Hot Rods Safety latch for a 3 window ??

Search hotrodderhagg, there were several ideas in his 3 widow build thread.

 

Autoloc.com $65. Manual, they have different styles and electric, have manual on mine, easy install, works good, looks good, looks like what captain scarlet posted,comes w/ small lever/ handle

 

My buddy had a new build 32 3W high boy and was motoring along and his wife went to wind down the passenger window and hit the wrong handle , the door of course flew back onto the tyre with no major damage , a small crease and tyre burn with torn check straps and mounts and twisted hinges but they were able to carry on. . Luckily she was in a lap and diagonal belt. So it can happen that easily.

 

The didn't get the name suicide doors from some emmo Facebook nerd.

 

Your choice on whether to mount in door or kick panel. Just plan it out so that pin cannot damage paint if left out.

 

I'm using something like the spring loaded deadbolt on my roadster at the moment - even with the 'lock' it is pretty easy for it to slip out and damage paint (though it is still in bare metal for now).
I plan to make up something like 3wLarry posted, with a 180 degree throw to engage or disengage. I'll probably use a window crank for the handle

 

Surely someone could just fabricate their own version of what Larry had on his coupe?

 

A good friend of mine was taking his grandson to school in his 3 window. While stopped in traffic in front of the school a woman ran into the back of his car and slammed him into the back of another vehicle. Bystanders pulled both him and his grandson out of the car just before it burst into flames and burned to ground. I'm sure if there were secondary latches on the doors they would have burned up with the car.

 

And the same thing could have happened if they simply had the doors locked.

There is an argument for and against everything in the world and depending on the situation, all are equally valid.
Up to a point you can make plans to deal with the more likely senarios and just hope that the unlikely stuff doesn't get you first.
Case in point...it's more reasonable to expect that, with the old door latches alone, your door could fly open and do serious damage to your car and potentially to the people inside the car as well.
A lot less likely that you will get rear ended, stuffed into another car, be rendered helpless and also have the car burst into flames.
Of course it CAN happen...but its just not as likely to happen.

The only obvious cure for all those senarios...remove the doors completely!

 

For my 34, and 32 I as thinking about a leather strap fastened to the cowl like a door check strap, with a bracket, and landyard pin that would attach to the door.