Landing gear doors won't close

[hharney]

It's really pretty simple but thought I would post an issue we resolved for fun and to keep us sharp with these aging birds.

I just finished flying 20 or so hours in Nova Scotia (should have been there with us, it was amazing flying adventure) and got home last Thursday. Plane sat in the hanger Friday and jumped in Saturday for the annual Newman's Breakfast Fly in (4N0) at Larry's airport. When I departed Riverview runway 14 (08C) I turned right toward Kzoo and reached to retract the landing gear. I noticed that the amber light was flashing and I could virtually feel the gear doors opening and closing at a fast rate. I pulled the gear handle manually to neutral to stop the hydraulic system operation. I looked out to the mirror on the wing and the doors were open. Uhmmmm. I extended the gear, that operation was normal and then retracted the gear up again. It went up normally. Ok, all good...................not!

FYI, "1968" "C" model, so the hydraulic pump is on the front engine. Later models, 1973 and on, had the electric pump unit.