When asked to describe the Chrysler Corporation in the '50s we've always characterized it as the company that produced cars engineered by experts, designed by lunatics, and assembled by amateurs. Our hunch is that while the guys with the slide rules were coming up with the Hemi, Torqflite, and torsion bars, the stylists were involved with the government's psychedelic drug research and the quality control staff was working their way through a school for the blind.
Our very own RamRodder is a case in point. To be charitable its look can only be described as unique and the way it all fits together is lousy, even by 1950s standards, but thanks to a tank-like quality our Plymouth has held up reasonably well. It suffers from the same malady as many Mopars of the era-the driver's doors won't stay closed without a bungee cord. With more moving parts than a Swiss pocket watch, Chrysler latches are prone to wear and it's not unusual to find that doors pop open, won't latch at all, or in some cases won't open once closed.
Finding good latches, or repair parts, is pretty much impossible, so we decided to install contemporary bear claw latches. Thumbing through the pages of the Speedway Motors catalog we found the standard bear claw latch (PN 91052860), which measures 4 1/2 x 1 7/8 x 3/4 inches; the striker bolt (PN 91052861), which has a 7/16-inch/14 threads, plus the cage nut assembly to secure it (PN 91052869), which is approximately 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/8 wide, 3 5/8 tall. The Slim-Line latch (PN 91052862) measures 3 7/8 x 1 1/4 x 3/4 inches. The cage nut assembly is approximately 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/8 wide, and 3 5/8 tall. This latch uses a smaller 3/8-inch/-16 thread striker bolt that is 1 7/8 inches long.
Armed with the measurements of the new latches we made a depressing discovery: there wasn't room to mount them inside the doors. The window channels take all the available space at the rear of the doors. If we were going to use electrically operated latches we could have mounted the latches in the body and the pins in the doors, but we wanted to retain the original outside door handles, so that was out. Our solution was to mount the bear claws to the outside surface of the doors-while we don't love the look with the doors open we're more concerned with keeping them closed. Attaching the latches to the doors was simple, but making the original handles work was challenging. Mounting the striker bolts to the body with the cage's nut assemblies was easy and since the original latches also protruded from the doors, the B-pillars have recesses to accommodate them. The good news is those recesses are deep enough to accept the bear claws; the bad news is they're not quite long enough, but that's not hard to fix.
Although the installation procedure is unconventional, with the bear claw latches installed the doors close securely with a thunk, the stock outside handles are operational, and best of all the bungee cords are no longer required.
Keeping the RamRodder's driver...
Keeping the RamRodder's driver door closed required some effort and at least one bungee cord.
A common problem with these...
A common problem with these cars, the Plymouth's original door latches were completely worn out. The rotary portion that engages the catch in the door would not lock in place, and consequently the door wouldn't stay closed.
The guide surface of the catch...
The guide surface of the catch in the body was worn through, the portion that capturers the latch's rotor was worn out, and the spring on the safety catch was broken.
Speedway Motors offers two...
Speedway Motors offers two types of bear claw latches-this is the slim-line, note it has one catch. The pin and nut plate are sold separately.
The standard bear claw features...
The standard bear claw features a double-catch design and is slightly larger.
A test-fit showed the recess...
A test-fit showed the recess in the body would accommodate the width and thickness of the standard bear claw latch, but not its length.
Two horizontal slices were...
Two horizontal slices were made in the body so the recess could be lengthened. The area was hammered flat then sheetmetal patches folded in an "L" shape were welded in place to fill the voids.
The holes in the back of the...
The holes in the back of the door for the original latches were filled and ground smooth.
With the location of the latches...
With the location of the latches determined, two mounting holes were drilled and a slot cut for the actuating arm.
After locating the latch on...
After locating the latch on the door, the position of the striker pin was determined by marking the center of the latch on the body and measuring in from the edge of the door.
The stock door latch was beyond...
The stock door latch was beyond help, the guide surface is completely worn through, and the rotor doesn't lock in place.
There are lots of springs...
There are lots of springs in these latches (all of which were broken in ours) and lots of moving parts (most of which were worn out).
We planned on operating the...
We planned on operating the new latches by adding levers to the shafts of the original handles. However, due to the design of the mounting plate, support of the inner end of the shaft was necessary.
To make a support for the...
To make a support for the handle's shaft, we used part of the original latch. Inside its housing is a pair of levers that operate the release mechanism-the shaft of the handle fits in the square hole.
To operate, the new bear claw...
To operate, the new bear claw latch extensions were fabricated and welded to the original levers.
We trimmed the body of the...
We trimmed the body of the original latch by removing the section that mounted the rotor and stuck through the back of the door. The modified housing was then reassembled with the modified lever-it mounts to the inside of the inner door panel and is operated by the original exterior handle.
While it looks a little odd,...
While it looks a little odd, the trip lever for the bear claw latch was extended and shaped to fit around the window channel.
With the bear claw mounted...
With the bear claw mounted to the door the modified release lever (at the bottom) fits through the slot in the door. It's connected to the lever on the modified latch by linkage made from a pair of 1/4-inch rod ends.
The new latch is attached...
The new latch is attached to the door by a pair of button head screws. Since the assembly is located to the inside of the weather stripping it's not exposed to the elements.
After minor reshaping of the...
After minor reshaping of the top and bottom of the pocket in the body, the bear claw latch has plenty of clearance. The latch pin screws into the nut plate installed on the backside of the B-pillar (it's held in place by two button-head screws and the pin). The hole in the body is larger than the threaded portion of the pin that provides adjustment.
Due to the weight of the linkage...
Due to the weight of the linkage and levers a spring was installed to pull return the handle to the "closed" position after the latch is tripped.
From the outside with the...
From the outside with the door closed the modifications go unnoticed.
The original inside door handle...
The original inside door handle is now attached to the trip lever for the latch. The doors will be covered on the inside with aluminum. Another option is to use the original handle and operate the latch with a cable.