'36 Drivers Door Lock Problems...

[Enbloc]

I've fitted up my drivers door lock and latch assembly. In its natural state of rest the outside is handle is "locked".
If I move the inside handle a fraction it frees up the outer handle to open and close the door as normal.
When you let go of the inner handle it all goes back on the stops and the outside handle is locked again.

The drivers door handle can't be constantly locked can it?
Is there some sort of spring that hold the latch unlocked, my lock/latch looks complete?
Am I missing something?

Thanks

[1oldtimer]

good question, you might have to re work the latch as the '36 had a pass door lock only. meaning the drivers side was always locked and you unlocked the pass door with a key and then opened the drivers door with the inside handle. i still have yet to look at mine, so i can't really tell you what you need to do.

[Enbloc]

Thanks that would be great.

You can only open the drivers door from the inside? That can't be right can it? Why have an external handle if it can never be used?

[Terry,OH]

you may be missing a spring that holds the inside handle in the lock or unlock position. Over time the springs have a tendency to brake and fall out of the top of the mech just under the handle. it is also possible the mech under the handle is worn so much the spring can not work properly.

[Terry,OH]

door handle spring

[wamnram]

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Originally Posted by Enbloc

Thanks that would be great.

You can only open the drivers door from the inside? That can't be right can it? Why have an external handle if it can never be used?

I thought that the drivers outside door handle was locked by pushing the inside handle forward, otherwise, with the inside handle in the normal position the outside handle functions normally (unlocked).

[Enbloc]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

you may be missing a spring that holds the inside handle in the lock or unlock position. Over time the springs have a tendency to brake and fall out of the top of the mech just under the handle. it is also possible the mech under the handle is worn so much the spring can not work properly.

Does this spring go behind the inner handle in the triangle shaped mounting bracket of the inner handle?

I noticed today that the spring there was just kind of floating, doing nothing.

I'll investigate further. Thanks.

[emmjaydubya]

On my 36, you pull UP on the inside handle and it locks in place, locking the outside handle. You pop it back down and the outside will open up. Not sure about the spring though...

[1oldtimer]

Originally Posted by emmjaydubya

On my 36, you pull UP on the inside handle and it locks in place, locking the outside handle. You pop it back down and the outside will open up. Not sure about the spring though...

that's it, now i remember....sorry about the miss info .

[Dave50]

xxx

[Django]

One of your springs is bad. It happened to me, and I had to replace the latch.

And of course it's ALWAYS the passenger side that fails...

[Enbloc]

This thread is a year old!

I did fix it. It turned out to be excessive wear on the lock (?) stop. The stop had a groove worn in it which caused it to jam the outside door handle.
I pulled the lock apart, welded and ground back the stop to original and its worked perfect ever since.

I bought replacement lock springs from Macs. To say they were nothing like the originals is an understatement!
They never got fitted, even if I wanted to. The originals were fine.