Hey all, I am looking for insight regarding my front door locks on my 68 Polara wagon. The lock buttons will not push down on either door so I figured the mechanism was seized. Both doors are not seized and my key fits both locks and turns left to right, but the doors will not lock. Is there a common part that gets bound up in these mechanisms. When looking down in the door I can see the arm trying to move.
68 Polara Front Door Locks
- Thread starter Moparbo
- Start date
This might help:
Lube the heck out of everything and work it.
As all of those linkage items usually have some "movement room" designed into them, you might need to take off the door trim panel to see what is going on in there. Might be a deteriorated "fold over clip" that has disintegrated, or something like that.
Are you dealing with manual locks or electric locks?
Also be aware that pre-1969 C-body Chrysler Corp front door doors could not be locked in the same manner as GM front door locks. Where the inside lock button was pushed down, the outside handle button was pushed in, and the door closed. Had to use the key on the Chrysler Corp doors so you had the key in your hand when you walked away from the car, rather than leaving it in the ignition switch.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
Are you dealing with manual locks or electric locks?
Also be aware that pre-1969 C-body Chrysler Corp front door doors could not be locked in the same manner as GM front door locks. Where the inside lock button was pushed down, the outside handle button was pushed in, and the door closed. Had to use the key on the Chrysler Corp doors so you had the key in your hand when you walked away from the car, rather than leaving it in the ignition switch.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
What CBODY said- fold over or retainer clip. Be careful however when you get in there. If the clip is still intact but off its place, be sure you go easy putting it back or you can snap it. I had two that came off years ago and luckily they went back on with no drama.
They are still there doing their job.
They are still there doing their job.
There can be basically three kinds of clips, of which two are similar but different in that one is plastic and the other one is thin, hardened metal (of which there can be right hand and left hand versions). The third type is metal u-shaped clip through which the rod end (with a groove in it) slides into and locks on the groove.
Take care,
CBODY67
Take care,
CBODY67
Once you take the door panel off, it is pretty easy to see what is going on. Take off your door arm rest (two screws underneath) inside door latch, and window handles. Then take a trim removal tool and pop each of the retainers around the door panel edges. Probably about 20 of them. Just grabbing the edge a pulling will likely rip the clips out of the door panel unless they are in really good shape. Once all the clips are released you can lift the panel straight up and out of the window channel. When off and if you still can’t figure out what is happening, lock it with the key and watch the mechanism. Download the service manual from MyMopar.com. They’re free if the’68 Polara Monaco one is not available grab the Chrysler or Plymouth fury manual. Mechanical stuff will mostly be the same.
These are manual locks on the car. I have already removed the door panels and inspected both mechanisms. Everything seems to be intact but both will not lock, it’s weird indeed. I will try to send pictures in case someone sees something i don’t.
I have removed and inspected both mechanisms. They seem intact and want to move but the door lock can’t be pushed down and the key will not allow it to lock either. The key is correct for the lock cylinder so it makes no sense
Is this car new to you? Have the door locks worked before? Probably a dumb question, but does the key operate the ignition switch correctly?
Key that operates the ignition is different than than the door key on my car.
The ignition switch or column was probably changed at one time. Both my 66 and 70 have matching ignition and door keys and the trunk is different. (round key)
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