Z,

I'm not sure about this, but I think some 50's vehicle doors could be locked by pushing the interior door handle forward (or opposite the direction pulled to open the latch). I guess Henry decided the only guy needing to unlock the truck was the driver.

Meteor

 

it doesn't make sense , a key lock on pass side, does it?

 

Meteor is correct you push down on the inside handle to lock the doors.I don,t know why the key hole only on the passenger side.I just looked at my 54 and it is the same.Maybe they assumed men were gentlemen enough to open their ladies door first.

 

How would you go about getting into the locked truck then? The only access is through the passenger side. Would you unlock the passenger door with the key, climb in, and then slide across into the driver's seat?

 

maybe the doors got mixed up at factory, were for right side drive in other countrys

 

My 35 is the same, made me wonder the same thing.

 

Steve,
I know it just doesn't sound right but there is no mix up. All of the 1953-1956 Ford F-100 trucks only had the keyed lock on the passenger side door. Any pictures that you may see with the lock installed on the driver's door was done by the owner after purchase, and not the factory.

 

I read that henry wanted people entering and exiting the vehicle on the curb side to keep them out of traffic. Don't know if it's true but they suredid it for a long time on trucks. Are the Ford cars the same?

 

Guys I'm not sure how accurate this is but I remember this topic came up one morning having coffee with the guys. And it was said, it was for safety. It is supposed to be so the driver isn't near traffic when he is trying to unlock his door. No huge shoulders or parking lots in them days. Just narrow streets and two lane hwy's. The guy that told us that has a memory like a trap and he knows all kinds of stuff like that. Me, I can't remember where my keys are. Cheers!

 

Your right and my 30 model Ford coupe had the key lock on the passenger side also. It was a safety thing, enter the car on the curb side and slide over, same thing getting out. It was a good idea i guess but it would sure be a PITA, LOL.

 

We musta been typin at the same time 4t8. lol :thumbup:

 

Here is a little known fact, starting in 1912 the touring bodies had operating doors on the passenger side only. I don't know when the driver door became operating again, sometime in the early '20s I think. I was told it was for safety reasons also, to keep folks out of the street. Sometimes with the way people get out of their cars today it might not be a bad idea to try sealing up the drivers door again.

 

i guess they didn;t have floor shifter, that would get in the way

 

My dodge truck is the same. The guy I bought it from said a lotta cars back then came like this, for safety issues like mentioned above. Slide over, get out on the curb side. Get in on the curb side, slide in. This way you're never exposed to traffic. Clever aint it?




Mike

 

My 48 Chevy truck is the same, it wasn't only Ford.

Brian

 

Watch some of the old black and white movies from the 30s to 50s....They always slide across the seat and get out the passenger side. Like said....safety reasons.

 

My 53 intrenational is that way. Somebody asked the same questian on that board and got the same answer

 

It probably made sense back then.

As long as the driver door opened, there's no safety issue getting out.

Seems like it would be a PITA on a cold day when you're in your own driveway, but I suppose most people didn't lock their car up at home anyhow back then (at least in the 30s). You'd probably lock it in the city, which is where it would be most dangerous to get in on the driver side.

Sure must have been a different world back then...

 

This happens mostly on Ford products! they are hoping someone will forget to lock it and leave the keys in iy so someone that's not in their right mind will steal it!

 

show me a 30's era chevy with a drivers door lock.

ever watch really old movies? horses were smart enough not to run over each other. people on the other hand ran amuck. open a drivers door and you'll have an open roadster.

 

Back in the day......most on street parking required parallel parking.

These are December 1935 photos ( 70 years ago .. )....taken in Philadelphia at the intersection of Girard Ave. and 29th. Parallel parked cars.....with the passenger side to the curb. Check out the trolley tracks......in the road....

It was SAFER to get out on the curb.........plus it was cheaper for old Henry to make the passenger side only door lock. Think of all the locks and work Henry saved....

 

f100 passenger door locks

They actually put the door locks on the passengerside because it was too dangerous to go in and out of the driverside due to being hit by a car- you always park on the curb with the passengerside to the place you are going

 

Ford E brake

My 1917 original Model T has that Tall hand brake on the drivers Left side,, another thing you would have to get around but there is no door on the drivers side but there are doors on both sides for the rear seat passengers....

 

Let's hope the DOT dummies in Washington aren't monitoring this thread, we may all be exiting from the pass side again next year!

Russ

 

yep, streets were narrow and no room for open door. not a bad idea when you consider some of the drivers today.
tim , that is a center door t also called a taxi t . cool hotrods when done right.