Probably the lower latch is rusted up.... If you can pull the handle, and get in that way, you are going to have to pull the back seat, then the trim off the door, and get in that way. Yeah. Lotsa fun......

 

I got real nervous after your comments...HeyYou I started slow by removing the latch on the rear door, obvious when you open the front door. I pulled out, as far as I could, the mechanism and realized that the connecting rod had pulled out of the metal keeper. One for the top latch was intact but the one for the lower latch was not attached. I was able to fish it back onto position and put it back into the keeper. WHEW that was easy. I lubed up everything, re-installed and the latch works fine. Seems like a week point with the connecting rods snapping into the metal keepers...But Hey it works. HeyYou thanks for scaring me into a careful, do no harm approach. I must have pulled the connecting rod out with the tight door after installing the new door weatherstripping. I think I might try your door pulling technique next as the new weatherstripping did not entirely solve my windy doors. Thanks again

 

Can you tell where the air is coming in from? I use a piece of paper, close the door on it, and pull on the paper. If it slides easily, then things aren't tight. If your problem is mainly the window frame on the front door, open the door, roll the window all the way down, brace your knees just below the window frame, grab the top of the frame, and pull. You can bend it in a bit, and convince it to seal better. Be careful though, as it IS possible to pull too hard.

 

I put new weatherstipping on my drivers doors last year and it was so tight that I had to adjust the latch mechanism so that it would close. Over time, it has squished a bit but the handle still makes a massive POP when lifted. Annoying but sure is quiet and secure!

 

Well the paper and manual manipulation seemed to work well. after the new weather stripping was installed, i used the paper trick to see where my leakage was. then i just played chiropractor on the door and it seemed to tighten it right up. thanks for the heads up...now my wife complains less about the the wind noise. she still cannot stand the diesel smell or the loud engine, but nothings perfect. thanks again

 

Cool.

Is the blanket still attached to the underside of the hood? That damps a fair bit of the noise the engine generates, but, mice seem to love making nests of it......