Locking Doors without Keys

[ol yeller]

Has anyone modified their door locks so you can lock them without a key, just push donw the lock on the inside and close the door. Haven't really looked at it, but I would enjoy not having to walk around to lock the wife's door, or lean over after she gets out.

[morganater]

GREAT question. I think I will be having to tear my doors apart and replace the regulators soon anyways, so I am also interested in this.

[Joe Kriston]

Yeah,but how many times have you locked your keys in your old Ford truck?

[f100ranger1969]

I always kinda liked the idea that you have to use the key to lock it. Just like you said, ya can't lock em inside and I'm pretty good at doing dumb stuff like that!

[Jay]

I read that you can lock them by pulling the handle the opposite direction of open... this has never really worked for me though. I would imagine with a bit of craftiness you could integrate the manual locking from a similar door.

[FORDification]

I read that you can lock them by pulling the handle the opposite direction of open... this has never really worked for me though. I would imagine with a bit of craftiness you could integrate the manual locking from a similar door.

That only applies to '67 doors, since they used a lever-style door release instead of the squeezable paddle-type of the '68-'72 doors. On the '67 doors, you lift up on the lever to open the door, and push down on the lever to lock it.

Since all my trucks are apart right now I can't verify this, but if I recall correctly, as on other vehicles, if you hold the outside handle button IN when closing the door, it will remain locked.

[BCOOLEY]

Thats what I was thinking! Press the button and close the door has always worked for me!

[shortbedCUSTOM]

I've tried to lock it and then close it by holding the button in. on my truck as long as the button is locked, you can not push in on the thumb button.

[Jay]

I have a '67, and it is the same as shortbed. I can indeed lock it by pulling down, but then I cannot close the door, the button does not depress.

So this would only be useful perhaps for locking a passenger door from the inside.

[MAK]

I've tried to lock it and then close it by holding the button in. on my truck as long as the button is locked, you can not push in on the thumb button.

Which is really strange since my 68 Cougar can be locked by holding the button in, as well as some other late 60s early 70s Fords that my family or I have gone through...

[bluef250]

I have wondered for years how to modify the door mechanizism to allow locking without a key. If you find out, this work would make an interesting tech article.

[ol yeller]

I finally got around yesterday to pulling the door apart. Pulled the latch out and twisted it around in my hands for about an hour trying to puzzle out how to fix it. The way it's made makes it really hard to make a mod on as far as I could tell. If you fix it so you can push down the lock and hold it the outside button, it doesn't lock anymore.
So, I starting thinking about pulling the latch out of a later model truck and was wondering if it would fit. Seems like they changed this sometime in the early 70's where you could lock it and hold the outside button in and lock the door. Anyone know when they fixed this locking mechanisim. Thanks

[pimpin1970]

Whats up guys, I'm new here and think this is a pretty cool site. I haven't worked on my 1970 2WD truck in a while, it was my high school ride and is now sitting half way torn apart. I hated locking it with a key when I first bought it and pushing in the button did not work. I took whole locking mechanism out of the door and found that when the door closes there is a small arm that lifts up and unlocks the door. You cant just eliminate the whole thing because it is needed for another part of the mechanism but you can cut off just enough so that the arm just misses unlocking the door. There was a small hole that I could get a drill bit into and I had to drill a couple small holes then break off the small piece with some needle nose pliers. It took a little bit of time but I got it done and I think it sure was worth it!!!

[cobraF100]

pimpin1970,

Glad to have You..

Thanks for the helpful info....Did you take any Pictures of How and What You did to get it to work.
Keith may want to put this info You have on the How-To Page.

Why don't you stop by the Welcome Mat and tell us a little about yourself....And Post some Picture's,We Love Pictures

[1968Ranger]

I have the sure fire fix to this query. Move to the country and never take your keys out of the ignition. Works for me.