing the crank handle knob and the grip of the handle, so slide it in from that side and bingo the clip is out, handle will fall off
Go get the wifes turkey poker wire thing out of the drawer, bend a small hook into the end of it and you can catch the C-clip while looking down at it like Carl noted..
Before the tools were common I always made them from 60's GM vent handle knobs w/ about 4" of their strong wire attached...still use one even though I have the tool too!.
Put the C-clip on the handle first and smack it back on when you're done Dave...and make sure it's pointing where you want it to when the window is closed..
__________________
I like real cars best...especially the REAL real ones! ----------------------------------------------------------------
I'm doing the entire as it's a disaster. The body and mechanical is in surprisingly good shape. only pressing issue other than fluid changes, brake refresh and tires is an intake leak to the crankcase causing a vacuum in the crank.
I'm doing the entire as it's a disaster. The body and mechanical is in surprisingly good shape. only pressing issue other than fluid changes, brake refresh and tires is an intake leak to the crankcase causing a vacuum in the crank.
I'll try to post some progress as I go.
But the PCV valve should create vacuum in the crankcase? Or do you mean excessive vacuum?
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars