Ford trivia Q...here he goes again!

hardtimes

hardtimes

Well-known member
Round two of Q from 94 yr old father in law....
Took my newly running '36 coupe five window to show him yesterday. He(Bill) looked it over/listened to it run/expressed his approval..uttering: 'never saw a new '36 like this':o...heck that got him a cold bud with shot;)!
If nothing else this man has a eye for detail. He then asked two Qs:
Did Ford put an interior light in a '36 (none in mine,eh)? And, why is there only a door lock on the right side(yikes..getting into the weeds Q now)?
He expressed his opinions/theories and I gave mine..but he wanted correct answers...anyone know facts of matter:confused:
 
From what I've heard and read, door lock was on the right side to encourage exiting on that side and not opening the door into traffic or to not be standing in traffic while locking the vehicle. Places where the vehicle had the driver controls on the right side often had the locks placed on the left side, again exiting on the passenger side and out of traffic.
 
Can't comment on the light, but the right hand door lock makes sense for the day. Roads were poor, and most not paved. Entry was universally from the sidewalk side of the car.
 
I think the door lock was to save money . The higher end cars of the day,such as the Lincoln Zephyr,had a lock on both doors
 
I cannot comment about the light but I was given a more chivalrous reason for the door lock being on the off traffic side.
That was that in Henry's day, the man was more courteous to the ladies.

Therefore, the man was compelled to unlock and open the passengers side door to allow the lady to enter first. He would then ask her to unlock his door from the inside and he would walk around to the drivers side and get in.
I got that from my late father who had a 3 window coupe from the '30's to the '50's.
Got to hand it to ol' Henry. He was a thinking man and a real gentleman too. :)
 
Ford started this in the 20's and not sure when it ended (when did it end?). Entering and exiting from the curb side sounds good in theory but the reality is climbing over the gear shift lever is not very practical for anyone older than teens. The chivalry argument sounds good but I'm guessing most cases the driver was expected to be alone but if not you would not expect a lady to awkwardly reach over the gear shift and unlock your door. My guess is going to be that when you're standing there bent over trying to get a key in a lock the safest place to be is curb side. Once you succeed in getting that door unlocked you reach across the car and unlock the drivers door. At this point you help your lady friend in and can walk around the car and get in quickly and most safely. Getting out is just reversed. If shopping centers had existed like they do now bet the lock would have been drivers side.
 
The lock question predates all answers but the one that explains the dangers of roadside entry. Chivalry be damned, roads were dangerous and muddy in the Model T Ford era with only a faux door in the driver side.
 
ford38v8 said:
The lock question predates all answers but the one that explains the dangers of roadside entry. Chivalry be damned, roads were dangerous and muddy in the Model T Ford era with only a faux door in the driver side.
Click to expand...

Hey guys, well great minds run in the same..uh,er , ah..wave lengths,eh!
Father in law went for the 'safety' answer as his guess..like half of you. I on the other hand went for the Henry was frugal:D answer! My answer is based on Henry putting only one tail light and other economy of materials, etc....But, I like the chivalry angle best..thinking that Henry was an amorous type:).
Did only sedans/big cars have the headliner light...as my coupe doesn't?
 
I spent 30 years with Bell Telephone. We were taught from day one to enter and exit from the passenger side for safety. Matter of fact I remember the decals on the doors that read: `Safe Side' on the passenger door and `Su-i-cide' on the driver's side. Any other Bell-Heads remember this?
 
I would go with the safty aspect standing on the curb since the right hand drive version also has the locks on the passanger side to enter and exit from the passenger side ,The pickup here has a US door on the right and a Canadian one on the left both with locks .
 

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1936 Standard Fords came with a round interior light, with the switch on the light. 1936 Delux Fords had the switch on the post.
 
You will find that the prevailing laws in that day demanded the passengers exited on the right (curb) side.
Few folks realize it but to this day, nearly all communities have this law remaining "on the books". I have not heard it enforced other then when a door is clipped off from a passing car.
Yep, that's right... if you get out of your car street side and a car can't avoid taking your door off YOU are responsible. Regardless of the fact you have a floor console, etc... the law is the law.
 
I tried the bit about letting the lady in on the passenger side so she could unlock my door, but she drove off & I never saw either of them again, I've always missed that car
 
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