New to the site and am looking forward to sharing experiences. I am amazed how much of the time 60-66 chevy trucks are left out of the mix for new classic chevy truck products. They seem conspiciously skipped over. Why? For instance, I would like to put one piece windows on my 65 SB Fleetside. Brothers and others have 55-59 and 68-72 kits but not one for the 60-66. Also, short of installing bearclaws, does anyone know how to electrify the 55-66 door handle, latch and locking system (the one with the double throw in opposite directions)? Thanks for any input on the subject.
If you think it's bad now ? Try as little as 5 years ago !! The industry has steadly been adding to their options and reproduction items for the 60-66 trucks. One piece windows ? Look at the door check and see if you can figure it out. Even if they did produce a one piece window kit, they still need to deal with the door check. Fully electric doors require bear claw latches just because it's easier than trying to get the stock latches to work on soloniods. The closest I got was modifying the stock latches to use solonids for the locks only. Val
60-66 get no respect Dvalentine....Nice Panel!!! Thanks for the post. I understand your point about using electronics to only lock and unlock the doors. But it still poses the problem of the control arm (and thus, the solenoid) having to move in both directions...forward when using the handle to open the door and rearward when engaging the lock. Even if the solenoid or accuator has a long enough throw to accomodate the movement in both directions and the control arm is attached to the solenoid mid-throw,won't it destroy the solenoid...forcing it all the time when using the door handle to open the door? The latch mechanism is an ingenius piece of engineering, but almost defies midification, since the lock arm is couple to the handle rod and it, in turn accuates the door opening claw. Perhaps I'm just not getting it. Tuna, no can do.
The original locks when using the key only lock the button. They didn't actually "lock" the door. The inside handle did that. Electric solinods I used did the same thing by moving a piece if aluminum bar stock UP to prevent the button from being depressed. There was an article a few years ago in Classic Truck or Custom Classic truck describing how to modify the original door latches to actuall LOCK the doors using a keyless entry kit from Autolock. It required a grip of fabrication work. I just think, if you have a mind to, install Bear Claw latches and be done with it. Val p.s. Thanks for the qudos on the panel.
don't you have to cut and weld pieces of sheet metal on door edge to install bearclaws or is it easier on these models?
