Use key lock to open door(shaved handles), advice?

I'm in the slow process of shaving my door handles and in a few hours my holes will be welded shut. I want to buy an Autoloc kit later but money is too tight right now. I've seen some guys use the key lock in the door to open the latch. This seems like alot of stress on the lock/key to me. I don't want to end up stranded in the parking lot with a busted key and shut doors lol

Any advice on this setup from those who've used it? Definetly going to switch to selenoids later and weld up that lock hole but for the time being I need a cheap, mechanical way. I do have a hood release cable I can use but I like the security of a key(but not at the expense of reliable entry lol).

Thanks- John

 

magnetic switch with starter solenoids

 

I have some GM starters laying around but when I was reading up on them I kept hearing the word "fire" so I was kinda shying away lol. I read to use fuse to combat that possibility. I'm not against trying it if the key lock thing sucks too bad lol.

I'm kinda open to ideas, just has to be easy-ish and inexpensive.

Anyone on the key lock idea? Sorry, these "How do I open my doors" threads are everywhere here on the H.A.M.B., just didn't see any real facts about the key lock method lol.

-John

 

You can pick up some door pops fairly cheap. You could probably use them to open the door. So when you unlock it it opens enough to grab the edge of the door.

 

The keys alone are often used to open trunk latches ... I don't see why they wouldn't stand up to door duty.

 

Yeah getting the door open enough to grab should be fairly easy, was thinking of the valvespring on the doorsil idea. Are you talking about the electric locks popper for power locks in a car? Hmmmm.....I have a Cadillac with the electric trunk release(a '76 with the button in the glovebox). Wonder if that would be good enough?

-John

 

Yeah thats true Rat Fink, the latches are about the same size too.

-John

 

You could easily rig a switch to the keylock mechanism to electrically trigger solenoids...honestly, as long as you build the latch setup correctly it shouldn't be that much stress for a key to unlatch a door...

 

I guess if it didn't work I wouldn't be out, since the locks are already there. I think I'm gonna try this first and see what happens. If it sucks I can always advance to a home brewed selenoid or cable.

Thanks for the responses guys.

-John

 

you could find a door handle with the lock cylinder in the push button and recess the button. you'd then just unlock and push and it'd pop the door. if you wanted to get fancy, you could probably come up with a magnetic cap or something and paint it body color so it'd almost completely go away.

 

There was a thread about " regrets" not long ago. Most had to do with the removal of door handles.

 

You will probably want a cable for back up when the battery goes dead and the solenoids don't work, so you might as well install it now.

 

i did the key for a handle deal on a non HAMB truck. it worked sweet! you should carry a spare key in your wallet tho as you'll jump out of the car at somepoint with the keys left inside. i would do it again.

later jim

 

Some of the surplus electronics outlet has door solenoids for $5.50 each and I am sure boneyards have lots of them.
Be easier to spend the 10 bucks and wire them up to a switch.....

 

i use the key on my late 75 chev pu. it works great, and was really easy, just put the door handle rod on the lock cyl. and trimmed a couiple rounds of the spring off the make it open easy. works everytime unlike electric shit.

 

Use the tailgate key lock out of a 1988 Caprice wagon.

You will only need one side of the keyswitch

Turn the key one way and it activates a door lock soloniod that you can hook up to a door popper. Twist it a little further and it will lower a power window

Turn it the other direction and it will lock a door and raise a power window.

 

especially in a bad accident..trying to get out..or worse when some good sameritan is trying to get you out, and cant..just a thought

 

same as if you lock your doors.

later jim

 

a cheap home made set up is olds or any GM trunk 12 volt release with a hidden button under some chrome just keep the key for security.

 

My $.02, shaving the handles and leaving a key hole is
ugly and looks like the job was only half done. PM me your
address, I'll send you a couple of reed (magnetic) switches.
You say you have the solenoids, just spend $10 on a couple of
relays and fuses and make it look smooth, the way t's supposed to.

 

I did this on my 53 Club Coupe. I used a solenoid from and S10 blazer that unlocked the back window. I mounted a momentary toggle switch in the door and put a small screw threw the key mechanism so that when you turned the door lock key it would trip the solenoid and open the door.

 

I sank in 59 plymouth trunk lid buttons into my 58 chevy doors. I used exhaust tubing and a fender washer welded to the end and then sank it into the door skin. It has a key lock so you can lock your doors and a spring in the door jamb pops it open enough to grab the door edge. No threat of fire and no dead batteries. If you go to electric solenoids, install a battery main disconnect and Moroso battery terminal studs to jump the battery if it's hidden. Good luck.

 

UNLESS you drive your car year around and dont live in sunny florida, (kansas ice) I found I couldn't get doors open with electric, so i used the key on the truk and it worked great even when icey. but I know i am the exception to the rule and drive my shit all the time. Its the lifestyle i chose.

 

I've seen people put a small keyed lock in their vent window, then you unlock it and reach in to open the door.

 

i saw a hex key used on a 60's chevy pickup, there was just a small hole with a painted rubber gromet, and the hex key was a t-handle.

but after seeing the video of that guy almost burning to death i'll be keeping door handles.

 

the biggest mistake any one makes when shaving the door handles is over coming the interior door handle spring.


easy clean way is a choke cable run out the door to the bottom of the front fender.

 

I assume once you get the money and you do a full system you are going to want an ESCAPE cable or means to get in in case of battery failure etc.

Just run a cable now from your latch thru door and pillar and into fender well or someplace you can get at it outside, make a loop on the end and clamp it. Your gonna have to this sometime anyway.

Check out your local hardware store in the screen/ patio door section for all kinds of parts , pulleys to change direction , etc.

 

I've done it in the past you need to make sure that the latch is properly adjusted and in free working order.

It is doable with solenoids and is a good idea for one, use the key to trip the solenoid. But even at that you need to make an emergency opener for at least one door. We used to use a choke cable hidden in the fender well.

 

Could you guys elaborate a little more? This sounds like exactly what I want to do.

 

I did the same thing finkd did only on a 83 S-10 in 1989. Still works great with NO problems! Try to get a solinoid to last that long!!