door locks on pass. side only. why?

[nitrous nut]

my 41 chevy and a frends 51 ford only has one door lock thats on the pass. door and from what i found the drivers door has no way to lock it. anyone know why this is????????

 

[shoveled71]

Back in those days it was a safety thing, so you wouldnt be opening your door onto the traffic side, my 56 Ford pu is the same way, although if you bought the Custom Cab option it had a key opening on the drivers door, you can still lock it from the inside by pushing down on the door handle instead of lifting up. Spike

 

[nitrous nut]

thanks. iv been wondering about that since i bought my 41 chevy

 

[garvinzoom]

Yes, like shoveled71 said it was for saftey. Someone told me it was and still is illegal to open your door into traffic but it is not enforced unless you get your door tore off doing it and then it is going to be the owner of the car that opened the door being held responsible for any damage caused to their vehicle and the vehicle that hit them.

 

[shortyforty]

Back then in many states it was illegal to exit the car on the drivers side into traffic.

Funny thing, my wifes 2001 Mustang only has a lock on the drivers door, none on the passenger door.

 

[Alienbaby17]

Funny thing, my wifes 2001 Mustang only has a lock on the drivers door, none on the passenger door.

I've been noticing that here at the shop also. LOTS of newer cars don't have a passenger lock anymore.

Thanks for asking, "NN". I've always wondered that too. People used to just see the one lock on my truck and ask me the same question and I always had to say I didn't know. These answers make a lot of sense.

Jay

 

[Willowbilly3]

But then new cars have power locks so you open the rest of them with the button and most new cars have the clicker to open them for you.
If you watch old 50s movies and tv shows you will see the driver entering and exiting the passenger side door. Henry didn't even put a drivers door on most of his open cars until 26.

 

[Arkansawer]

Well that is a better explanation that what i was told before.

I was told that it forced the men to be gentlemen. Unlock the ladies door first and then walk around, and she would lean over and unlock yours from the inside.

Now the question is why wasnt there push button locks back then? I got locked in my 61 Ford Unibody back when i had it cause of the stupid locking system. Pull up on the door handle and it locked it, push down and it opened it.

 

[humfleet]

I was told that this was also a way to check what type of woman you were dating at the time.

Did she automatically lean and unlock your door or did you have to tell her?

Possibly a sign of things to come for you later.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I was told that this was also a way to check what type of woman you were dating at the time.

Did she automatically lean and unlock your door or did you have to tell her?

Possibly a sign of things to come for you later.

I always used that as a barometer. If she didn't unlock my door there would be no second date. Nowdays it's just the click click and the doors are unlocked and with the contoured seets your sweety can't even set next to you anymore. Progress