69 Sport Satellite (2 Door) Door Is Stuck Shut

[moparben]

Hi, I shut the passenger door on my 69 Sport Satellite and it got stuck. It will not open. It's not all the way closed, I can see it's not flush with the body on the outside, but it's tight, it won't budge, no shake, rattle or movement at all. I weigh 300+Lbs and I can't get it to move at all. The lock button still moves up and down but not as far as normal. It only moves about 1/2 of what it used to. When I push the outside opener button or pull the inside handle it feels like it's doing something, but doesn't make any difference at all. The door is stuck like the Dukes of Hazard welded it shut.
Is there a trick that someone knows how to get it open? Slim Jim or coat hanger? It appears to me that the passenger seat will have to come out and then pull the door panel off the door and get inside there to undo something.
Years ago on my 1969 GTX *(same year) inside the driver door, sometimes the flat actuating bar would come off the round button that actuates the latch lever. The keeper clip would come off the bar and fall to the bottom inside the door when I shut it and the bar would move to a position below the button. Luckily on the GTX when it happened the bar got stuck under the button and would still move the lever and the door would still open, but you couldn't lock that door. And you didn't have to press the open button very far at all for it to open. lt seemed like the bar was holding the actuating lever part way toward opening, which also kept the locking part from working. 1969 is one of those years you can't lock yourself out by shutting the door with the lock button pushed down, it will pop right up when the door shuts. The only way you can lock the door on a 69 is with the key in the door lock. I'm suspicious of that special locking mechanism being part of the problem on the Satellite. Does anyone know? Thank you. mpb

 

[Cranky]

Never liked using a slim Jim/hanger stuff but maybe you can get up there through the drain hole in the bottom? I did that once on a car but don't remember what one it was.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Try pushing from the outside to get it to settle all the way. Pull out slightly, then push hard by the edge of the door as to not dent it.

 

[moparben]

Never liked using a slim Jim/hanger stuff but maybe you can get up there through the drain hole in the bottom? I did that once on a car but don't remember what one it was.

OK, thanx for the reply, I don't like to damage anything either, but in this case if it's minimal and I can fix that after I get the door open, well that's two steps forward and one step back, so it's worth it if it's easy. mpb

 

[moparben]

Try pushing from the outside to get it to settle all the way. Pull out slightly, then push hard by the edge of the door as to not dent it.

OK, tnx for reply, I think you mean to use something to pry it some from the edge after I push in on it. I can try that. It is so jammed tightly against something, but not the car, that I figure it must be something in the striker area, like something moved out of place and rolled over top of something else. I'm not above prying on it with pieces of wood or plastic, because this car is not a survivor anymore as the guy who had it befor me repainted the passenger side. Thank you for offering. mpb

 

[Kevin Bisgrove]

On mine I found that the roller latch with gears just would not turn. It was basically seized.
Make sure you have the lever or better yet the rod pulled in the fully open position.
I beat mine from the inside with a 2x4 and a hammer on the strike side. It didn't do any damage to the door but I'm sure it will excite you to do it either!

 

[moparben]

On mine I found that the roller latch with gears just would not turn. It was basically seized.
Make sure you have the lever or better yet the rod pulled in the fully open position.
I beat mine from the inside with a 2x4 and a hammer on the strike side. It didn't do any damage to the door but I'm sure it will excite you to do it either!

OK, Thank you for the reply.
I hear your concern for damage. FYI This car is almost 100% a survivor. There's almost no rust at all anywhere except a hole thru the outside metal behind the Left Rear tire way down in the bottom 2" to 3" of the rear quarter. It has a vinyl top, and it has rust bumps on both sail panels under the vinyl. So it does look real good, but it was repainted from front to back on the Passenger side, so it can't qualify as a true survivor.

OK, I slammed my shoulder into it from the inside while pulling on the handle and pushing on the the outside thumb button and I honestly thought that at more than 300Lbs it would do the trick, but it didn't. It's just like being welded there.
My next trick will be to pull the passenger seat out and then remove the door panel/ card and go inside there with a strong light and see what the hell's going on. I honestly don't know what to expect. Last resort will be remove the front fender and try to yank the hinge bolts or something from that end.

OK? Thanks. I will post when I make some kind of progress.
tnx mpb

 

[Runcharger]

Sometimes, you can lift the door up at the same time as depressing the button and they will open. Other than that, yeah pull the door panel off and it won't be all that fun.

 

[moparben]

Sometimes, you can lift the door up at the same time as depressing the button and they will open. Other than that, yeah pull the door panel off and it won't be all that fun.

Lifting the door to move the latch up some? I haven't tried that yet. I am about to start pulling the seat out, and you probably already know, I will have to pull the driver seat out first to keep from damaging it as I get the passenger seat out. So, I will try jamming a pry-bar under it and see where it leads.

Thanks for the offer.
mpb