Outside door handle unlocks and opens door - without key.

[Iyarno]

OK, so after much hunting, I'm now the proud owner of an early '68 +2.

My first problem seems to be a common one, but I can't find a post which relates to my exact problem. The passenger door won't lock with the key from the outside. The barrel won't turn and something seems to be blocking it. I've fiddled with the handle on the inside (basically just pulling it up), and when I close the door it does seem to lock, but there is a knack of being able to 'pop' the lock just by pressing the outside door handle in the right place.

Has anyone encountered something like this before. Or have I discovered an 'advanced for it's time', keyless entry system?

Thanks in advance.

Ian

[mikealdren]

Hi Ian,
It's probably just worn out. The locking barrels and the handle are mazak, a soft zinc based casting material that eventually wears and corrodes. I suggest that you take off the door trim and take off the outer handle. If it's all sloppy and worn (it probably will be) you will need to find replacement parts, otherwise clean, grease and replace.

Mike

[sparkey]

Hi Ian, I suspect it's just not aligned properly. If you take the interior door trim off you will see that the lock is a very simple system which is controlled by a couple of long bendy steel rods from the interior handles. If these aren't adjusted properly (ie a bit bent) the lock can be not fully opened or closed so that it appears jammed from the outside. There is a panel in the door structure so that you can see how the lock works and it should be easy to see what's stopping it working.

Steve

[theelanman]

The locking barrels and the handle are mazak

are you sure?....

[mikealdren]

Forget my comment on handles, I'm losing the plot!

However the barrels and outers do wear and corrode badly with time, especially if they aren't lubricated from time to time. The barrels were industry standard at the time and the wear often gets to the stage that almost any key can open them. They are very insecure and I replaced mine with Yale locks after the car was repeatedly broken into.

Mike

[Iyarno]

Forget my comment on handles, I'm losing the plot!

I replaced mine with Yale locks after the car was repeatedly broken into.

Mike, can you tell me more about these Yale locks. Are they what Paul Matty/Susan Miller supply as replacements or are they more generic?

I'd also like to get all the locks matching, 2 door, boot, ignition. Is this easily achieved?

Cheers all. Tinker time is scheduled in for Sunday.

Ian

[alaric]

Hi. It's entirely possible that it's just jammed due to the old grease turning to a solid goo. It might be worth putting in lots of wd40 and letting it soak. The little tumblers could be jammed and not springing back out of the way due to the grease.

Sean.

[Iyarno]

Took a the door card off today - eventually.

Anyway I've bent the L shaped bit of metal attached to the lock barrel so it hooks into the rest of the mech properly, and the long screw which pushes onto the catch to release the door was wobbly, so that's now screwed back in firmly.

The lock unit was completely seized which has been cured with some WD40, and I assume a coil spring should return the lock/key to the normal position? In which case the spring is completely knackered. Otherwise does this lock appear to be normal for an early +2?

Ian
50/0632

[elanman999]

Ian,
From memory the pic of your door lock is the same as my car. On my car there is no spring return to centre but the key cannot be removed unless the lock is returned to centre by hand.
One key for all the locks --- I wish.
I did manage to get some lock barrels at an auto jumble so at least both doors are the same. I had to make the key though.
Boot locks are hard to come by so look after it.
Cheers
John

[Iyarno]

Just heard that early type +2 handles/locks are obsolete.

Does anyone know if later +2S or +2S 130 handles and locks will fit the early cars?

Ian


** Just notice the later +2 lock/handles are separated by fibreglass

[mikealdren]

Mike, can you tell me more about these Yale locks

My locks were very worn and I visited a local locksmith to look at alternatives. Rolls Royce fitted (they may still do) a Yale barrel lock that fits the same hole dia as the later +2 locks. The problem is that the +2 lock self centres after each locking operation whereas the Yale lock moves left and right only.

As a result, I can use it to lock/unlock but not in conjunction with the interior lock. I adapted the mechanism to connect the arm to the existing door locking rods. I have set my car up so that I can lock the drivers door from the outside and the passenger door from the inside, not ideal but the lock are very secure.

Mike

[billwill]

Long ago I replaced the barrels on the door locks of my 2-seater Elan with some barrels that I bought from Radiospares, I think they were for filing cabinets.

They are double-sided 'tumblers', so no standard car keys open them.

It was fun watching a policeman try to open the car once with a huge bunch of keys, when I had overstayed a parking slot a bit too long.

Sigh, in those days the police were helpful & very enthusiastic about Elans. If you went over the speed limit in an Elan you usually got "told-off" but not booked, especially if you opened the bonnet to show the nice policeman what a twin-cam engine looked like.

[Iyarno]

Just thought I'd share this link. I managed to get hold of 2 NOS door handles for an early Elan (integrated lock/handle type) from this chap...
http://www.austin1100-1300.co.uk/
Very helpful and a good price. He seemed to suggest he had plently of stock too, although I didn't tell him they were for a Lotus!

The large locking rod will need swapping over, and re-securing with a new split-pin, because the Austin must have used a different internal system. They self-centre, have matching locks and look mint

Ian
50/0632