Lock cylinder and door handle woes

[Palantirion]

1963 Avanti.

I have the shop manual, and tried following its instructions on how to remove the lock cylinders from the door handles, but no luck. Of course, this same manual's instructions neglected to mention that there is a small screw buried under the weatherstripping that holds said handles to the door after you remove the two nuts. But I digress.

The instructions say to use a small punch to press into the hole in the side of the cylinder and then use a key or pick to slide the cylinder out from the handle. So, where to start? For one thing, there are two holes in the side of the cyclinder, not one. For another, there seems to be nothing to press on but the body of the cyclider. I have turned the cylinder using the key through the entire rotation and in one position it seems like the punch goes in farther. But I'm not sure. The instructions don't say anything about key/lock position or rotation. In any case the cylinder refuses to budge.

Which brings me to the larger question. Should I even be doing this? The reason is that I want to have the handles rechromed. To do that I obviously need to remove the cylinders. However the chrome shop said I should also take apart the handle from the base so they can be chromed separately. Is this process pretty straightforward? Or do I run the risk of damaging something I can't put back together with hand tools? Because if I can't get the handle/base separated I guess I don't need to know how to take the lock cylinders out.

p.s. I am also considering removing the trunk latch mechanism so I can more thoroughly remove/clean oxidization from the metal surfaces. Looks like I should just remove two or three bolts and the cable and it will pop off the trunk wall. Are there any tricky aspects to this job, particularly with regards to reassembly?

[GBBigSix]

If you happen to be an Antique Studebaker Club member their publication "Antique Studebaker Review" issue for Sept/Oct 1984 has an article I wrote on pg 14-15 that shows how to drill a small hole in exterior Studebaker door handles to release the lock cylinder for service methods. If you don't have access to this issue let me know and I could scan the pages and email them to you. My email address is studeracer_37@yahoo.com. John Shanahan

[Palantirion]

If you happen to be an Antique Studebaker Club member their publication "Antique Studebaker Review" issue for Sept/Oct 1984 has an article I wrote on pg 14-15 that shows how to drill a small hole in exterior Studebaker door handles to release the lock cylinder for service methods. If you don't have access to this issue let me know and I could scan the pages and email them to you. My email address is studeracer_37@yahoo.com. John Shanahan

-I think I found a similar item online, but I don't like the sound of the procedure. I DO want to put the same cylinders back in, and I don't want to do anything I can't undo. I should think that a drill isn't necessary going off the instructions, even if I am missing part of that technique.