Exterior Door Handle Removal

[Marty73]

I know this has been asked before, but I can't seem to find the old thread...

I need to remove the exterior door handles on my 1973 Challenger as i prep for paint, I can get the main bolt off and get the handle loose, but I'll be darned if I can get the lock/latch rods to disconnect from the handles.

Is there some trick I'm missing? Anyone have a diagram? I can't seem to find one of those to look at and figure it out.

Thanks!
         Marty

[anlauto]

The open/close rod has two plastic clips on each end, simply rotate the clip to disconnect. The lock rod is a pressure fit into the door latch, pry it out with a screw driver.

[Claudia]

  Here is a picture of what the plastic clips should look like . . . green represents the actual metal rod placement . . . you need to lightly pry on the red arrow area and slide the plastic clip out of the rod then you should be able to pull the rod out of the other end of the plastic clip.

[Claudia]

Here are a couple of additional pictures which should help . . .

[Claudia]

A few more . . .

[anlauto]

Excellent pictures

[Marty73]

Awesome, thanks! So there is on clip at the handle and one at he latch? Am I looking at that right?

[anlauto]

Awesome, thanks! So there is on clip at the handle and one at he latch? Am I looking at that right?

On the larger rod yes...either one can be disconnected for removal 

[Claudia]

  Two rods run from the handle down to the latch assembly.  Large rod runs from the handle down to the latch to operates the latch open and has clips at both ends of the rod.  Smaller rod runs from the handle to the latch assembly and operates the door lock.

[71vert340]

 I learned the hard way about being careful with the screwdriver. I chipped the corner of my OEM driver's door glass when I got careless and slipped with the screwdriver. I had removed the door handles several times previous with no problems. An expensive lesson.
Terry

[MEK-Dangerous]

I hope you have small hands. It's a pain trying to get big hands in the opening behind the door handle to get the rods in place.

It's crazy that the door handle is held in by just one bolt.

[anlauto]

I learned the hard way about being careful with the screwdriver. I chipped the corner of my OEM driver's door glass when I got careless and slipped with the screwdriver. I had removed the door handles several times previous with no problems. An expensive lesson.
Terry

Years ago I was using a long pry bar....slipped and shattered a brand new door glass into a million pieces on a customer's car....that was an EXPENSIVE lesson...and time consuming too...

[Marty73]

I'm 6' 5" and 270lbs...ain't nothing small about me.

I feel like a contortionist every time I do interior work on the car!