Door latches... 60 Apache..

[72bigred]

I have read for days on this topic and after all the time spent on these doors im out of options other than new latches..

My door fit is to my satisfaction at this point, under the pass side wing window I do stick out a tad although the rest lines up dandy so its something I am ok with. Hinge pins are tight.. strikers are NOS.. Most of the door gaps are just fine with the exception of under that wing window.

Without new seals I fit great of course with the play of not having seals.. I am adjusted such that after the second click I am as flush as it gets when I pull on the door, of course it will push in a tad as there are no seals in place. With seals in I cannot seem to get the second click, no amount of striker adjustment, door adjustment or anything seems to have any positive effect..

So I figure with all the money spent so far I am going to have to put out for new latches..I do not see that they will help as apparently its the seal issue so many people have yet the seals should not be totally at fault here.. I cannot get the second click even with a slam that is not good for the glass..

There are many latches out there forsale yet I am looking for who puts out the best.. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[markeb01]

I don’t think new latches will solve your problem. The seals really are at fault. To my knowledge there is no manufacturer producing seals that even come close to the originals in shape, size, or flexibility. My 1960 GMC still had soft spongy OEM seals installed (although damaged in spots) when I first acquired it. I kept a couple of the best chunks to match up with replacement seals and there are none on the market that look anything like them.

With the original seals installed, and after the first repaint with no seals at all, my doors and latches fit and worked perfectly since all of the operating mechanisms have been replaced with NOS (latches, strikers, winders, linkages, etc). Once the new replacement seals were installed I had to open up the striker plates to the maximum allowed to get the doors to close at all. They settle in after a while, especially if left closed during the hot summer months, but I’ve never been able to reset the doors to the fit I enjoyed when the original gaskets were still in place.

Hopefully someone else has experience with the new replacement latches to know which offers the best quality. I think most of us just keep working at the adjustments until the fit is somewhat acceptable.

[Hawks]

My drivers side 60 door is a pain to close. then it still raddels. i put some seals from some car that was about the same size. the passenger side closed great with both seals. but i cant seam to adjust the door as well.

[doobiebro]

I'm in the same boat on my 60. 5 years ago it was painted and the doors were replaced from a donor and the doors close some what okay with no seals but now with new seals I have to slam the doors and the bottom of the door does not align with the side of the cab (sticks out to much) I have replaced the hinges and pin bushings and performed multiple adjustments. So fed up with it I'm gonna take it to a friends body shop and see what he can do with it...

[K98AL]

I've got a similar issue - replaced seals with repops from LMC. After much trial and error, passenger door closes and fits good. (after sitting through an Oklahoma summer)

Driver's door can be adjusted to close, but edges look terrible at back. I've worked on that door over and over but it looks like I can get door to shut well, or door to line up, but not both.