Remote door lock retrofit?

Rubatoguy

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Does anyone have experience with retrofitting a remote activated door lock/unlock kit for a ‘71 Chrysler? Not fitted with automatic door locks. I’m interested in trying this and wondered if anyone may have successfully done this who might have tips and recommendations
 
Does anyone have experience with retrofitting a remote activated door lock/unlock kit for a ‘71 Chrysler? Not fitted with automatic door locks. I’m interested in trying this and wondered if anyone may have successfully done this who might have tips and recommendations
I fitted my '71 Imperial with power door locks when it did not have that option. I did this with all stock parts and wiring. I did not add remote activation, though.

I believe it could be possible to add some form of remote activation control to the power door switch harness in the driver's or front passenger's door once you have added the power door lock option.
 
In the street rod realm of things, there might be a stand-alone kit to do a remote keyless entry situation? Where the actuator module has some programmable features which can mimic the more current OEM situations? Maybe in some old paper issues of Street rod Magazine?

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
That is cool if you could retrofit the optional automatic door locks. I know there is at least one company who does aftermarket door locks with remote, I think it is called autolok or autolock. This makes me wonder how hard it would be to retrofit power windows!
 
From my experience, the aftermarket power locks aren't worth the time or money.

Mine failed within a couple years of limited use. After reading about other folks having the same experience, I took mine off and tossed them. All the aftermarket power locks look to be the same, IIRC, mine were Autolok, but I'll bet they all come from the same offshore factory.

If you want to do this, find some original power locks.
 
Various times during the 1980s automotive industry "slow down", I started to see then-OEM new things (like the power lock kits, theatre dimming of the interior dome lights, and similar) which had, a year or so earlier, been introduced by OEMs as new features on their cars. I suspected the engineers who came up with theses things were let-go from the OEMs and went out on their own to get these stand-alone systems built for the expanding street rod customer base (as the time). Hence, my recommendation to "Look there". But then these things were advertised in "Street Rod" Magazine, which was a victim of the digital era, it seems.

In more recent times, aftermarket kits for power windows and power locks have surfaced using oriental parts sources. Aftermarket situations, purely, so some (or a lot) of adaptation might be necessary. I would NOT consider these items to be of "OEM Quality and Robustness", by any means, though. It can be A LOT of work to change all of the window regulators, by observation, without considering running the wiring harnesses (with the OEMs being much more robust, too).

Suck upgrades, using OEM items sourced from donor cars (or ONE donor vehicle), would mean doing the job at least twice. First to remove them from the donor vehicle, then the mock-up in their new vehicle, and then the final installation.

YES, as all of these OEM options were done on the assy line, but "in the field" being done by people of (respectfully) varying degrees of mechanical expertise (rather than specific-trained assy line workers), can be challenging and frustrating, by observation. Of course, the complete doors might be swapped to get these things instead! In reality, THAT would be the easiest way to do things! Just need to repaint the doors to match your existing vehicle (eventually). Plus filling-in or drilling holes for different exterior trim levels.

Should one opt to do the "door swaps", before the new items get installed, it would be wise to clean, re-lube, and test all of the mechanisms for "like new" performance before installation! This might yield better overall satisfaction with the new items AND reveal any other operational issues those doors had to start with!

So, IF you might find a suitable donor vehicle, make a deal for the complete vehicle and find a place you can store it in a safe and secure location, out of the weather while you transfer parts and pieces. This way, you'll have everything you might need at your location. Might cost more, but can save time, too. Then, when done, return the donor vehicle back to the salvage yard . . . all pre-negotiated when the donor vehicle was purchased from them.

THINK and then act . . .

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
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