93' Door Handle/Latches broken ??

Greetings. 1st post here.

I have a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina. This winter the RH door handle/latch broke at the point where it connects to the lift or push rod. The piece is a cast or pot-metal piece. The little extension or lever that lifts and pushes on the door latch rod broke.

I door the door apart enough from the inside and even removed the latch, but could not get the door handle all the way out as I could not diconnect the push rod from the door latch.

It was very cold; it was the passenger door; this is my 'work' car, so I decided to wait for warmer days. Good idea right.?

Bad news, today the LH/driver side door latch did the same thing. Now the front doors are unlocked, but I cannot get into the car as both door handles are broken. The rear doors are locked.

So, 2 questions: 1) how do I now get into the car. Remember, both front doors are unlocked, but the door handles are broken. I can get into the trunk, but don't know how simple it is to get into the car from there. Ideas?
and 2) Is there a trick to removing and replacing the door handles? Access is very limited, I had bleeding and scrapped hands on my last attempt to to avail. Ideas?

FYI... I do all my own maintenance, grew up in a repair shop and for better or worse am now an engineer. Only adding this for your reference on types of solutions you can/should recommend.

Thanks!

Anybody have the Napa part number several have mentioned here for replacement door handles?

My local NAPA quoted me $65, but I forgot to ask for the P/N. Others here have mentioned $25.

Anybody have the Napa part number several have mentioned here for replacement door handles?

My local NAPA quoted me $65, but I forgot to ask for the P/N. Others here have mentioned $25.

Skip NAPA. My local Advance Autoparts quoted me 26 for one, the one that they had to order was going to be 36.
I found a site online that had then for 14.95 each. $9 shipping.

Oh, and a bit of advice, Lumina handles are to never ever be opened in the cold. Found that one out myself. If there is the slightest chance of cold enough to freeze, i use the spray de-icer stuff to make sure that door isn't frozen at all. I can only lose so many handles before I own a pretty lawn ornament I can't get into.

Skip NAPA. My local Advance Autoparts quoted me 26 for one, the one that they had to order was going to be 36.
I found a site online that had then for 14.95 each. $9 shipping.

Oh, and a bit of advice, Lumina handles are to never ever be opened in the cold. Found that one out myself. If there is the slightest chance of cold enough to freeze, i use the spray de-icer stuff to make sure that door isn't frozen at all. I can only lose so many handles before I own a pretty lawn ornament I can't get into.

Sage advice, but that would be a daily de-icer spray here in MN :grinyes:
These handles are a pain and a pain to change!!! :banghead:

I got into the car via the #9 wire method, now to tear into the door panel to remove the door handle. How to best remove window crank?

How to best remove window crank?

Ask your NAPA guys about a tool to remove it. A simple little pressed metal thing that pops off the handle, shoud be under 5 bucks. Not sure if that works on Lumina, I have the power windows...but it works on other cars.