Quick question regarding the exterior door locks on a 64 Polara. I can lock the door using the key as it is designed to do. However, when you push the exterior door handle button to test to make sure the door is locked, the door unlocks. Does anyone know if there is a "timing" of the position of the exterior lock linkage on the lock itself when it is attached to the lock mechanism in the door itself? Other than fighting the clips when reassembling the lock to the door, it was pretty straight forward. Last question, are the locks side specific, I'm not thinking so, but stranger things have been known the happen to me. I could not find any specific info regarding locks not locking in the FSM. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
This happens when the door is closed? The normal way they work is you can only use the key to lock/unlock the door when closed. If you push the button down with the door open and close it, the button will pop up. From the inside with the door closed you can push the button down to lock the door and when pulling on the inside handle the lock button pops up and the door opens. If any of these things don't work in this manner it could point you in the right direction. Maybe the rods are in the wrong locations?
The door locks are side specific. The lever that the linkage attaches to should point to the rear of the car, inside the door.
I will unhook the lever and swap out the exterior lock. They may have been accidentally swapped side to side over the years . So if I understand things correctly when I put the lock in the door, I need to make sure the lever that is attached to the lock is facing to the rear of the car, and then hook the bottom linkage to the mechanism down inside the door.
If I lock the door with the key via the outside door lock the interior button drops down to show in theory it is locked. But as soon as you push the exterior door button to test it, the button then unlocks the door as if the lock never "locked" the door. Just a tad frustrating to say the least. Thank you for the insights.
Had similar issues on my ’63. Double check the linkage making sure they’re attached and clipped. Elementary, sure. But, look for any bent rods that may cause the linkage to bind or not travel fully to move the lock lever to full-lock position. Can do this by watching the action of the lock inside the door while turning the key. Could be the button moves down; but only part way.
You might have the lock knob screwed down too far on the top piece of linkage, preventing it going down far enough to fully lock the door.
