47-55.1 Doors - Mix Match of Parts 47-5?

[Thadious]

So, here is my scenerio...

I have 48 doors on a 52 cab. Personally I'm not in preference to the wing windows and prefer a solid on piece glass.

Now, I'm not a fan of the turn down handles as they always seem to droop over time and I'd really like to have door locks on BOTH sides of the truck.

I was looking at using the 52-59 door handles with matching cylinders to go with the ignition and glove box. Ignition is going to be dash mounted with the off-acc-run and sprung start. I've thought about using a floor or behind dash starter button but thinking more simplicity, and I don't have space to the right or left of my pedals as I have a clutch in this one and the high/low beam is to the left of the clutch.

Now, the thought... has anyone blanked off the holes in a 47/48 door and redrilled for a 52 latch set?

Anyone have any measurements for the holes??

Another point to note is that I'll be using small Autoloc bear claws for the latches with a few mods similar to Altman.

Anyone? Thoughts.

Thanks!
Ted.

[mr48chev]

It's a lot more than blanking off and drilling, there is a reinforcement plate behind the pushbutton handles and I'll have to go out and look but I am not sure you can directly swap latches.

There's a nasty wind blowing outside but I'll try to get a couple of photos of doors I have that are easy to get to.

[mr48chev]

I ran out and got some photos but didn't do any cleaning. Another difference That caught my attention is the location of the upper screw that holds the latch to the door.

[8man]

I got the plates inside the door that Mr48 shows in one picture. I used them on the inside of some 48 doors to locate and mount the push button handle on my 54. I went with Altman latches so I can't help more than that, but I think Mr48 about covered it.

[Thadious]

I see. The screws for the latches I'm not worried about. I have a second set of trash doors that I'll be cutting up for some parts but they are 48 era style. The intention is to cut out the latch area, fill in the blanks and recut out the openings for bear claws (rotary small type) then use them as a bolt on insert similar to the Altmans. This also allows me to make filler panels from the original gauge of material for the closest match.

The holes for the turn downs will be welded shuts as will the lock opening. I may have to try to source the reinforcement plates that the 52 uses and remove the 48's. I've converted 52 doors to 48's in the past, so I've been inside them quite a bit over the years. I like the Altman latch setup, just with the Canadian/US exchange rate, I have a hard time justifying $616 CAD for them (exchange rate, shipping, and taxes at the border). So, I do what I always do... research, design and build.

I've already bought the Autoloc smalls and aftermarked install plates (for templates on the door and the floating nuts on the jamb).

[Thadious]

So, I've sourced a set of handles from the local wrecking yard. I can clearly see the re-inforcement plate for the latches and think I'll have to cut a section out of each of the driver's and passenger's door to get them out, then I'll grind out the 48 re-inforcements, weld up the holes, and redrill and plug weld in the 'new' re-inforcements. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I'd like to have locks on both the passenger and driver's doors and push button latches work easiest with the rotary bearclaws... from what I can tell...

[mobileortho]

I ran shaved handles on my 50 for a few years before swapping in the 52-59 push buttons and upgraded to the Altman latches. The hardest part of the swap for me was finding the backing plates although you could make your own.

[Thadious]

Interesting thing... I sourced the plates yesterday from a 'local' (hr + down the road) wrecking yard. They came from a couple of trucks with the doors caved in, but that section was unharmed. Brought them home, sandblasted them clean, popped the 3 spot welds on each of them, re-blasted them (the areas that were butted together) and a good coat of weldable primer.

Now, I just need the location of the large hole and I can use the cut-out door skins as templates. Drill and grind out the holes to match, a few holes for spot welds and we're in business with minimal impact to the doors.

I was going to use small bearclaws (I picked up a set of Autolocs) but I was going back through an old post of mine on a previous build and it looks like I might use a different set of large bearclaws from a 91-95 YJ half door. They have more framing and 'appendages' to adapt things to.

Cheers!
Ted.

[leegreen]

Please post more details as you work through this.

I have been pondering switching to bear claws and sourcing them from the pickapart wrecker cause I am cheap and I also like the idea of getting all the linkage and the matching sections of door frame and pillar for latch and striker rather than just buy the latch alone from aftermarket.

[Thadious]

Originally Posted by leegreen

Please post more details as you work through this.

I have been pondering switching to bear claws and sourcing them from the pickapart wrecker cause I am cheap and I also like the idea of getting all the linkage and the matching sections of door frame and pillar for latch and striker rather than just buy the latch alone from aftermarket.

I hear you, I am too but I'm also pretty cogniscent of the fact that there are some safety items that require quality over value. If at all possible, I try to modify OEM part other than aftermarket.

Right now, I'm looking at going back to using CJ/YJ half door bear claw latches. I have a feeler out to a local guy that wrecks jeeps, but I haven't heard back from him. So I found these on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...9G753MN0H&th=1

What I'm looking to do is to design a mechanism where I would be able to remove a rivet or two and bolt on a setup that would allow 52 push buttons and inside latches to activate the lock. With a little cleanup and welding on the door, you would be able to cut out the new pattern for the bear claws, drill and bolt these together, mod the re-enforcement plate to the 52 style and TA-DA! Door locks on both sides and an OEM look.

The reason for the CJ/YJ locks... is they are simple to work on. I've thought about newer ones but without them in hand, they are more difficult to engineer.

Right now, I have the re-enforcement plates and door templates, waiting to go in after the old re-enforcement plates are popped off.

I just need some measurements the a 52 door holes, if someone is willing to indulge me!

Cheers!
Ted.

[leegreen]

check this build thread out if you have not seen it.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...=428878&page=2
starting at post 43

What dimension do you need?