The Criterion has landed.

I'm pleased to announce that my 1975 Miller-Meteor Criterion Cadillac ambulance was off-loaded from the train yesterday after her trip from Ontario. She's at the shop right now for a few small mechanical things, and will be at my home this afternoon.

I've got some work ahead of me, but I'm looking forward to it. I also have the Pro Car fanatic's most valuable thing....an understanding and supportive wife! :D

I'm very appreciative to have the resources of the PCS available, and am sure I will be calling upon your collective expertise....often.

I'll have some pics to show you, likely tomorrow. Until then, this is what she looked like right after blowing a fan belt on the trip from Niagara Falls to Scarborough, Ontario, to board the train.

Even in her current ugliness, I think she's beautiful!

crit1A.jpg
 
Good luck with the task at hand. but it does look to be a solid car to start out with . I checked while I was working on the other two in calf. here is a picture of the only hole to get into the spare tire compartment. you'll half to pry up the plastic vent and slid it down to the out side to release the spring clip and lift it out. I knew there was a way in but i had forgotten just how.
 

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Thanks for that, Ed. That will be my first priority when she gets here this afternoon. I can't imagine being able to get much work done if I can't open the doors! :(
 
There really isn't much reason to worry about getting into the left rear door at this time, since the only thing in there is the spare tire. I would concentrate on the rest of the vehicle and leave that door for when the weather is warmer to work on it.. Is it safe to assume that the other 2 doors work properly?
 
The two front doors and the rear door work fine, Paul, so I have some access. The spare tire door and the rear passenger side door are the ones that are stuck shut.
 
When the door was stuck on my 1954 Limo I used a can of WD40 with the extended tube on the nozzle.I sprayed into every possible nook and cranney.That door just popped open.
 
Progress report

Thanks to two cans of WD-40 and a whole bunch of elbow grease, the side door is open!

Ed, your advise about the access vent for the spare tire compartment was spot-on. Mine is configured exactly the same as the vent in your photo, and it was simple to remove. I can feel the release button through the hole, so I've soaked the bejeezus out of it with WD-40, will leave it to sit overnight, and am hoping for some success in the morning.
 
do the push in the out side button trick and set the tip in there. anything you can spray on the inside is wasted. the latch is so far removed from the pull up knobe and its a long way from the push in button. recheck the pictures its sits a good 4 inches to the right of everything standing on the out side. the only chance is to let it run down the paddle and hope some gets to the latch. you get it open remove the latch and soke it in solvent then re lube with a light oil before you put it back in. never lock the door again. or if you do unlock it everytime you go out to the car.
 
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