OK so here's my next dilema. What are the door catches on the coupe from? The drivers door isn't opening any longer I'd like to shake the tester who did the MOT warmly by the neck. I'd hoped they were Mini as I've got some of those on the shelf but that would have been too easy.

Iain

use to be able to get them from Europa spares,

Latch Antiburst Lotus/Aston
BDLAB
£29.50 +vat a pair

info from an old catalogue, cannot find them on their site just now, but might be worth a call to have a chat hopefully the part number will still be on their system and you can work from that.

or wait till stoneleigh to buy a suitable one, might be worth taking it apart and seeing if it can be repaired as did this myself on an old set.

Is it def the lock that bust and not just the linkage, misalignment of the lock as that can cause it to jam up a bit.

WEST

Thanks - I'll have a dig for those. Once I've worked out what's wrong I can make a more informed decision on whether to just replace them or not. Need to get the **** door open first though.

Iain

Obviously try both inner and outer handles give it a little nudge aswell,


depending how you have got your door cards on you can get them off with the door shut if lucky, think my passenger side was easier than the drivers side from memory,

From inside the car
remove the rubber sill and remove the door card, or remove best you can and wedge it out a litte also you can try and see whats going on with a mirror and flick with a screw driver if needed, had a lock linkage fall off once on the drivers door as i forgot the cunning placed locking tywrap, and i dont have the lock linked up for the inner handle so had to dothis to unlock it.

WEST

Neither inside or outside will open it. I've tried pushing/pulling and lifting and pushing down on the door to try and release any pressure it might be under but no joy. I think I'll be able to get the door "card" off if I pull the seals - hopefully that'll let me get at it with a suitable tool (I'll ask someone to hide the hammers first I think).

Iain

Iain,

On my last Coupe I had a sticky door, which was because the handle was in the wrong place. Have you tried only partly pulling at the handle when you open it? I know it sounds daft, but mine was moving the mechanism too far.

Just another option for you to try!

The locks aren't mini, they are too wide for the door. I got my bits from Stoneleigh last year.

I have got a spare set of locks and handles (not in the best condition though)

If you get it open and can't find the bits, then let me know.

I've worked out what was happening. Sort of like you said. The hole in the door "card" is too big and when you open it from the inside the handle moves backwards a little. This pushes the locking rod just enough to partially lock the door but since the internal handle has moved the lever is in the unlocked position. Even if you try to unlock it with the key from the outside you can't because the friction holding the handle is too much. Now I know what's happening I can open it every time by pushing the internal handle forwards by hand. I'm looking at whether it's going to be easier to modify the hole so the handle can't move or shorten the locking rod a fraction.

Iain

Mine was the same but not quite so bad. It's a pain to keep shuffling the handl about to make it work. I altered the hole in the door card (actually I made new door cards from rippled alloy) to fit correctly.

Chaps - Think you will find locks are Austin Maxi or posibly Allegro

I picked some up at Stoneleigh last year. There is normally someone where selling them. I can't remember what car they were from, but I'm sure that there are plenty of the BL cars of the time that they were fitted to.

Would have to investigate those - I have ascertained that they are the same as the Lotus Elan+2 but it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to find that the same ones were fitted to the Allegro or Maxi.

Iain

They're Marina, Allegro, and Range Rover amongst others

Yes I agree. They are Marina/ Allegro fitting.
Just a quick change of subject whilst on the topic of doors, does anybody know where I can obtain the Mk1 Mini sliding window catches from. One of mine is broken so badly that it fell off.

Plastic or metal ones? I think that minispares and other such specialists stock the plastic ones, but I can't remember seeing any of the metal ones. Might be worth trying Evil bay.

I've just ordered one from evilbay total including postage is a little under £6. As far as I remember the chrome ones aren't available any longer - a second-hand set went through ebay over the weekend and fetched over £50

Iain