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Bugeye Door Latch - How to keep it from flopping around?

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DanLewis

DanLewis

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I'm trying to eliminate as many rattles in my Bugeye as possible. One source is the door latch assemblies like those shown below. The door latch works fine, but when the doors are closed, the handles are incredibly loose and flop back and forth causing a minor but annoying noise when I hit a bump in the road. I know that the spring shown in the lower right is supposed to keep tension on the handle when the door is closed and thus prevent the handle from moving up and down, but there's still quite a bit of side-to-side play. Has anyone ever found a way to prevent this?

Thanks!
Dan

$T2eC16NHJGQE9noMZH!FBRU0Z3HTlw~~60_12.JPG
 
Hi Paul,

apbos said:
Dan
Nick Conklin's car came with a latch spring that might help you out. You can find a discription of the mod here........https://www.sebringsprite.com/conklin.html
Click to expand...

Thanks. You must mean these (below). That would definitely do the job, but I was hoping for something that wouldn't require that I do anything more than just simply shut the doors. :smile:

Conklin022S.jpg Conklin023S.jpg

Dan
 
Are yours original or replacement? Mine are original and I have never noticed any noise from them. I do need to replace my drivers side since it is worn enough that the door work's till it is unlatched.

Kurt.
 
Hi Kurt,

nomad said:
Are yours original or replacement? Mine are original and I have never noticed any noise from them. I do need to replace my drivers side since it is worn enough that the door work's till it is unlatched.
Click to expand...

They're replacements and probably not up to the same quality as the originals.

Dan
 
Thanks Dan, I was wondering about that. No originals available so I will probably be facing the same problem.

Kurt
 
Dan,

Looks like the cure is to find a pair of originals. Shouldn't be difficult with a want-ad here. Like Kurt, I've never noticed a noise from mine (2 different cars)
 
So I'm missing the Male-Striker Plate that mounts on the Door Jamb that the Female Latch connects with for the PS on Bugsy II. Is the issue with rattling due to wear in the latch or wear to the striker plate. I am in the market for a spare Male - Striker Plate for the PS on a BE. Anyone got an extra.


My solution for this problem in transporting Bugsy II was a strap under and around both doors and across the top. Not practical unless I want to play Dukes of Hazzard style entrances with Bugsy. And then that would mean painting a Confererate Flag on the Hardtop instead of a Union Jack.....

So anyone got a spare striker for a BE in their stash of parts?
 
Getting to the bottom of this issue is as serious as making sure the brakes ALWAYS work.... going around a tight curve...door opens on its own schedule....driver exits....
 
Add this to the possibilities....The proper mating of the striker to the latch takes some doing as I remember. First, if you haven't done so, you should look at getting new striker. Most old one's have a worn notch... finding the strikers most suitable position will take some patience and trial and error..
 
Hi Jim,

Jim_Gruber said:
Is the issue with rattling due to wear in the latch or wear to the striker plate.
Click to expand...

The problem I have with the loose handle is due to the way the after-market latch was designed/manufactured. It doesn't have anything to do with how it mates with the male piece in the door jam.

So anyone got a spare striker for a BE in their stash of parts?
Click to expand...

'Sorry, not me.

Dan
 
I have some old strikers, but they are worn beyond usefulness.

I have aftermarket latches and they do not rattle (that I notice).
 
do you have the weather seal in place around frame door area? this works in conjunction with eliminating door rattle or whatever! etc...
 
bug_sixty said:
do you have the weather seal in place around frame door area? this works in conjunction with eliminating door rattle or whatever! etc...
Click to expand...

Thanks, but the door itself doesn't rattle - just the door handle.

Dan
 
The strikers were used on a lot of cars and probably fine bought new. Mine have been replaced with new. The latch tends to wear the hole that the latch pin goes thru and once the pin gets to cocked to the side vibration works it loose.

Kurt.
 
Just to clarify the problem I have, take a look at the image below. The spring labeled with the single-ended arrow keeps tension on the handle when the door is shut, thus preventing any loose movement of the handle in the up and down direction indicated by the double-ended arrow. The looseness that I'm referring to is in a direction perpendicular to the normal motion of the handle. I.e., towards and away from the driver, not up and down.

handle.jpg
 
Seems like the solution would be to drill out the pivot and refit it with a top hat bushing and wavy spring washer.
 
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