Was having no doorlocks an option back in the day?

[coW52Dodge]

I just bought a 52 1/2 ton and it doesn't appear to have door locks: The driver's side never appeared to have one and the passenger side just has a hole for one, with its lock missing.

Is that original?

If so, could I just find a door lock and get it to work in an originally lock-less door?

[Young Ed]

I think if there is a hole there one could assume your truck was just raided of its lock.

[TodFitch]

In the early 1930s for cars, and I think into the 40s for trucks, it was pretty common to have only one door with a key lock. And it was usually the passenger side.

I know a fellow with a late 40s Chevy truck and it is setup the same way with a single key lock on the passenger side.

However all the doors should have inside locks. On MoPar for years locking from the inside is accomplished by moving the door lever in the opposite direction needed to open the door. At least it works that way in my 1933 Plymouth and it worked that way in the 1963 Dodge D200 I once had so I assume it was the same for most of the years in between. (The 63 Plymouth wagon we had when I learned to drive had push buttons for the inside locks, so cars may have changed at some time earlier than trucks.)

Anyway, I think having only one key lock was to save money. And I think they used safety as the reason to put it on the passenger side (to encourage you to get in and out of the car from the curb side instead of the traffic side). If you watch the old Bogart detective movies you will often seen him sliding across the front seat to get out of the car on the passenger side...

[Young Ed]

Tod dads 64 is still that way in the front. The rear doors have lock buttons. I think most of the 4dr cars had them in the rear. The 39-47 trucks only have pass side locks. I had a P15 parts car that had a hole in the drivers door but was equiped with a chrome plug instead of a lock. Still not sure what that was about

[coW52Dodge]

In the early 1930s for cars, and I think into the 40s for trucks, it was pretty common to have only one door with a key lock. And it was usually the passenger side.

I know a fellow with a late 40s Chevy truck and it is setup the same way with a single key lock on the passenger side.

However all the doors should have inside locks. On MoPar for years locking from the inside is accomplished by moving the door lever in the opposite direction needed to open the door. At least it works that way in my 1933 Plymouth and it worked that way in the 1963 Dodge D200 I once had so I assume it was the same for most of the years in between. (The 63 Plymouth wagon we had when I learned to drive had push buttons for the inside locks, so cars may have changed at some time earlier than trucks.)

Anyway, I think having only one key lock was to save money. And I think they used safety as the reason to put it on the passenger side (to encourage you to get in and out of the car from the curb side instead of the traffic side). If you watch the old Bogart detective movies you will often seen him sliding across the front seat to get out of the car on the passenger side...

That makes good sense. Thank you for that background information.

I'll get a replacement lock for the passenger side only. I'll leave the driver's side stock - if people ask, I can now tell them what the story is. .

[greg g]

I think Ford pioneered the Pass side only exterior door lock. It was supposed to be a safety factor to engcourage folks to enter the vehicle from the curb side of the vehicle when parrellel parked ( remember that maneuver?) Many cities still have laws on the books making it illeagal to open a car door into the flow of traffic, as when parked at the curb.

In reality if the lock hardware cost the compay 50 cents, and they made half a million cars, you can probably see Henry's primary motiation.

My current car (VW Jetta) has it only exterior key hole on the driver's door.

Now I am sure this was primarily a money saving measure.

[pflaming]

Is there a door lock 'kit' available for the driver's side door? As a daily driver to always enter the otherside would be a pain. Maybe an elctronic opener from the keychain.