The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors 1936 door lock

So here's a dumb question. My left door has a provision to lock it from the inside (a little "T" knob), but I noticed that the right door does not. How does the right door lock from the inside? Is it done with the door handle somehow? The door is apart as I'm putting window felt in so I can install the window glass.

Drivers door locks from the inside with the TEE handle, slide across the seat to exit out the passenger door on the curb side of the road for safety, then lock the passenger door BY WAY of the lock in the center of the handle. The 1929 -1954 parts manual has a section for the door locks with parts break downs, pictures, and tumbler information.

FAST55 - Below are pictures from a 1936 Chevrolet Truck Owners manual that describes the door locking and unlocking procedures. I'm pretty sure GMC instructions and functions are the same.

Joe H mentions the locking procedure when exiting the vehicle, but you asked about locking from the inside. To lock the doors while inside in prep for driving, the way I read the instructions, it includes the same door locking steps for the drivers door described by Joe, but on the passenger door, it indicates you must use the key from the outside of the passenger door to lock the door handle lock, then pull the door closed.

Seems they hadn't quite thought that process through too well. But then again, not many people were worried about locking the doors while driving I think.

Hope this answers your question.

That's as bad as needing to remove the passenger seat bottom to put fuel in the tank on '37 trucks, wonder who thought thats was good idea! With the way the doors latch, it wouldn't take much of hit to knock them open, being locked makes no difference.

Ok guys thanks for the info. Now to hunt down a right side door handle with a good locking mechanism.

How crazy is that! Locking your passenger in with no way to get out from the inside in case of an accident. What GM engineer thought that was a good idea?