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Hi again! I have a 1961 f350 I bought yesterday and I just noticed that there is a key lock on the passenger door but nothing on the drivers side door. Is this normal?
As was told by N.D. The passenger side had a key lock so you would slide out on the passenger side. After locking drivers side from the inside, you would slide out of the passenger side then lock the passenger side from the outside. Kept you from getting hit in the traffic lane.
X2 My gramps told me the same thing,, no offense Bill/N.D.,, I know your not THAT old he is 97
Originally Posted by gangstakr
As was told by N.D. The passenger side had a key lock so you would slide out on the passenger side. After locking drivers side from the inside, you would slide out of the passenger side then lock the passenger side from the outside. Kept you from getting hit in the traffic lane.
Right door lock cylinder was standard equipment beginning 1951 on Deluxe Cabs. Deluxe Cabs became Custom Cabs in 1955.
Standard Cabs weren't available with a right door lock cylinder as standard equipment until 1964 (t'was an option beforehand back to 1951).
The method of locking the left door from the inside, then sliding over the seat to the right side, then locking the right door w/a key was used by all automakers for decades.
This was not a "Ford" thing only. Many streets did not have painted dividing lines until the 1950's, so traffic was chaotic with vehicles weaving every which way.
And most vehicles didn't have turn signals, which were first offered in 1938 Buicks as an option (had to be manually cancelled).
It wasn't until the mid 1950's that all vehicles had them as standard equipment, so...
Standing out in traffic unlocking a left door wouldn't be very pleasant, cuz you'd never know when a 'nut behind the wheel' might weave into you.
Go back a little further in time.., the early Model T did not even have a driver's side door! Only a passenger's side door. Henry did stamp an outline in the sheet metal, though, to give it some class!
I'm sure NumberDummy remembers this from when the new Model T's first came out!
Go back a little further in time.., the early Model T did not even have a driver's side door! Only a passenger's side door. Henry did stamp an outline in the sheet metal, though, to give it some class!
I'm sure NumberDummy remembers this from when the new Model T's first came out!
I sure do, and your grandchildren were standing next to me watching the first T's roll off the Piquette Avenue plant September 27, 1908.
From what they told me, you had dropped them off and were next door at a bar swilling rot gut.