The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors 51, door latches

I haven't posted anything in quite awhile but I have been making progress on the truck. I just figured out the locks and was so frustrated thought I should share my findings. The truck needed an exterior handle on the passenger (Key) side when I first bought it so I ordered a pair of nice chrome handles. I installed the passenger side but it never worked correctly, couldn't get it stay locked. The truck wasn't running then so I put it on a back burner. Moved it to the front burner last month. After playing with the latch, the key lock and everything else there I decided to junk the latch and get a new shiny one. same problem, couldn't get it to stay locked. Lock it from the inside and the exterior handle would just flip it to unlocked and open the door. I finally realized that the shaft on the new handle was not going into the latch mechanism all the way. I took the original handle off the driver side, slipped it right in and everything worked fine. Went to a junk yard yesterday, found an original handle, installed it on the driver side and everything works fine. This was all the result of buying the new handles when I first got the truck and those handles having a shaft that was about 1/8" to short. I couldn't even get them to work if I left off the rubber gasket. I think it is to late for me to return the handles but beware.
The truck is up and running, next up is getting the fuel gauge to work and install the side mirrors.
Martin

... it may be "late" but I'd sure ask and let the vendor know their supplier was/is making crap. I had the same problem with NEW push buttons and NEW handles on my 52. Don't it tick you off to know that even their own new parts don't fit together. I feel your pain and I'm sure many others do.
I let vendors know when they do something good.... I let them know when I get crap. FEEDBACK doesn't always work but in the long run maybe it will help someone else...even if just a little bit.

Thanks for the tip. Knowing that I will probably just get my current handles rechromed when I get to that point.

Martin, Where did you buy your new handles at?? Some of the guys may want to avoid that vendor if you know what I mean. Thanks....