Door locks, or lack there of

[lostviking]

OK, first really old vehicle. I never even noticed that there are no locks on the doors. I don't want to mess up the truck, since it's almost 100% original. What do you guy's do about securing the truck when you drive it somewhere? I'd worry about parking it where I can't see it at all times. Hoping there is a solution that doesn't involve putting holes in pristine doors.

[Reg Evans]

If your truck is stock there should be a key hole on the outside of passenger door just under the door handle.  The drivers side is locked by pressing down on the inside door handle and the passenger side is locked with a key from outside.

[Merle Coggins]

Pressing down on the inside handle opens the door. Lifting up on the handle locks the door. Then lock the passenger side door with key as Reg said. 

[ggdad1951]

Properly maintained, you physically CAN'T lock your keys in with the stock set up.  Which is odd, as I was told many a time by my brother and father that as a kid I locked the keys in (being a good boy locking the truck) that they had to smash a window to get back in one time.  Makes one go hmmmm...

[Reg Evans]

3 hours ago, Merle Coggins said:

Pressing down on the inside handle opens the door. Lifting up on the handle locks the door. Then lock the passenger side door with key as Reg said. 

 

That would depend on which way the door handle was installed I suppose. Open end to front or back.

Somehow my wife and I locked ourselves out of my 47 in town.  I had spare wing windows so I broke one to get back in.

 

3 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

Properly maintained, you physically CAN'T lock your keys in with the stock set up.  Which is odd, as I was told many a time by my brother and father that as a kid I locked the keys in (being a good boy locking the truck) that they had to smash a window to get back in one time.  Makes one go hmmmm…

 

[lostviking]

Thanks all. I had just driven it home and parked it in the garage until I could sort the insurance (done) and reg (next Tuesday). I never looked at the passenger side Sure enough, just like you said.

I tried locking the drivers door from outside, but when you close the door it just unlocks. Not sure how anyone was able to lock the keys inside.

[ggdad1951]

11 hours ago, lostviking said:

Thanks all. I had just driven it home and parked it in the garage until I could sort the insurance (done) and reg (next Tuesday). I never looked at the passenger side Sure enough, just like you said.

I tried locking the drivers door from outside, but when you close the door it just unlocks. Not sure how anyone was able to lock the keys inside.

 

I think my brother just wanted to get me in trouble!

[1949 Wraith]

12 hours ago, lostviking said:

Thanks all. I had just driven it home and parked it in the garage until I could sort the insurance (done) and reg (next Tuesday). I never looked at the passenger side Sure enough, just like you said.

I tried locking the drivers door from outside, but when you close the door it just unlocks. Not sure how anyone was able to lock the keys inside.

When I bought my truck the inside door handles were installed upside down. If you slammed the passenger door shut, the inside handle would drop down and self lock the door. When the passenger door is locked with the handle you can not unlock the door with the key. Luckly the drivers door was not locked.

[Old CWO]

23 hours ago, Reg Evans said:

 

That would depend on which way the door handle was installed I suppose. Open end to front or back.

Somehow my wife and I locked ourselves out of my 47 in town.  I had spare wing windows so I broke one to get back in.

 

 

 

This is such a great photo.

[lostviking]

Mine point down. I think I'll leave them that way. Makes it easy to open and lock. Unfortunately the painter painted over the door lock. Right now the key doesn't want to go in. I need to take it out to clean the paint off, so I'll get it fixed up when I do that.

In the mean time, took the wife for her first ride today and stopped at a local park for pictures.

[lostviking]

pic 2

[lostviking]

One last pic

[1949 Wraith]

Very nice!

[Todd B]

47 minutes ago, 1949 Wraith said:

Very nice!

Ditto 

[Los_Control]

WOW!

[lostviking]

OK, been working on the lock and now I don't think the ignition key is supposed to fit it. Does anyone with working locks care to confirm that? I see some NOS lock sets on ebay that include ignition and two door locks. The seller is claiming they fit all Mopar/Desoto from 1941 to 1946. If that is true I can just use the one door lock and have a new set. I'm not seeing the lock shown in the repair or parts manual out of the door. Do they have a long rod coming out of them, or just a hole (square I imagine)?

Thanks.

 

Edit: Kept working on it with some WD40 and I can get the ignition key almost all the way in now. I'm having to free up frozen pins. I still have little faith the current ignition key will open it, but I'll keep trying until the key goes in and out easily. I see I can just replace both with NOS parts, so that may be the end result. Bit short on cash right now.

On a lighter note, I found the original headlamp switch in the boxes of stuff I got with the truck. It was frozen, but a bit of WD40 and some effort and it move nicely now and I can feel the detents. Nice. That was the only non-original switch and now they will all look the same. I just need to fully recondition it. I've been in electronics either on the bench of designing since 1978, so this is easy work for me. As long as the mechanicals inside aren't just FUBAR.

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by lostviking

[1949 Wraith]

I'm not sure if your vintage of truck has separate ignition and door lock keys. My '51 truck has one key for both and my '38 Dodge sedan and '41 Chrysler coupe have separate keys for ignition and lock.

[lostviking]

On 9/22/2019 at 4:29 PM, 1949 Wraith said:

I'm not sure if your vintage of truck has separate ignition and door lock keys. My '51 truck has one key for both and my '38 Dodge sedan and '41 Chrysler coupe have separate keys for ignition and lock.

I did an edit above. Should have look a bit before asking. They should be the same key for a 1946. There are NOS sets to be had still too.

[1949 Wraith]

Make sure you have a spare key, you don't want to damage the key forcing a frozen lock. I would remove the lock from the door and give it a cleaning and lots of oil.

[lostviking]

Took a lot of work, but I've gotten the lock out of the door. I do have two sets of key BTW.

Anyhow, I had to buy some cobalt drills and drill the set screw, which was hopelessly frozen in place, to get the lock out. I've got an NOS set due to arrive Monday. There is nothing wrong with the ignition key, so I'll have that to offer if someone needs one.

Since I had to drill, the threads where the original set screw went are most likely damaged. I'm waiting on the lock to get here to a trial fit and eye balling before I make final plans. That may include making a thin insert to go into the original tube (epoxy in place with some Armstrong A12) and a set screw of currently undetermined size. I've got #6 through #10 available, so it really depends on the hole in the lock. I ended up drilling too deep on mine, so that hole is now the size of my drill

More later.

[lostviking]

On 9/22/2019 at 9:52 AM, lostviking said:

...

On a lighter note, I found the original headlamp switch in the boxes of stuff I got with the truck. It was frozen, but a bit of WD40 and some effort and it move nicely now and I can feel the detents. Nice. That was the only non-original switch and now they will all look the same. I just need to fully recondition it. I've been in electronics either on the bench of designing since 1978, so this is easy work for me. As long as the mechanicals inside aren't just FUBAR.

Opened the switch today and the insides look fairly pristine. Very minor scratching on the surface of the contacts, but NO corrosion at all. I lubed the plate with the contacts lightly with some silicone grease and put it back together.

 

Now I'll just clean up the outside surfaces, maybe use a baking soda blaster to not damage the metal and it will be ready to reuse. Very happy.

I took a picture of the fuse in case anyone needed one. It goes into the "tube" on the end of the switch. You can see the bayonet end cap on the fuse in the first picture.

Quote

 

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by lostviking

[lostviking]

On 9/28/2019 at 11:00 AM, lostviking said:

Took a lot of work, but I've gotten the lock out of the door. I do have two sets of key BTW.

Anyhow, I had to buy some cobalt drills and drill the set screw, which was hopelessly frozen in place, to get the lock out. I've got an NOS set due to arrive Monday. There is nothing wrong with the ignition key, so I'll have that to offer if someone needs one.

Since I had to drill, the threads where the original set screw went are most likely damaged. I'm waiting on the lock to get here to a trial fit and eye balling before I make final plans. That may include making a thin insert to go into the original tube (epoxy in place with some Armstrong A12) and a set screw of currently undetermined size. I've got #6 through #10 available, so it really depends on the hole in the lock. I ended up drilling too deep on mine, so that hole is now the size of my drill

More later.

New lock set arrived yesterday, wasn't even due until Monday. Bought it off ebay.

 

I cut the shaft to length with a hacksaw, and deburred the end just like the instructions show. I need to manufacture a tube for a set screw to repair the damage I did getting the old one out. Not a big deal I think. About .5 inches long and I"ll use a 4.40 set screw. I'm going to ask the machine shop at work to make it for me, or I'll just do it on my brakes. We have a lathe in engineering, so that's an option.

 

After I get it done, I'm going to use some Armstrong A12 epoxy to hold it in place. That stuff is crazy strong and should be overkill. Then I'll swap the keyed insert on the ignition and be done with it.

[ggdad1951]

On 9/28/2019 at 1:00 PM, lostviking said:

Took a lot of work, but I've gotten the lock out of the door. I do have two sets of key BTW.

Anyhow, I had to buy some cobalt drills and drill the set screw, which was hopelessly frozen in place, to get the lock out. I've got an NOS set due to arrive Monday. There is nothing wrong with the ignition key, so I'll have that to offer if someone needs one.

Since I had to drill, the threads where the original set screw went are most likely damaged. I'm waiting on the lock to get here to a trial fit and eye balling before I make final plans. That may include making a thin insert to go into the original tube (epoxy in place with some Armstrong A12) and a set screw of currently undetermined size. I've got #6 through #10 available, so it really depends on the hole in the lock. I ended up drilling too deep on mine, so that hole is now the size of my drill

More later.

 

have you seen the thread I put together about the door locks?

 

 

[lostviking]

17 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

have you seen the thread I put together about the door locks?

 

 

I did see that. But I'm going to epoxy my solution into the tube that still remains. It just doesn't have threads. I made a .48 long .25 dia cylinder, with a 4-40 thread down the center. After I epoxy it into the remaining tube it will be almost like the stock installation. Don't see any reason that won't work just fine.

Edited October 1, 2019 by lostviking

[FlashBuddy]

Be sure to post an update.