You have to drill a hole in the door sheet metal as well. "Original equipment doors".

New panels will be preferable, as you will have a big gaping hole in the panel where the slide locks were otherwise.

 

Where can I get the sliding door lock assembly?

 

From reading these threads, I understand I need to convert my inside locks from slide to the vertical rod pull up design. They are both broken and I can only lock and unlock from the outside. I also understand a hole needs to be drilled in the top of the door to accept the vertical rod. What I do not understand is what else do I need to change out? Does the new vertical rod (I find on lmc.com) just attach to the inner mechanism within my current door or do I need to also swap out the mechanism? I called lmc support and 2 reps have no idea. They appear to be just order takers. Any advise or additional info would be greatly appreciated.

 

I believe I answered your question here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post16302001

 

just to let you know sometimes the hole on top might already be there. the reason i say this is because my 81 f-150 flareside doors had the normal door locks but the doors are being replaced. i purchased a run down 81 f-250 with those freaking side locks, when i took the door panels off i noticed my doors have the hole already on top from the factory. so maybe you will be lucky like i was.

 

That's interesting. And it fits with my theory that they cut over to pin-style locks on a by-plant basis, probably shipping all the old slide-lock door panels, latches, and links to one or two plants to use them up. But, meanwhile they had new doors coming in and they could go to any plant, so the latest trucks that had slide locks probably had doors set up for pin-style.

So, how about posting a pic of your certification label so I can decode the build date and plant?

 

where would that be located? i am still learning my bullnose. i will take a pic of it tomorrow and post up here.

 

It is located on the driver's door post and looks like what is shown here: Certification Label - ??Gary's Garagemahal.

 

oh! duh okay i call them a vin sticker. i will take a pic of it tomorrow and post it. btw. i am really loving your build threads great work.

 

Thanks!

 

okay here it is i had to darken and clean up a bit. it was a bit faded not as much as my flareside's though. hope it helps

 

Cool! Now, go look everything up on Gary's site where he has it all documented....

Certification Label - ???Gary's Garagemahal

 

Well, I'm curious so I looked it over. Made in 6/81 at the Twin Cities plant, which was still turning out slide locks, as documented here: Door Locks - ???Gary's Garagemahal. So, since this truck came with slide locks and yet the doors have the holes for the pin locks it seems like two of my theories may be correct:

1. Ford shipped the slide locks to a few plants to use them up, and the plants were probably Twin Cities and Kansas City. But, by 4/81 KC was using the pin-style locks, so Twin Cities appears to have been the last to use slides, and did so at least into June.
2. All the new doors were coming in with holes for the pin locks, regardless of which plant they went to.

 

that is totally cool how you found that out. i have a question i was decoding my flareside and i could not see my transmission code listed it shows the letter K. i am doing a switch from auto to the 250's 4spd manual.

 

Did you click on any of the links on Gary's page that take you to the Transmission Code stuff?