1955 ford Ranch Wagon door latch.

[poolplayer1]

I am hoping that someone here has a parts breakdown of the driver side latch assembly.The little wheel on the latch is very loose and looks like its going to come apart. I need to order that part but don't have a part # to order.I'm sure there is a specific name for it but I don't know what it is. This part is on the door itself and latches on to the striker plate when you close the door. I found a used one on ebay but its probably not any better than mine so I'd rather order a new one unless a used one is the only option. Thanks to all for your help.

 

[dmsfrr]

I think Paul’s right on a new thread. But I think the door mechanism is the same on all 55’s. I think 56 used a different (wider) mechanism on both the door and jamb as part of the safety package in 56. So I think it’s the same as my bird. I bought new replacements some years ago and I think they’re still available. Down side is you have to pull the door panel and all the latch mechanism to replace it. It’s worth it, they had a reputation for coming open when new. That’s why the upgrade in 56.

poolplayer1, since I have a '55 Bird and not a full-sized '55 I'm not familiar with other parts sources for the bigger cars, I'm sure there are several.
As miker mentioned I also suspect the door latch hardware on '55 cars are all the same. 56's and newer are the improved Lifeguard versions. So here is a link to a door latch hardware page that may be helpful, just to get you started
https://www.classictbird.com/Locks-Latches/products/42/

And another source for door latch parts...
https://hillsresto.com/parts/

If you are considering ordering parts from either of these places I highly recommend you call them on the phone, because in addition to replacement & rebuilt parts shown in their catalogs they both have misc NOS and good used parts available.
They both restore cars in their own shops and can answer real-world repair & restoration questions.

 

[L5wolvesf]

From the prior thread

I think the door mechanism is the same on all 55’s. I think 56 used a different (wider) mechanism on both the door and jamb as part of the safety package in 56. So I think it’s the same as my bird. I bought new replacements some years ago and I think they’re still available. Down side is you have to pull the door panel and all the latch mechanism to replace it. It’s worth it, they had a reputation for coming open when new. That’s why the upgrade in 56.

This got me wondering . . . can a 55 be updated to the 56 latch mechanism?

 

[miker98038]

Having a checkered history, my bird has what appears to be a 56 right rear quarter (brazed on 1/4” low at the tail light). The jamb is deeper, and there is a home made spacer to bring the striker plate on the jamb out to mesh with the star wheel on the door. Given that, I suspect they won’t interchange 55 to 56.

At one point I know my car was owned by a drug dealer, and it appears a lot of repairs on the car were done in trade with his customers. While they were using his products.

 

[miker98038]

double post deleted

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks guys for your help with your tips and suggestions.I wil keep looking to see who has the latch. Thank you dmsfrr for the links that you posted here.

 

[KULTULZ]

Your PN for a 55 FORD left door latch assy is B5A 7021813-B.

GOOGLE the PN and you will find NOS.

1955 FORD and BIRD use the same latches.
1956 FORD and BIRD use the same latches.
1957 BIRD uses the 1956 latch.

 

[dmsfrr]

This got me wondering . . . can a 55 be updated to the 56 latch mechanism?

If the measurements I just got from the door frames of a pair of Birds ('55 & '57) is an indication, it's not a bolt-in swap. But I've never tried it either.
The recess in the door post for the '55 striker plate is approx 7/16 deep and the striker plate itself is approx 1/2 inch thick, including the shim behind it.
The full depth star wheel sticks out of the door about 1/2 inch.

The recess in the door post for the '56/'57 style striker plate is approx 9/16 deep and the striker plate itself is approx 7/8 inch thick, including the outer cover plate and shim against the door frame.
The '56/'57 star wheel sticks out of the door on its shaft about 5/8 inch.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

As miker mentioned I also suspect the door latch hardware on '55 cars are all the same.

Actually, no they're not. The '55 Victoria hardtop and crown Vic have a deeper housing and probably wont fit the sedan doors. But all the '55 sedan door latch mechanisms are same. Front door latches are identical regardless of 2-dr sedan or 4-dr. Passenger side and driver side are mirror image.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

This got me wondering . . . can a 55 be updated to the 56 latch mechanism?

You can swap out a '55 door latch mechanism for a '56, as long as you use the '56 striker plate with it. The '56 cars had added safety features such as these door latches. The '55 and earlier models had problems with doors popping open in a crash. '56 was also the first year seat belts were offered as an option (but there were very few takers). The deep-dish '56 steering wheel was alleged to be a collapsible wheel in case of a crash. Seems to me that the three spoke wheel with deep-dish spokes would be a lot stronger than the '55 and earlier flat-type two spoke wheels.
In '57, they went further by having the backwards opening hood on all the full-size cars (like the T-Birds had). They claimed this was a safety feature.
That's odd. I saw several '57/58/59 Fords in junkyards back in the '70's that had major front end collisions where the hood went through the windshield, but earlier models the hood buckled in the middle because the hinges stopped the hood from encroaching upon the windshield.

 

[KULTULZ]

Actually, no they're not. The '55 Victoria hardtop and crown Vic have a deeper housing and probably wont fit the sedan doors. But all the '55 sedan door latch mechanisms are same. Front door latches are identical regardless of 2-dr sedan or 4-dr. Passenger side and driver side are mirror image.

Read below-

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks to all for your kind help. very good information here that I can save for future refference. Thanks Kultulz for the parts info you provided here on your post. I can now go and google the part # to see who has it.