MTFCA Forum

I have a '29 Model A Briggs Town Sedan, and four Model T's. The four Model T's are all "open" cars,...a depot hack, two Tourings and a Roadster Pickup. Because of the very "cumbersome" and inconvenient door lock arrangement on the Model A (4-door) Briggs Town Sedan, I'm wondering if Model T 4-door sedans have the same cumbersome and very inconvenient door lock arrangement?

On the Model A 4-door, both driver side doors only lock from the inside, and the passenger side rear door also only locks from the inside, however, the passenger side front door is only lockable from the outside with a key.

"Black era" Model T's (except for the "new improved" '26-'27) didn't even have a real drivers door on closed cars, and I've heard of the supposed reasoning of Henry Ford, that he considered that the the passenger side (or sidewalk side) was the safer side to disembark from the car, and I'm assuming that closed Model T's also were only lockable with a key on the passenger side front door. Is that correct? If so, Model T sedans and coupes would have the same very "cumbersome" and inconvenient door locking/unlocking arrangement as Model A sedans. Here's what I mean:

Locking the car on the passenger side is not too "inconvenient", but unlocking the car is a real "PAIN"! You have to unlock the passenger side door, and reach all the way across the inside of the car to the drivers side, and push the little inside latch on the drivers side to the unlocked position. This is quit a "stretch" to say the least! Again, entering and exiting the car from what Henry considered the "safer side" must be the reasoning here, but it's very difficult, in fact, almost not "doable" on a Model A due to the gear shift lever on the floor.

So my question remains,....is the door lock arrangement this same way on Model T closed cars? I'm assuming is is, but if so, I think it was a real mistake on Henry Fords part, to carry this outside key lock on the passenger side from door over from Model T's to Model A Ford sedans. Just wondering,......harold

P.S. Oh, and by the way, I realize that many "T-guys" that live in rural areas would never even give any thought to door locks, however, believe me, in todays society, if you live in most any of the more populated areas near larger cities like I do,....YOU LOCK YOUR CAR DOORS!!!

Harold, not just Fords. My '41 Dodge Club Coupe driver's door could only be locked from inside the car and there was also a key lock for the outside of the passenger door.

RE: ""Black era" Model T's (except for the "new improved" '26-'27) didn't even have a real drivers door on closed cars" They sure did have a real door on the passenger side. Only the open (US) did not have one. (black era)
Even my 1948 only has an outside lock on the passenger side. You ether have to reach across from the passenger side to lock the drivers door or lock and get out the passenger side.

My 24 Fordor has an outside lock on the drivers door. No other external locks.

Chris Hansen

That should have been"real door on drivers side"

Both of the tudors I have had and have, lock from the passenger door with a key, drivers doors were different. The 24 had a flip knob which was inside below the window, the 25 has a knob on the door that pulls forward to lock. 24 had a number on the cylinder and the locksmith cut the key in 5 min. The 25 has a Briggs lock and the original key (Canadian ford) but lock and key from Milwaukee,WI. They both work now but that is a different story.