Passenger door locks in old trucks??

I keep meaning to ask this question and I keep forgetting it.In many of the 50`s trucks I have noticed that there are only lock cylinders on the passenger door of the truck. Seen it on a few F100 and notice it tonight on a Studebaker truck. be interesting to know the story behind only having a key lock on the passenger side and not on the drivers

 

I wondered the same thing when I was doing my '49 chev pickup.
Someone told me it was a safety thing, so you had to lock the drivers door then slide across to get out on the sidewalk and lock it from outside.
Dunno if it's right!!

 

What I have heard for decades;


Started on all cars in the 20s at least. Some cities had laws that you had to exit your car on the curb side, rather than open the driver door into traffic.

 

It was generally accepted that the driver would exit the vehicle and then walk around to the passenger side and open the door for the passenger.

While this was being done the passenger would push down on the drivers door handle to lock the door.

Then the passenger door could be locked.

It was also thought by some people to be safer for the driver to enter from the passenger side of the vehicle when parked. As mentioned above there may have been laws in some locations dealing with entering and exiting the vehicle.

 

That was so you could let your lady friend (or wife) in...first...and when you held the door for her to get out, you could lock it up...Gentlemen would do that back then...

A lot of the early 40's sedan and coupes had the same arrangement...at least, that's what I heard as to why they only had locks on the passenger's door ...it may not be 100% accurate.

R-

 

Common practice on old vehicles. Safer to get out and enter from the curb, they once thought. And a bench seat is easy to slide over on.

Anyone remember the days when you'd unlock the door for your girl and she'd slide over and pull the knob (ha ha) to unlock the driver side door for you? Gary

 

I always wondered why Barny Fife got in and out on the passengers side.

 

Same reason that Model T roadsters and touring cars up through '26 didn't have an opening door on the driver's side.

 

Early 50's .. We garaged and serviced Telephone co trucks. They had a decal on the dash "Curb Side Safe Side"

 

and you couldnt lock your keys inside, at least on the '51 chevy pickup i had. needed key to lock door from outside.

 

I wish that were true on the old Fords. Lock the doors by lifting up on the inside handles and close them while getting out, you're screwed. I learned the hard way with my coupe. Luckily for me I didn't lock the truck. I unlocked the door using an aluminum baseball bat. . .

 

I was lookin at that tonight on my new 53 chevy pickup. Can it be easily swapped over to the drivers side?

 

What you guys said is true. Both reasons have their validity. Notice, in old movies, the driver (if alone) will open the passenger side and slide across to the driver's side, even if it's unlocked to start with. If you'll notice, most cars really didn't have a key lock on the driver's side until the early '50s. If he was carrying a lady passenger, he'd open the passenger door, open the door and seat that young lady. She'd reach across and unlock/open the driver's door from the inside, and the man would get in.

 

This is interesting as this concept carried through until the 70's in Australia in many commercial vehicles as they only had locks on the passenger doors.

 

On mid fifty Ford trucks if you have the Custom Cab option it came with locks on both sides...

 

Both my 32 3W and 40 Ford coupe had a key on the right side. So does my 49 Mercury pickup ... but in 1951 ... Ford came out with the 5 star option on the pickups. The 5 star cabs have a lock on both doors ( plus other upgrade features )

 

My 56 S100 International truck, lock on pass side only.

 

My friend had a habit of unlocking the door, opening it, then locking it again (real quick to do this if you leave the key in the lock when you open the door). So he'd drive around with the outside handle locked. Real easy to lock the keys in the truck that way....

 

In the days (not so long ago) before all the power locks and the keyfob clicker, if on a first date, I unlock the drivers door and let said date in, if she did not slide across and unlock my door as I walked around, there would be no second date. You just knew right there that she had no class.

 

I thought this was an old thread when I first saw it. Covered on here about a year ago.

 

26 and 27 have drivers doors.

 

Seems like the early Fords had the spare mounted where it blocked the area where a driver's door would be.

 

My 52 Chevy has the lock on the passenger side but I had a 50 Dodge business coupe that had a lock on both.

As far as the law, its still in effect in NY, just not enforced but a few years ago I got a red light ticket and the ADA knocked it down to no points and "opening a door into traffic", so i guess they use it when they can.

 

I learned this the hard way too. I "locked" myself out of my Ford truck WITH the keys still in my hand. The door lock mechanism and the key lock are two separate mechanisms. It was a weird feeling being locked out with the keys in my hand!!!!


Live and learn

 

Now there is only the lock cylinder on the drivers side on new cars. So much for chivalry.

 

Does anyone know if there is a aftermarket kit to add a key lock to the drivers door.

 

I never could find one. The lock mechanisms on each door are different. On the driver's door you push the handle forward and it locks teh door. On the passenger side it only locks with the key (at least on my 49). I installed remote power locks on mine.
http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=906899#Post906899

 

People used to get hit all the time,exiting on the drivers side. That's why it became illegal .

 

My '37 Nash only has a key lock on the passenger side...

 

My 57 Dodge truck has em on both sides, dust caps and all.