[Healeys] BJ Series Door Latches (WAS door striker alert)

[Rich C]

Hello Listers,

A tip recently learned from assembling and adjusting door latches and 
strikers on a Phase 1 BJ8.....

While working on a flat pull exterior door handle on a Phase 1 BJ8, (same as 
BJ7) I found a faulty reproduction situation in the angled metal tab portion 
of the exterior handle that sits inside the door. This tab pushes on the 
inside latch release lever when the door handle is pulled from the outside, 
popping the mechanism to release the latch. The problem was in the width of 
this repro tab being too wide, effectively causing the release throw to be 
always partially in the release position. The over centre latch which is 
required to pivot closed was barely holding in it's notch and would often 
spring open, or when closing the door, not catch at all causing the door to 
simply spring back open. The solution was to grind away a good 1/8" of the 
width of the release tab on this repro handle thereby allowing the latch 
mechanism to be fully at rest and able to fully pivot the latch to close the 
mechanism.

I don't know if this same situation might be involving the later push button 
BJ8's or not, but this clearance issue between latch mechanism and door 
handle release tolerances up inside the door is worth checking before all 
the door trim and inside handles are installed.

Rich Chrysler


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Stromquist" <dan at warner-associates.com>
To: <healeys at autox.team.net>; "'Mark LaPierre'" <lapierrem at sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 10:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Healeys] door striker alert-not BJ7 & BJ8


> Mark:
> Is that door striker the internal parts that fit inside the door itself or
> are you referring to just the stud piece that fits on the body?  I was 
> told
> the pieces that fit inside the door are not available but can be repaired 
> by
> spot welding the C piece latch to its shaft that goes into the door 
> assembly
> (thanks Ed Townley).  My hope was spot welding might solve the problematic
> door latching issues these cars seem to have.  Did replacing the part make
> your door close normally without slamming?  I have a BJ8.
> Dan