Door Latch Swap

[jbregar]

Is it possible to retrofit the paddle-type internal door handles to a 66 door? I'd want to leave the external stuff in the same place, but I'd much prefer the paddle handle to the crank style that came stock.

I don't have access to a set of paddle handles, but assuming they pull the latch the same way it should just be a matter of mounting them up and making a rod to fit, right?

I need to look inside of someone's later-model doors and my 66 doors and see if we can figure out a solution to upgrade me to the paddles.

[casadejohnson]

You will have to do some cutting and maybe some welding for the hole where the later style latch goes but I'm sure its doable. The holes in the door behind the inner door panel are not the same as I recall. I have a set of 66 doors that were converted to the later style striker and latch but the guts have all been removed so I don't know exactly how they were set up. I have both styles and I prefer the early style to the paddle latches because the latter style has given me more problems.

[jbregar]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I'm not opposed to welding and cutting to get the job done, but I'd like to get a gander at a 68-77 door to see what I'm working with.

Maybe I'll head north next weekend and around the Bronco boneyard in Springs to see if I can piece something together.

BTW, how's my old Dana 30 running?

[akaFrankCastle]

Have you considered cutting out your door posts and welding in 68-77 style posts in their place? That would give you the option of reselling your current doors and would probably require less fab work.

[cracker]

It would be alot easier to just change the door striker than trying to change the inside of the door. But, if you want to look inside a 68-77 door, let me know you can come by and look at a set I have.

[casadejohnson]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I'm not opposed to welding and cutting to get the job done, but I'd like to get a gander at a 68-77 door to see what I'm working with.

Maybe I'll head north next weekend and around the Bronco boneyard in Springs to see if I can piece something together.

BTW, how's my old Dana 30 running?

Ha! I wondered if you would remember that was me. The Dana 30 works like new! All I did was swap out the King Pin bearings and bolted it up. I looked at the ring gear when I installed it and it had the same production date as my old one. Your old inner door panel is in use as well.

I think I have photos of my 74 doors when they were apart. I'll try to find some and post them.

[jbregar]

Glad to hear it's still ticking on. If I hadn't gotten the cherry deal on the D44, I would have rebuilt it's kingpins myself and used it.

[casadejohnson]

I'm not finding the photos I thought I had of my 74 doors but I need to pull the inner panel off of my 68 to reattach the rod to the outside handle. If I get to that this weekend, I can take some good shots for you.