Doors wont close & window issues (76 280Z)

[NicholasKoenig]

I bought my Z in October and have been wrenching on it since. From the start, both doors didnt latch properly which I suspect the previous owner is to blame. Rotating the cylinder locks it into place when you spin it by hand but when you close the door, it doesnt latch secure. Ive adjusted the striking latch on the body and lubricated all moving parts but had no luck. Could the door alignment be partially to blame? After comparing some photos of door / trim spacing, my door gap seems too large. Also the lock mechanism doesnt engage either (tested with door shut). 

Also the driver side window doesnt stay in the track. The front half of the window (closest to front) dips down and binds when coming up. When I pull the window straight back towards the rear of the car and crank it up, it usually pops out and binds elsewhere. The window rolls down easily enough. Ive adjusted the bolts securing the window mechanism but also with no luck. 

Any help would be appreciated, 

Thanks

[Zed Head]

Have you had the door cards/panels off?  There are many parts inside that get gummed up or misaligned or break, affecting all of the problems you described..

[NicholasKoenig]

8 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Have you had the door cards/panels off?  There are many parts inside that get gummed up or misaligned or break, affecting all of the problems you described..

Yes the door cards were off. I kept dw40'ing all the moving parts I could see. Nothing looks blatantly broken, the parts seem to be there but I may be mistaken. 

[Zed Head]

Look through the articles in the link below.  Check the actual plastic on the rollers in the various channels,it can break off or split in to pieces and leave the center pin looking normal..  Check the plastic guides, make sure the adjustment bolts aren't moving in their slots.  The fact the front of the window drops implies that one of the plastic rollers is broken and has too much play in its guide.

Actually, put "door" in the search box on the Articles page.  The cookies won't allow me to save the results page.

http://www.classiczcars.com/articles/

[FreshZ]

the doors on my 75 280z were shutting with a hard bang (metal to metal clanging) due to the door latches being Mis-aligned. after about a dozen adjustments in both sides, they now close smooth as silk. Make sure to get down and look at the latches all over. one of my latches was actually split down the middle, and it required some epoxy weld.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

[NicholasKoenig]

On 12/18/2016 at 11:59 AM, Zed Head said:

Look through the articles in the link below.  Check the actual plastic on the rollers in the various channels,it can break off or split in to pieces and leave the center pin looking normal..  Check the plastic guides, make sure the adjustment bolts aren't moving in their slots.  The fact the front of the window drops implies that one of the plastic rollers is broken and has too much play in its guide.

Actually, put "door" in the search box on the Articles page.  The cookies won't allow me to save the results page.

http://www.classiczcars.com/articles/

Those links helped a lot. I can say that my "fuzzy" seals are in bad shape. According to those posts that will bind the window, which its doing. Im assuming everything mechanical is in decent enough shape to operate as it rolls down smooth and with a little help pulling the glass, it will roll up. 

As for the door latching, Ill just keep up with the trial and error latch adjustments. 

Here is an option I found for the felt. 

[FreshZ]

if you have to pull up in the window then it's out of alignment or sticking from some old residue somewhere inside the door

Sent from my LG-D850 using Classic Zcar Club mobile