The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Is this NOS? opinions please

I really felt like I scored on ebay with this part. Granted it was in the middle of the night when I could not sleep but I digress. Everybody knows the aftermarket door latches for the AD trucks are junk. Everybody complains. This one was listed as "NOS" passenger side door latch for 47 to 54 Chevy/GMC trucks. Brand new part never used. Only taken out of the box for pictures. Genuine GM part. I am no expert as I have never bought a cheap chinese aftermarket latch before so I don't know what they look like. I only know when I set this next to my original latch there are differences. Close but different. My latch says pat pend on it which is no where to be found on the new one. Levers have different shapes albeit subtle. The box looks suspect in the printing and colors. Looks more like a box from the 70's or 80"s. It was even stapled with the printed flap on the inside. Not right. There are also some pretty good scratches for a brand new, never used latch. I can only come up with two scenarios. 1) It is an authorized GM reproduction latch from the 70/80's and was maybe put on a truck for a short time, or, 2) It is a cheap chinese aftermarket that somebody sprayed some grease on and put it in a used GM box and sold it. I am open to your thoughts on how I should approach the seller.

First, your latch is 47-51 as in 52 they changed to the push button. I could be mistaken, but I seem to remember the company Cowles stamped in one of my latches, catches or hinges. Your right about the packaging, not from the forties or early fifties.

I would think (and I’ve only had one cup of coffee) that if it were OEM it would have GM stamped in several places along with patent numbers. JMO

Thank you Phil. This should have been the first red flag. Given it was the middle of the night, I drove right past that one. Certainly a clue that the seller did not know what he was selling. Fortunately my truck is a 47. Is the latch you have that is stamped with Cowles new repro or in the truck for a long time?

The PN on the box matches with a 47-51 Right side lock assembly from the parts listing. Maybe it was manufactured much later, so could be a NOS lock.
I recall seeing the "COWLES" stamped on my original door locks, but I'd have to go dig them out of the parts pile to confirm that.
Looks like you may have made a good score. Too bad it's not a driver's side lock. Those are the ones that take a beating.

The Patent Numbers were probably no longer valid when that latch was made. Chevrolet more than likely outsourced the latch because it was still in demand into the 1970's. I remember buying a new in the box 1957 Chevy car rear bumper ends back in the late 70's, they both came in new GM boxes with all the right part numbers, but looked like they were stamped with a press that was half as strong as it needed to be as they were covered in wrinkles. So with that all said I think you have a GM authorized latch that was made way after production stopped. If it fits and works, I'd use it as it's going to be way better than the repo's that are made now.

Mike B

My latches were original to the truck. I also think you scored with NOS GM latches.

I bought NOS locks for the 1952 Chevy pickup in 1979~1980. A dealership in Arkansas had matched sets of locks in stock for many years and had answered a parts request from a dealership in Dallas when I requested these. I believe I paid $135 plus tax for both and it was well worth the cost. Nowhere was Cowles stamped on them but they were in boxes that were marked Genuine GM Parts...and I can't recall if the boxes looked like yours but maybe they did. They were exactly correct when compared to the originals and have held up very well.

Info from GMPartsWiki
The GM Parts History says 3684167 (Driver's) was discontinued in 9/74 and 3684168 (Passenger's) in 11/73.
Looking at the GM MPLs, there were no part number supersedes between 1947 and 1971.

Comparing the left (old) and right (new) images, the old latch does not look like any of the NOS latch pictures that I have saved.
I also think the new purchase is a NOS latch.
But what about the old latch. Scratch head. A used clone?

The box makes' it look NOS, but the part doesn't. He might have used and NOS part on his or anothers truck, and clean his up and put it in the box.

I believe that's a true NOS part. Not sure what makes you think it's not.

Here's some pix of my original locks that I cleaned up, reconditioned, and zinc plated. They definitely have the COWLES lettering stamped in, although the passenger side one is pretty faint.

TwinJimmys Looks like it is a turkey-shoot people out there who don't know...or who do know !! Guess since you have it try it,if it works and is safe for your passenger be glad!! My wife went out and got in the 51 left the door handle down first turn door swings open !! Only time ever,otherwise has been safe ,secure,opens and closes well. Now earlier had to weld in a shim to keep the door up close in the hole. Outside of that have been happy with door action.