Locking the 54's doors
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,997
Likes: 9,885
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Welcome to the board!! Very nice looking truck!
Yes its normal for the trucks to only have a key lock on the passenger side. To lock the drivers door you move the handle in the opposite direction that you woud to open it, you'll feel it go past a slight detent. Now its locked, then you are supposed to slide out of the passenger side and lock that side with the key. In the old days everyone got in and out from the passenger side, especially when parked on a busy street.
Its fairly easy to adapt a key lock to the drivers door (or so I'm told-I haven't done it yet)
Good luck
Bobby
Yes its normal for the trucks to only have a key lock on the passenger side. To lock the drivers door you move the handle in the opposite direction that you woud to open it, you'll feel it go past a slight detent. Now its locked, then you are supposed to slide out of the passenger side and lock that side with the key. In the old days everyone got in and out from the passenger side, especially when parked on a busy street.
Its fairly easy to adapt a key lock to the drivers door (or so I'm told-I haven't done it yet)
Good luck
Bobby
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 97,591
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From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Originally Posted by bobbytnm
especially when parked on a busy street.Bobby
I heard this busy street thing before but can`t see it when compared to today`s traffic.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 5
From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
I did the drivers side lock install a couple weeks ago, there is a thread here about it with some excellent advice. It was simple, and made a HUGE difference, I drive my 56 to work every day and the one lock situation was annoying, at best.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,908
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From: Seattle WA.
Back in the mid 50's a lot of the freeways weren't built yet, and streets were more narrow that today. I can remember watching a TV program on the History channel where they showed traffic in the mid 1930's in Downtown Los Angeles totally jamed bumper to bumper.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,997
Likes: 9,885
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Fomoko1,
Thats a fine stable of cars you got going!!
I didn't say the streets were busier it was just commonplace for people to slide out the passenger side instead of exposing themselves to traffic. Watch any old movie, everyone just slides across.
As Packrat56 mentioned, there was a thread on this topic a short time back that had alot of good info about installing a lock on the drivers side.
Bobby
Thats a fine stable of cars you got going!!
I didn't say the streets were busier it was just commonplace for people to slide out the passenger side instead of exposing themselves to traffic. Watch any old movie, everyone just slides across.
As Packrat56 mentioned, there was a thread on this topic a short time back that had alot of good info about installing a lock on the drivers side.
Bobby
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Central PA
Originally Posted by cbfomoco
the deluxe cabs had locks on both doors, allong with headliners, door panels, kick panels, etc.
abe
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,552
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From: Adams,CO.
Back then , all streets were 2 way streets, therefore the curb side was the passenger side. One way's were adapted to move traffic through business districts to speed things along which in turn led to less congestion. The lock can be installed on the d/s, just make a template from the p/s, and reverse it on the d/s and cut a hole. The lock is the same, just turn the latch lever over. Did this twice. 
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,150
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From: Waynesboro, Virginia
You probably know this, but what the heck: You can buy a left handed lock instead of using another right side one on the left door. The hinged lock covers open "up" on both doors that way.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: S.C.
I did the conversion on my 55, I just took the lock off the pasenger side took some measurements of the location drew a hole diagram on a stock card, cut it out then traced it on the driver side door,cut it out and put in the locking mech. I used a small file to get the angles in the hole after I cut it sharper. 