1953 Baggage Door Lock

[pinktrailer]

I just purchased a new baggage door lock from VTS for my 1953 Clipper, and need to figure out how to install it. It is the one that attaches with two screws, and the tongue goes straight up and down. It looks like I have to drill out the rivets, and take off the inner wall of the door in order to do it?

I had seen somewhere that it is supposed to be an "easy" install, but can't find that thread. Any help would be much appreciated!!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

any chance of some photos? That might make it a lot easier to know what to do. Some eras have a lock that is trapped inside the door and it leads to needing to take the back off. How did you know which lock you needed with out taking the original out? Shaft lengths, tumbler lengths, throw lengths all come into play.

[pinktrailer]

Hi Frank--Thanks for responding. Here is a picture of the back of my trailer. The compartment opens out from the top, hinge on the bottom. The lock is sandwiched between the inner and outer layer of the door. The tongue of the lock goes straight up into the slot in the door casing.

I certainly may have the wrong lock, but it was the only one that vts had (for 50's trailers rear baggage compartment), and it had the same screw configuration, for attaching to the inner panel of the door. It is just that the inner panel is attached to the outer by olympic rivets all the way around.

I had a locksmith try to re-key the old one, but it was frozen solid. I will see if I can copy the picture of the lock and post.

[pinktrailer]

Here is the lock.

[1953 Flying]

I have the same lock on my AS. What I had to do was remove all the rivettes that the hold the two pieces together. (outer and inner) Insert new lock, re-rivette together and your done. I used the bulb type rivettes that you can get from VTS. All in all should not take you more than 30 minutes to do.

On an interesting note, I have never seen the luggage door open from the top like that. Mine opens from the bottom. Any ways nice looking trailer and good luck with this project

[pinktrailer]

Hi Robert--Thank you, I couldn't see how I could do it without removing them. I was hoping, though, to only have to remove the interior rivets. Mine has a full hinge across the bottom, and even chains to hold it on. Does yours hinge from the top, or come totally off?

Your trailer looks beautiful too!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Hi Frank--Thanks for responding. Here is a picture of the back of my trailer. The compartment opens out from the top, hinge on the bottom. The lock is sandwiched between the inner and outer layer of the door. The tongue of the lock goes straight up into the slot in the door casing.

I certainly may have the wrong lock, but it was the only one that vts had (for 50's trailers rear baggage compartment), and it had the same screw configuration, for attaching to the inner panel of the door. It is just that the inner panel is attached to the outer by olympic rivets all the way around.

I had a locksmith try to re-key the old one, but it was frozen solid. I will see if I can copy the picture of the lock and post.

Locks are available that have a long threaded body, and are held in place with a nut that's on the backside.

With it, there is no need to take anything apart.

Andy

[pinktrailer]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Locks are available that have a long threaded body, and are held in place with a nut that's on the backside.

With it, there is no need to take anything apart.

Andy

Thank you Andy. What is the part number, so I can look it up? I knew that I had heard there was something available, so I wouldn't have to take it all apart.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Thank you Andy. What is the part number, so I can look it up? I knew that I had heard there was something available, so I wouldn't have to take it all apart.

That lock is part # 19248, but it is not listed in our web site.

The barrel is 1 3/8 inches long.

Is there a solid block within the door so that the door does not cave in when the nut is tightened?

Andy

[1953 Flying]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

That lock is part # 19248, but it is not listed in our web site.

The barrel is 1 3/8 inches long.

Is there a solid block within the door so that the door does not cave in when the nut is tightened?

Andy

How do you get the nut behind the outer wall? Or does the shaft go all the way thru? When I took mine apart there was no solid block behind the wall.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by 1953 Flying

How do you get the nut behind the outer wall? Or does the shaft go all the way thru? When I took mine apart there was no solid block behind the wall.

The nut goes on the inside of the door that faces the inside of the trailer.

Some type of firmness must be between the inner and outer part of the door, so that you can tighten the nut correctly.

If the door is hollow, I don't know what you do then for a lock.

Andy

[1953 Flying]

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Hi Robert--Thank you, I couldn't see how I could do it without removing them. I was hoping, though, to only have to remove the interior rivets. Mine has a full hinge across the bottom, and even chains to hold it on. Does yours hinge from the top, or come totally off?

Your trailer looks beautiful too!

Thank you. Lots of work thats for sure. Mine is hinged all the way across the top. I use a stick to keep it propped open. I guess the way yours opens makes more since. Maybe mine is wrong. Who know. They did all kinds of crazy things to these beauties back in the 50's. I actually don't use it for luggage. I have the inverter,converter,fuse box and two marine batteries in there.

[pinktrailer]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

That lock is part # 19248, but it is not listed in our web site.

The barrel is 1 3/8 inches long.

Is there a solid block within the door so that the door does not cave in when the nut is tightened?

Andy

Hi all--Thanks for all the info. There was no solid block in there, just a metal plate. We ended up drilling out all the rivets along the top and sides, and left those on the bottom. Kind of awkward to reach in there, and I didn't like the brass lock look, so my local locksmith had the same lock, I bought two new bolts, lock washers and nuts, and it is back together. I still need to put the buck rivets back in, though.

It seems like a crazy way to have built this, to have to take out so many rivets to reach the lock........

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Hi all--Thanks for all the info. There was no solid block in there, just a metal plate. We ended up drilling out all the rivets along the top and sides, and left those on the bottom. Kind of awkward to reach in there, and I didn't like the brass lock look, so my local locksmith had the same lock, I bought two new bolts, lock washers and nuts, and it is back together. I still need to put the buck rivets back in, though.

It seems like a crazy way to have built this, to have to take out so many rivets to reach the lock........

I don't think that door is original.

Andy

[pinktrailer]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

I don't think that door is original.

Andy

Hmmmmm.....That, I don't like to hear. I thought that everything on my '53 was original. What door would have been original?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Hmmmmm.....That, I don't like to hear. I thought that everything on my '53 was original. What door would have been original?

It would not have had all the rivets near the edge of the door.

Andy