Door Latches 56 Driver

[sider68]

My door on 56 chev pick up wont lock. Is this common? Where do I start? I cant even drive it to a garage as door will fly open. Not sure if its a simple fix or not. I didnt want to tear into and just have another project on my hands that never gets fixed. Please advise

[Rude Dude]

Replace it if its worn had an Uncle Fall out of my dad's old truck also replace the stricker. They are easyly done or change over to bear claw by Altman.

http://webrodder.com/article.php?AID=539&SID=60

[buggy5872]

I put alman latches in my 57 LCF crew cab and I will be doing the same to my other two TF trucks. It was simple to do and they work 10 times better than stock. They do not lock from the inside though. You have to have outside handles with the key locks but for how much better they work it is a small price to pay. I put safety locks on the rear doors since they are suicide and my kids are back there so you could put them on fronts if you really need to lock them.

[OrrieG]

The combination of a worn striker and worn hinges is usually the culprit. I put seat belts in my truck because every once in a while the kids would not get the passenger door tight and I did not want to lose them! Rude has the solution, I am replacing mine with stock, if I wasn't so far into my build I would consider the Altman or similar set up. Good new stock ones will last 200K miles or 30 years, which ever comes first (based on my experience).

[sider68]

I have assembly book but no info on closers Do they come apart from the inside of door

[buggy5872]

OrrieG....The altman latches can be put in with mininal modification to only the door. The most that would have to be repainted would be the door panels and the edge where you cut the door. I am doing my 59 that has been finished for years and have no intention of redoing it anytime soon.

[LDO]

Don't some of the altman latches (kit) come with a panel insert?

[buggy5872]

they come with a panel that the latch bolts to and you cut out for the striker in the original door panel or they sell a door panel already made to accept the latch. I will probably buy the door panels for my other trucks but did not on the crew cab since it does not have factory door panels.

[LDO]

Originally Posted by buggy5872

they come with a panel that the latch bolts to and you cut out for the striker in the original door panel or they sell a door panel already made to accept the latch. I will probably buy the door panels for my other trucks but did not on the crew cab since it does not have factory door panels.

Yep, that's what i'm talking about. Should make the install a breeze.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by buggy5872

OrrieG....The altman latches can be put in with mininal modification to only the door. The most that would have to be repainted would be the door panels and the edge where you cut the door. I am doing my 59 that has been finished for years and have no intention of redoing it anytime soon.

Thanks, I think I will install what I have, but it is good to know I could always upgrade later with minimal work. There are a lot of things like that I wanted to do that do not affect the day to day driving that I am going to do later so I can get this thing on the road.