I'm pretty new to these type of forums, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a 1972 Chevelle SS and the driver door won't shut properly. I've replaced the striker and the old door latch and it's just closing to the first click (leaves a gap) - I've greased the door latch completely, but still shuts the same way. I've tried to adjust the striker up and down, forward and backward, but still the same.

Any Help? Thanks,:cool:

1972 Chevy Chevelle SS
1969 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible

Here is what I would do. First take the striker out and see if the door will close without binding. Next take a screw driver or something similer and see if the latch will click twice and open freely. Then put the striker in as far forward as you can (make sure the striker plate moves freely) and check for two clicks. Once you get the two clicks move the striker in aboute the amount that the door sticks out from the quarter, and try again. It's kinda tough to explain but this will work 99.5% of the time any more questions just fire away! :D

By as far forward, he means towards the outside of the car... :D

This is great advice... I'll try it tonight. I've actually fixed it a little better as of last night. I moved the striker all the way foward (towards the outside of the car) and took a screwdriver to make sure it was clicking twice (it was) -so that was good news; however, when I shut the door, I'll line up perfectly 3 out of 5 times, but not 5 out of 5 times. It's almost as if, the striker gets worn out and then won't catch the second click. I was thinking about buying an adapter that fits around the circumfrence of the striker and see if it catches any better. I'll try anything at this point. Thanks for your help!:thumbsup:

Are you using a roller striker, or solid striker? It could be the roller is loose/worn/damaged and causing it to grab poorly.

Check your shims as well, make sure it shimed out enough not to bind the latch.

Also make sure that your latch is well lubed inside the mechanism, I use a penetrating oil spray and soak it well, from the striker area, and from above inside the door too.

How are the hinges? Take the door almost closed and try to lift the door. If you can move the door up and down you hinges are loose and probably need new bushings and pins. If the hinges ares good then watch the door as you close it, does it rise or get pulled down when contacting the striker? It shoulden't do ether. If you have the roller style striker and it's sloppy that may be part of the problem too. The latch needs to hit the striker dead center .

Thanks everyone for the help!!! I've noticed the door does hang a litte when opened. I think the problem lies in the door hinge itself. It might need to raise a 1/2 inch or so. The striker isn't a roller, It's solid. The hinges look really tight. I've played around with the shims about 50 times, just to see if I can get it right and it definitely has improved; and It feels a little better than it did a couple of days ago, but still working on it. I've lubed and greased the latch completely before and after I replaced the latch and striker. It's for sure not hitting the striker "dead center" - so I think I'm going to need to focus on the door hinges next. I've got a show to go to this weekend and I can't show the car with a bad striker - so I'm hoping to fix it all by then.:thumbsup:

Thanks again!

How many shim washers are behind the big washer on the striker? Possible that the striker needs to be deeper into the latch, by adding flat washers behind the striker.

I have two shims - the one that came off the original striker and an additional one which came with the replacement.