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DOOR HANDLES / LOCKS
We have a 1951 3100 (non push button pull down type) door handled truck and the door lock is on the passenger side only.
we want to replace these with locking handles on both sides.
Even possibly change out the door striker to the more secure newer type (last option) but we would like to make this a more user friendly operation.
Does anybody know how to or where to find these bits to complete our request???
many thanks
carolines truck

I don't know where to get the locks your looking for but, both doors do lock. The drivers door locks from the inside. You probably already know this, but just in case you didn't. Cecil.........

try www.lmctruck.com

I changed over my '56 (push button type) so I'd have outside locks on the driver's side as well as the trucks didn't come with driver's side locks. But both doors had inside locks (flip the handle). By changing both locks at the same time, I got them keyed alike.

However, what I DID sacrifice was the ability to lock the doors from the inside and use a key to unlock them from the outside. The inside lock mechanism operates differently from the outside lock.

Why did chevy put the locks only on the passenger side? I was told by and older fellow that it was so you could let your wife/girlfriend in first...but the gas tank is also on that side

The most common theory as to why only one door lock, on the passenger side, is that vehicles back then parked along the streets, and being narrow, it was not safe to exit the drivers door, so the logic is that it was expected drivers would slide across and exit and enter the passenger side door. Hence the one lock. Perhaps that and the savings of leaving off one door lock would mean for GM.
But I have heard that some even earlier vehicles did not even have a driver side door. So the door minus an outside lock may just be in the evolution of the vehicle.

It was done that way for legal reasons, in the old days is was often illegal to exit a vehicle on the street side. Actually, I think those laws are still technically active in some areas.

On the push-button locks, you don't have to buy new to get them keyed the same. Any competent locksmith can re-key one of those buttons for a few bucks.

Yeah, I knew about the locksmith route but the longer story is that the passenger outside lock was crap so it had to be replaced anyways. I was just trying to keep the story shorter. : )

Since no one has mentioned this, the easiest way to have outside locking doors for the 47/51 trucks is to change the doors to the 52/55 doors with push button locks. You can put locking buttons on both handles. It is simple and all you have to do is locate a second passenger door lock and install the later model strikers. You will end up with vent windows too (51's already have these). ......g

Can I just flip my key handle oven and put it on the other side?

I believe that you can exchange/switch the buttons from one side to the other, I am not sure about the handle they may be left and right because of the door taper. I changed out my 53 handles many years ago by going down to a locksmith and rekeying all of my locks so they would all work on one key. I had locks on both handles including the rear door on my suburban (separate lock) .....g

I'm about 99% sure the handles are the same. I have a bunch in a box somewhere, once off the truck, there is no way to tell where they came from.

i switch from passenger to drivers side years ago, works fine on my 54/3100. RON

Larry Bear, What do you mean that the inside lock didn't work after switching to push button lock. I too have a '56 stepside that I'm rebuilding and haven't got to that part yet. I don't have the key to that door so that was another future project I haven't looked into yet. What am I up against?

I called around and having bear claw latches installed was between $300-600.00 OUCH !!!
but the guy was nice enough to say swap doors it would be cheaper.
i'll look into it and i'd still like to have more info about early 50's trucks. the earlier 47-51 drop handles are different than the other later styles, so I don't believe 55 on works unless one makes some major changes. if we do that then swapping to bear claws might be the ticket. i'm going to wait till i hear and learn more. thanks for the answers though. keep um coming.......

Jose, as you know your inside locks will work by pushing the door handle forward... then as you also know, you just pull it backwards to unlock. But the lock on the outside is a different mechanism inside. It operates seperately from the inside mechanism. So if you lock the door from the inside you MUST unlock it from the inside as well. The saem with the outside lock. It MUST be unlocked from the outside.

I had problems with my pass side inside lock to begin with so couldn't lock my truck at all (no key on driver's side), When I put keyed locks on both sides I removed the little lock tab on the mechanism so I now can't lock it from the inside at all... only the outside. No biggie, I just have to walk around the truck and lock it outside.

If you pulll the lock mechanism out of the door and play with it, it's pretty apparent how the locks work.

Hope this helps!

Sorry carolines truck, didn't mean to chime in on your topic. Larry, thanks for the info.

300 - 600 to install bear claws sounds fairly high to me. i put a pair on a 53 car and a 39 car and it didnt seem too difficult. the 53 went in without welding, just a bit of grinding. the 39 did require a small shroud welded in but $600?