Help....Rear Barn Doors Stuck

[RI95Tahoe]

The rear barn doors are stuck closed. Apparently the previous owner tried to pry them open (see pic). All the latch mechanisms have been broken on the inside. Can anyone tell me how to get the latch that connects the 2 doors to open so I can better see what is going on? Hoping I can attempt to bang the dent out and get the latch to work well enough until I can buy a new set of doors.

 

[SunlitComet]

remove all the trim and you should be able to access the any rods still connected to the upper and lower end of each door.

 

[RI95Tahoe]

The top and bottom latches I can get free. Its the pin and latch between the 2 doors I can't get to release. Previous owners tried using a pry bar to pull them open and now the pin is bent outwards. I may just have to take a grinder and cut the pin to get them open and then attempt to straighten the door out and replace the hardware.

Buying replacement doors is at the bottom of the "To Do" list. I want to get the the truck mechanical sound before I worry about cosmetics.

 

[SunlitComet]

and the latch assembly is not accessible for the opening in the door?

 

[RI95Tahoe]

Its accessible....problem is I can't get it to release. Been spraying it with WD-40 all week. But judging from the way it looks, I think the wedged the pin against the lock and jamming the all thing up. I'll take better pictures in a few days (waiting on U-Joints to be pressed in and truck is at parents house) so you can see what I mean. They did a real number on them.