door handle problem

I have a '84 vette, the exterior drivers side door handle does not work, after taking the the panel off the interior, there is a rod that goes into the handle however I do not see a way of keeping the rod in place after a few times the rod falls away from the handle, so my question is what keeps the rod in place.
        I have a Corvette shop manual and a Chiltens manual and there is nothing about the guts in the doors, has anybody had this problem.  

this will really help

this is the entire parts list for the internal door...  



this link has the part numbers for each numbered item..

84 to 89 corvette inner door hardware  

rod 42 hooks into the inner handle lever with a rod clip like one of these...

dorman motormite Help   75450





its totally possible that item 49 is the proper part

049 00375180 CLIP, I/S HDL



here is a slightly different model GM



it has been a while since i took one of these apart...  so i don't recall off hand exactly which part you are going to need.. but i think this might help...  

its tuesday morning.. and the more i think about it.. and the more i look at the image in the red circle above..

you might need this part..



GM: 4234830 Door Lock Rod Clip

or something similar...

this will slide onto the flat area of the door handle where the rod slips through.. this catches a groove in the bent end of the rod...  

before going out and searching for this part.. you might want to use your magnetic pick up tool inside the door.. see if you can retrieve this..



this clip can come from many many gm cars...