Door Locks Don't Lock???

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, picked up my door locks, and trunk lock assembly, they are now keyed to the same key. As I did not have keys before, the locksmith started from scratch and made keys, and keyed the trunk lock to the door locks, which I will eventually get an Igntion switch and key it to these locks, everything will be on 1 key. Right now it's a 2 key set-up, as my ignition switch is from a later model.

The guy at the shop charged me only $25 cash, for the job, he also had key blanks and he cut me 2, included in the price.

Installed everything, the trunk lock works great, the door locks turn as they should, but do not keep the doors locked, they will still open.

Has anyone had this experience, is there something wrong inside the doors in the lock mechanism, any idea how to fix this, I want to be able to lock the doors..................Thanx Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred is there a proper orientation of the square shaft to the hole in the lock mechanism? Just a thought......

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Ed, that part is fine, the shaft is in position okay. The key turns freely to lock but the door does not stay locked, so something must be wrong or worn in the lock/latch assembly.................Fred

[knighthawk]

maybe If you take one latch assy out and study it... I assume you mean ALL the doors won't lock ? Maybe you'r turning it the wrong way... My locks are all taken out, as I converted them to flush handles with the hook style latch ( no star wheel ) from a '92........When I go back out to shop I'll take a look at them

[greg g]

Do your doors lock from the inside??? On a 2 door usually pulling the door handle in the opposite direction for when you open the door will set the lock.

Try this on the pass door and then see if the key will unlock it from the outside. If this works, then you mechanism should be ok. It the lock sylinder intergral to the locking mechanism or is there a lever and linkage on the back of the lock cylinder? Perhaps there is some wear in the linkages and the slop is keeping it from traveling far enough to engage the lock.

[knighthawk]

Like I said, all my parts are in a box, but I think I got the Drivers door latch assy... on the back of your key lock is a 3/16 square shaft, it has one corner or edge ground down, so it will only go in, in one position. that shaft has to turn 1/4 turn clockwise to lock the latch assy. I can't tell excactly where the key alingment is, as this one is froze up.... but, if you take your lock assy back out, put a 3/16 square shaft in the hole ( with one edge ground down ) you should be able to lock and unlock the latch using a small cresent wrench or pliers.......... If this works, then the problem is not inside the door.....hope this helps.............just realized, I thnik I got the right side (passenger) door lock instead, so you would have to turn ccw to to lock.................anyway ...you get the idea......

[55 Fargo]

The key cylinder travels freely and easily on both doors in it's full range of motion.

The inside handleshould lock the doors, but they do not, using the key does not lock the door either.

I am facing 2 problems , on the drivers door, one of the 2 screws that holds the handle to the door has it's screw stripped, so I cannot get this handle off yet, I need to be able to get the handle off, in oreder to remove the latch/lock mechanism. On the passenger door, the lock cyl, the screw that holds it in the door, has it's head stripped off.

I cannot win with this car, this is what happens, when you have such a rough speciman to start off with, I believe my car was a lot rougher than a majority of the cars on this website, not whining, just stating a fact.

When a car is this rough, you get these problems at every turn, nothing about fixing this car has been smooth or easy.

Now getting the above mentioned screws out of the door locks, will be a major PITA, not even sure how to go about it, as these are areas where you just cannot hold the torch to it and wait till its redhot for removal.

It may be possible, someone at one point broke these lock mechanisms, I will not know till they are out however.

Thanx as usual guys.

[Young Ed]

Fred lots of us have rough cars to start with

[55 Fargo]

You got me there Ed, what stage is this car at now.............Fred

[knighthawk]

just remember, mine are all laying in a box, I don't think I'll be putting them back in..... gotta go to Florida for week, family vacation thing, will check back with you than..........Larry

[Young Ed]

[55 Fargo]

Is that the same car Ed,if so, how long did it take to complete, there is hope for mine yet.............Fred

[Young Ed]

Yes very much the same car. I think 7 years all together. Thats the power of a 10yo(me) convincing dad not to give up on a car he'd had for about 25 years at that point.

[55 Fargo]

I noticed the 47 Chrysler Newyorker Convert in your photobucket. A fellow Chrysler addict up here in Winnipeg , built a car like that some years back, he sold it to a guy in your area. If it's the same car, when my friend got the car, there was no floor insdie, he took the body and transplanted it onto a sedan floor, he reconstructed the whole car, took him 4 years, he eventually sold it to a guy in the Twin Cities area, wonder if its the same car, I know it was that color.You and your dad did a nice job on the car.

[Young Ed]

Can't take complete credit for the 51. Body work and paint were done by a professional. Dad and I did the chassis and engine. A neighbor did the interior. The new yorker I saw at a cruise night. I don't know the owner of that one.

[55 Fargo]

Pulled the latch and lock asssembly from my parts car, it came out in about 2 minutes as the door handle and lock were already out. I can now see what makes this system lock, so mine is either seized or broken some how.

I need to drill or extract out the lock cylinder screw on one side, and one stainless screw on the other side one of the 2 that holds on the door handle.

I have tried drilling them out with regular drill bits, does not seem to drill much of it at all, it is either stainless or very hard steel. Any ideas how to get these out.........Fred

[knighthawk]

soak 'um good, use left hand drill bits, sharpen a reg drill bit to left hand cut, , keep re-sharpening the bit, and use oil !

[Dave Bohn]

I have the same problem with my drivers door. I even purchased new lock cylinders and installed but that didn't help. I can turn the lock to "lock" and it seems to work, but if the outside door handle is turned with allot of pressure it will open. I just assumed this was due to 50 years of wear in the latch mechanism since the passenger works just fine. I took out the latch and cleaned and lubricated, it feels like it holds a little better but can still be forced open. If anyone knows of a repair it would be great to know.

[55 Fargo]

UPDATE:, I have been able to get up into the locks/latch without removal. the mechanincs are working, the locks are now well lubricated, the key turns easily in both directions, the inside handle goes to and stays over in the lock position. But the doors don't stay locked, you can still open them whether you,lock the inside handle or use the key.

Inside the latch assembly there is a little metal piece with a lip on it that slide up and down if you turn the key to the lock position, but it does not hold it in the lock position. Not sure if it is too far worn, or what, will most likely have to use the ones from parts car, but that car is in beat-up shape too, so don't know if the locks are any good either.

Are locks that wear out common with these cars, as they are very old, no doubt been locked and unlocked thousands of times, will need to get these working before it ever goes for a paint job, would not like to have to mess with his with new paint on her.....................Fred

[55 Fargo]

Not sure what can be done if the mechanism is worn, you can buy these latches from Bernbaums, but they are fairly pricey, your best bet is to find a decent used on from a parts car in your area................Fred