Customs Product Development Question - Push Button Door Latches

Well, the bezel OD on the stock Lincoln is just a fuzz under 2", and as they set now, the bezel OD on my version is 1 1/2".

The OD of the button on the stock Lincoln is a fuzz under 7/8", while the OD of the button on my version is 1".

Proportionally, the bezel on mine is thinner, and the button is slightly bigger.

Overall, I think they look very similar, but they're not an exact reproduction.

Now, that is not to say that the OD of my bezel could not be increased in diameter to be 2" as well, it will just require that they start from a much larger OD bar stock, which makes them more expensive to produce.

 

Here is a couple of pics with the bezel highlighted to let you easier visualize the proportion I'm talking about.





Do you guys think the bezel needs to be wider, or is it good as-is?

 

Ok, numbers crunched, parts sourced, it's a GO.

Price will be $175 per pair, including shipping to the continental US.

I'm looking at 25 pair to start with, and then we'll see how it goes from there.

Looking to start shipping parts in 4-6 weeks.

Parts will be 303 Stainless Steel, polished on the outside, and include all the hardware necessary to secure them to a door skin.

Packages will include two button assemblies, two lock nuts, and four padding gaskets.

The model above is the model that will be produced.

I will be starting a for sale thread in the Classifieds to start lining up orders.

 

These are very cool, although I'm not in the market for them (yet).

One thing that came to mind when you started talking about them being a slightly different size than the Lincoln buttons was average finger diameter. Given that people tend to be larger than they were 50 years ago, the fact that your button is a bit bigger is probably a good thing. I had flashbacks of my father always needing to use a pencil for rotary phones because his fingers would not fit in the holes.

 

Dude if your finger is to big for a Lincoln pushbutton you seriously need to go on a diet. Really..

 

LMAO

Ever see the movie "W.A.L-E"?

When you said that, the first thing that popped into my head was an image of one of those super fat folks from the space arc (the big round folks that rode around in their hover chairs) trying to push a Lincoln button and being confounded by it.

The very next image was of said round fellow trying to squeeze himself and his hover chair through the door.

Thanks for that, I really needed a good laugh.

Priceless.

 

Ryan are they just going to be the buttons or did you do some sort of linkage as you had originally mentioned? Will they be easy to adapt to a bear claw type latch? Either way that seems like a great price for 2 buttons.

 

Just the buttons for now.

I'm still working on a modular linkage system that can be adapted to both cross axis and long axis lever latches.

The linkage system is not done yet though, and the buttons are, so they're going up for sale first.

If the buttons tank, I won't bother with the other stuff.

 

Huzzah! The production run of Lincoln door buttons is finally done.

Teasers of the unpolished button, right out of the shipping crate:

Top View:



Side View:



Pictures of a polished set with their hardware, and a For Sale Ad to follow in a few days.

 

awesome. Now I need a project to install some on.

 

awesome... glad to see it...

 

Those things are sweet.. Deffinately be interested in a set of those for my shoebox.. I do have a general question though, would it be possible to actually have the lock set in the button?? Now before anyone hangs me or tells me I'm an idiot.. I know there are certain types of locks you insert a key and push in to open.. but is there a way to make it unlock and open a car door in the same button? like I said I'm just curious.. and I am one of those that perfer locks on my cars.. and seeing how great these buttons look,Id hate to kinda kill the smooth looks with some plain jane lock next to it.
Tony

 

Not with these buttons, the way they are designed pretty much eliminates that possibility.

However, I'm sure that a lock could be integrated into a similarly styled button.

It would need to be bigger in diameter, and the way it functions would have to be modified to accommodate the locking mechanism.

Anything is possible, it's just a matter of whether or not enough folks would be willing to buy such a device. It all hinges on if the project is profitable or not. A lock complicates both the design and manufacturing phases, which would likely make them quite a bit more expensive.

If there turns out to be enough interest, that may be the next iteration of the theme.

 

Actually, '56-'57 Desoto/Plymouth trunk push buttons have a lock built in and were sometimes used for door buttons on customs in the late 50s and onwards. I have an article out of a "little book" from the 50s showing how to install them....they look great.

 

CoolHand
Thanks for replying! I wasnt sure if it was doable or not, but figured I'd ask anyway. Do you think it would have to be much bigger?

rockin-bones, anyway you can send me that info?? I'd be curious to see that article.

 

My '53 Buick has a button that the key goes into to unlock the door, on the stock handles. You could use that button mechanism with the lock in the button, and just use the button here as a cover for looks (but, of course, you'd loose some of the looks to the Buick style button in the center).
You could also probably rig up a spring loaded slide pin that goes through a hole in the side of the button, and engages a hole in the side if the housing to prevent the button from being pushed, and use a small wire to engage or disengage the pin.
Less secure than a real key lock, but a guy would have to know what the hole was there for to open it. It would keep snoopers and bored kids out - anyone who really wants in your car will just bust the window, anyway.

Another thought is to put a pin and groove like a light bulb, so you can turn the button by thumb friction to a position where it won't push straight in without turning it back first. My money says any thief would either break the window or move on before figuring that out, so it would really be as secure as a real lock for all practical purposes...

Just throwing out some ideas - don't know how practical they would be.
By the way, if you lock the button itself, be sure you can open the door from the inside handle without the button being able to move, so you wouldn't be trapped in the car in the event of an accident, if the button lock locked from the impact or whatever.

 

And the money?

 

Do what now?

Are you asking about the cost, or something else (or not even talking to me)?

 

The button itself is not linked directly to the door latch, it just pushes on a lever that disengages the latch.

The reason I said that this button could not be modified to take a lock, is because of the way it's put together. It has a central stem off the back of the button, which also serves as the plunger that pushes on the latch lever. The return spring is wound around said stem, and captured between the button head and the bottom of the mounting cup.

If you were to drill the center of the button out to install a lock cylinder (assuming it is over 1/2" in diameter, which most of them are), you would remove the entire stem, essentially cutting the button in two, and rendering the entire device useless.

It could certainly be made to work, but the stem would need to be bigger in diameter to accommodate the void needed to house the lock cylinder. That would then make the mounting cup a bigger diameter, and then the button face would need to be bigger too, to fill the opening in the end of the cup.

I'm quite sure it can be done, just not with the parts I already have in hand.

Like I said, if enough folks decide they want a locking version, I would certainly be willing to design and manufacture it. I'd just like to wait and see how these sell first. If I lose my ass on these, a second run of more expensive and complex parts likely won't happen. Fool me once and all of that.

The rest of the mounting hardware and the springs and such will be here around the first of next week, so I should be able to have pictures of a set of them all polished up and ready to install in a door, by mid-next week, barring any monumental crap-ups. As soon as all the hardware is here, the for sale post will go up as well. I'm not going to start taking orders until I'm sure all the parts are here and they will go together correctly. Learned that one the hard way several years ago.

 

You might want to check out this thread.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248372

I bought a set from Luckystiff. They are beautiful. I haven't used them as of yet but the quality seems outstanding. If yours will look the same I would be interested in another set, I have a 4 door.

 

Sorry, yes, the cost to purchase.

Thank you.

 

Yeah, I read that thread, and many others, including the stuff from Luckystiff, but all those guys went MIA when it came time to deliver parts.

I have 25 pairs of these buttons setting here on my desk right now, and I can have 25-200 more done in six more weeks, if these sell well.

I have to wait 'till the first of next week to post them for sale, 'cause I'm still waiting on some hardware to show up, but essentially, they are all done and waiting to be polished, sold, and shipped.

That's the biggest difference. Everyone else is asking the question, but I have the parts in hand, ready to go.

 

OK, my gasket guy stepped on his whiner, so I had to go find a new supplier for them.

Looks like I'll have my gasket washers in 5-7 business days, so the buttons will go up for sale in the middle part or the end of next week (Feb 18-20).

I'll be offering two finish options, polished and a cheaper as-turned option. They are quite smooth as they came off the lathe, but they do not twinkle. If you want them to shine, I can provide them polished, or you can save some cash and buy the as-turned finish and polish them yourself (or run them as-is if you're looking for a little less bling).

I'll have finished pics and prices up in a new post in a few days. As soon as the gaskets show up, we're in business.

 

What are you worried about locks for? Do you really think your 40s or 50s custom is going to have enough security features to stop a criminal breaking in?

I don't even bother locking my car these days. Ever since someone broke one of my rear quarter windows to get in and steal an empty wallet.

I figure it's easy enough to pop open the quarter window or get in through the door seal anyway, so why risk getting the car damaged?

 

The new gasket folks really came through for me, delivering their product a full week earlier than they promised. Huzzah!

That being the case, the "For Sale" thread is up now:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3604174

Pictures of the fully assembled product are posted there, as is pricing and purchase information.

Thanks for all your suggestions and ideas guys.

Sorry I missed your reply before.

Pricing is available in the above linked thread.

 

Anything like this still for grabs?

 

Indeed.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lincoln-style-door-buttons-new-in-stock.922645/

Or you can click the link in my signature to go to my website.