Altman Latches Install 1953-56 Ford F-100 trucks

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You can install these three ways. Since my doors are taken apart and stripped down I mounted the locking mechanism inside the door. You can consider one of the following. Use the instructions and cut a area for the latch and mount the plate on top of the door skin (more for your already painted truck), or use the plate as a template to cut out that area from the door and weld the plate into the door.

I purchased the Altman Easy Latches the plain finish from Mid-fifty item 1109  ,Or you can get them Polished  Item 1109-PS .

NOT MADE IN CHINA, and they only work on the 53-56 Ford Trucks. On the instructions there is a number you can call for help.

This mod took me about a hour per door. Everything went very smoothly, it was a nice break from sanding and you felt good to see some progress made. I installed the door back on the truck and closed the door for the first time. It closed perfectly! There is a link to my YouTube page of the door being tested at the bottom on this post.

Please post your comments on your install. Or after installing them are they still working well for you?

 

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Every thing is right here. Made to overlap existing door skin after you cut out the area for the locking mechanism. It screws into place using one of the existing holes. You drill the others.

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I took apart the lock from the plate and used the plate as template to cut out for the lock post. And marked for the holes to mount the mechanism.

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All welded up ready to grind down the welds, cut out the area for the Post to pass using a air saw then I did some bodywork.

 

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Just need to mount the lock and test the door on the truck.

  If you like these check out the new Hood Latching Kit, Altmans  

I then mounted the door for a test fit and with little to no adjustment it shut perfectly. Really like these latches highly recommend them.

YouTube testing the latches

Getting Started

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Looking at the picture of my truck you might say. Why take it a part! Well like all guys out there, we like to take things apart and change things to call it our own. In 2004 I bought this 56 small window pretty much as you see in the picture. It was built mid 80 it has a old school 79 Volare front clip. 1968 390fe (ford-edsel),  C6 trans, Holley 750cfm, Home made Headers, and 8.8 rear end.

Since then,I changed to a 600 Holley cfm, Rebuild C6, Change to Flow Master 40’s, went to a DUI coil pack, rewired complete truck with Painless wiring block and VDO gauges, Euro style headlights, LED rear lights,  down flow style four core Mattson radiator and two 12″ electric fans with shroud, Rear 20gal mustang gas tank in frame rails, tilt chrome column, bear claw door locks, tilt hood, tilt bed, lowered front and rear. Lokar pedal and cabling.      

The way I bought it was a pretty standard setup back in the day for these trucks once the original drive train is removed. Unless a Chevy 350 is used. I’m not much of a fan of putting a Chevy into a Ford. I know many that have and enjoy them but I’m blue through and through so we’ll stick to Henry’s drive train. I will do my best to document with text and pictures of my build. I must say this site is new and I started the re-do in 2012 with the rear fenders being widened and drove the truck with primer fenders until December 2013. And that’s where it all started.

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