I was having the same problem with my truck. I used a 1950 cab to replace the original (bad) 1953 cab, and I could not get the latches to work properly. After finding this post I went out to the shop and made the modification on one of the doors. Luckily I had enough of both types of striker plates to try one and still have a full set in case it didn't work.
It worked out well enough, although I'm going to do things a little differently for the second plate. But the door now opens and closes properly. Two things I found out while doing this:
1. Be sure to cut off enough of the new style plate that you have some up and down adjustment room. I didn't, and grinding down the back side of the plate after welding it together is a real chore.
2. Be sure to set the front edges of the plate in the correct position so there is room to move it in and out for aligning the door.
Now that I have one working I'm going to do the latch for the other door, then go back and modify the one I did first.
It sure would be nice if someone offered these for sale. There have to be quite a few people in this situation.
Tim
Last edited by bluesman; 11/22/2018 5:21 PM.
I am currently digging back in to a 1953 3800 (one ton) with a nine foot bed. I've owned it since 1979, and drove it until 1982 (or so). My wife got me involved in restoring it back in 2002, got the body removed and the frame redone, then things came up. Now I am retired and starting again. If anyone is interested I have photos on Imagur (
https://timwhiteblues.imgur.com/ ). I live way back in the woods in the Ozarks on 40 acres at the end of a 2 1/2 mile private road.
Tim
