Projects So I’m looking for an easy way to trigger my door latches.

Please don’t say electric,

My issue is this, with the rotary latch mechanism in the door it causes issues with all the other mechanisms in the door. The window needs to be redesigned, the handles need redesigned with a bunch of monkey motion and extra everything.

So if I put the latch in the pillars and the striker on the door I’m golden with everything except one thing. triggering the latch that’s in the pillar with the handle that’s in the door AND having go thru the door jamb without said mechanism acting like a deadbolt.
Im sure something is out there, probably a non auto related industry. Maybe it’s ice cream machine parts or farm equipment or aliens.
Here’s some pics and doodles.

I’m the pillar there’s a dovetail reviver that I can remove and cut in the latch. The door has the corresponding part and a perfect place for the striker.

 

And I’m having trouble with pictures today

 

Greetings, brother.

Let me see if I can get this straight. And if I can understand it, we can be confident everybody else does, too. LOL

You want to reverse the latch mechanism parts. Bear claw in the pillar instead of the door. Striker in the door instead of in the pillar.

Now here's the tricky part...
You want to still have a handle in the door that will actuate the bear claw located in the pillar.
Correct?

Can I be so assuming as to think I could gently nudge you back to reality? LOL
If it's even possible, I don't believe it would be worth the effort.

You could put the door handle in the quarter panel. That would be different.

I think I've heard it said...
There's got to be a better way!

 

My 1926 Dodge doesn't have an inside door handle in the usual location.

It's like this, instead.
Give you any ideas?

 

Sticking with the 1936 ford stuff and the door latch technology.

Upgrade to bear claw rotary latch technology that’s far superior. Complete re design everything inside the door.

Or figure out how to do this one thing.

What’s the better way?

 

Imagine one thingy in the door attached to the handle moving towards the other.
The other thingy in the pillar attached to the latch and it need to move back.

I will unlock the latch but also deadbolt the door. I need to get around the deadbolt part.

 

Absolutely No Problem,,,, given you can think outside the instruction sheet that doesn't really exist. I did this on my 34 Chev sedan project for the same reason, the darn window glass. I used a marine Morris cable, a very long one. Yes, you can make the stock outside handle work as well. I chose not to use an outside one but could have. I also installed electric solenoid by choice though not required as well as a hidden manual pull cable for when the electric failed. Here's a couple photos but again NO instructions. We just gotta be able to think for ourselves. Yes, I will answer questions if I can. Most important is to understand leverage and total travel needed.
Bearjaw in B post. Slots in connecting links are so when one item is triggered it doesn't activate anything else.

Semi large loops to keep cable free movement and fastened to underside of Rocke panel and brought up in the kick panel through door jamb to inside handle.

Feel free to ask anything, the job is still fairly fresh in my mind.

 

The cable idea looks good. HRP

 

Is there a compelling reason not to mount the latch in the door?

You could mount a switch on the handle and a solenoid to operate the latch. You would only have a problem if you have a dead battery.

 

I was going to mention using a cable, but the solutions can sometimes seem like a departure from the K.I.S.S. principle.

P&B sure made it work though.

 

Pnb beat me to the use of cable. Would be super easy to do but very long. Good thing about bear laws is they don't need a lot of pull to open, so you're only looking at fairly small diameter cabling which will be more flexible etc. I recently did something for a seat back tilt mechanism and was amazed at the contents of the parts bin at a local control cable supplier. Really inexpensive too.

Chris

 

Dummy door handle. Cable and ring under the car like some customs use

 

My first thought was a cable thru the rocker or overhead but I thought the action on the cable at hinges would be for sure an issue.

 

Which reason do you want?
1 the door glass runs into the bear claw latch.
Redesign the window, mechanism and run channels.
2 the exterior handle needs an internal bell crank to go from skin, under window back up on inner door side.
3 there’s nothing solid for the exterior handle to Mount to.
4 above all find another way than electric door latches.
Trust me, fully understand why electric is the easier way, until you lock yourself out, or lock yourself in, or something else fails. Electric will be the 25 option after the first 24 don’t work. Keeping the antique door latch is about # 7 on the list

 

perfect enough for getting in but
How’s that work getting out from the drivers seat?

 

You could put a small knob in the panel right behind the jam

 

I had a few different ideas about coming through the A post at that time. I ended up clamping it to the hinge bar so it traveled with the door. Loose in the kick panel so it didn't bend in a corner loop and hang up the inner core. Seems to be working well.
If you stay with stock hinges, I would look into the new door check strap by Juliano's
Now it would be inside the tube and protected from getting crimped when the door closes. Just food for thought. I'm sure there are other ways. I just don't like things jumping out being obvious how they are modified.

 

If you like the stock outside handles (as I do) you can make them work as well along with inside handles. Just gotta think it through and do some light fab work.

 

#1 thing for me to think about for customers is,, If you need and E.M.T. to get into your car to get to you how are they going to do that? Inside handle is the second thing they look for. Make it easy for them. It's way easier to repair after you get healed up.
#2 is that if all you have is electric and involved in a wreck the solenoid probably won't open a door as it used to. Don't force them to use the Jaws of Life.

 

Dummy handle, door poppers and a hidden cable. Use a switch in the car to actuate the poppers from inside.

 

I put latch on the door then used a bicycle brake cable from outside handle, under glass then to latch.

You can get the cable to go around anything, at any angle and it's adjustable for door handle travel too.

I have a build thread somewhere here on it. Worked out really slick...

.

 

It takes a tad of visualization but something like this little handle from Clayton machine works will get the job done in the inside. Clayton Machine Works Bear Claw Latch Release-Grooved - LR-703 - Affordable Street Rods

This is close to what I have used on my 48 since around 1982. Bear claw latch with the release lever with just a rod running up to the outside window sill that I push down to open the door. It wouldn't be hard to have that rod in a tube with the end of the rod recessed an inch or so and use a "key" = round rod on your key chain to stick in the tube and push the rod down. The only issue is that it wouldn't be very secure if people spotted it.

 

OK, I get where you're coming from. I have the same issues with electric door latches, I've never thought those are a good idea. So how about this idea; the 'deadbolt' dilemma is the part that needs solving, so....

Mount the latch actuating arm low on the B pillar so it's not somewhere where it has a 'catching' problem and won't be too obvious. Install it inboard so that it intersects the edge of the door. It will need to stick out of the pillar far enough to get adequate travel to release the latch. Here you have a choice; you can notch the door for a receiver slot containing the actuating slide, or you can surface mount it on the inner door. This will likely be controlled by seat fit. You could use either a fabricated linkage or cables to operate the latch and/or slide. Both of these parts will need to be rigidly mounted and sturdy. This will eliminate having to run cables from the door to the latch, all linkages will local only. Below is a rough drawing of the actuator, some skull sweat will be needed to work out the details, but the basics are when the door is closed, using either the exterior or interior handle will push the latch actuator releasing the latch but because the actuator isn't 'trapped' in the door the door can open.

Again, a lot of details to work out, but I don't see any reason this wouldn't work. You would have to make sure the handles aren't in the 'open' position when closing the door, although it could be possible to spring-load the door slide part to allow even that.

While this may fail the 'easy' part, I think this is doable. Anyway, my .02 worth.... LOL

 

Got me thinking!

 

EZ way is leave it stock

 

There will some finicky details for sure, probably some bellcranks to get proper movement and some return springs but I don't see this as any more complicated than some of the other solutions offered. Mounted down low it won't be too obvious. I figure that after your rebuilding of the body, this shouldn't be that hard... LOLOL

 

This also gives you options. The exterior handle could be on the main body, only the interior handle would be operated through this. Or both in the door, that just makes the slide mechanism a bit more complicated with dual actuation. Light return springs on the slide and each handle would probably be needed. But I don't see this as any more monkey-motion than the other ideas.

 

What about smaller size latch that can go next to the window channel (toward inside or outside of door, instead of trying to squeeze the latch between the window channel and rear edge of the door? The doors should be thick enough to leave the window channel in original spot, and be able to get the smaller latch working.

Alternatively, the latch could go near bottom of the door, below the window channel. It doesn't have to be at center of the door. You should have room to allow the window to function normally, and then sufficient room to mount the latch. Keeping the latch in the door is easier than mounting it in the B-pillar.

In addition, my latches and I think any othrts, can work in any orientation. Release lever top or bottom. pointing in or out, etc. That makes easier options for mounting.

 

From the idiot in the back...

"Bungee cord!"

 

Quickie mock up sparked by crazy Steve
Latch in B pillar.
Blue button release trigger connected to latch in sill plate.

Direction change from both handles to create a motion thru lower door to sill plate button, hit blue button. No dead bolt.
Might work, got plenty of room in there