Solenoids for door openers

[Kenneth Kristiansson]

Wondering when solenoids became popular to use for door openers. Building a 36 3w coupe as a late 40s kustom and have a set of Lincoln push buttons I like to use. Problem is to make them work with stock latches.Have an idea about some sort of lever to change the movement from pushing to dragging the latch but I´m afraid it might need a lot of force to push. Have looked in to some later 40s and 50s latches that uses pushbuttons in the handles but they are to big for the 36 doors.One solution I thought of was to simply mount an electric button behind the Lincoln button and then have a solenoid to open the stock latch.Like to keep it as authentic as possible without modern devises What do you guys think. Know some of you have been in buiseness for a long time and might have knowledge of how it was done back then.

Thanks in advance.Kenneth

[Rik Hoving]

Kenneth,
I just did an CCC-article on George Barris his 1936 Ford which he build while he still lived in Sacramento. This was during WWII and his car had electric door poppers. I cannot help you in what kind of material was used, but for your 40’s style 36 Ford you sure would be period perfect if you would use them.

Enjoy the beauty of Customizing

[Kenneth Kristiansson]

Perfect Rik. You´re the man.
As soon as I´ve finished the boring rust repair I will post the kustomizing progress on here.

[Ian Gibbons]

I think I remember reading somewhere that they used the solenoids off of starters back then to operate the doors. Might be something to look into if you are trying to stay period correct with the components.

I am trying to figure out a way to use Lincoln buttons as well on my truck and have come to the conclusion that if I can fit them in (not sure they will go where I want them) then I will do exactly as you are thinking and run a switch behind the button. I already have planned for electric door openers but I am using more modern components for that aspect of it.

[Kenneth Kristiansson]

Thanks for the input Ian.Will look for starter solenoids and see if it works out otherwise I go the same route as you with modern door poppers.

[Tomas]

I gonna use this nos kit from early 50s on mine 1939 Mercury

I also have a kit for the trunk of they car

[Kevan Sledge]

wow, so cool you found that original Cal custom stuff Tomas!

[Jeff Neppl]

Holyshit that old kit is great.How did you ever find that ? I need to do something about my poppers,passenger dont even work and drivers side is a joke.They have never seemed to work right.

On one of my conversions with Jerry he told me they were getting solenoids off of greyhound buses. I don’t remember which part though, I will have to go back through my notes. It makes sense though because the door poppers on the old customs were very very loud compared to the ones I have heard today.

[palosfv3]

Those sure look like starter solenoids in the Cali kit. I gotta take a look in the Lincoln and see what they used.

Larry

[Tomas]

Thanks guys ,i found it one Ebay a few years ago

Was pretty cheap to on buy it now

Sometimes can, ebay be great

[Ian Gibbons]

Those look a lot like GM starter solenoids.

[Stephen Gotz]

That’s a really cool find, must have been well pleased 🙂

[Tomas]

Yes ,thats was a really good fint i was really pleased with it

[Tinwolf]

Hi Kenneth !
Those Lincoln pushbuttons is ofcause classy but do they belong on a custom , When Ive looked at the old custom builds I have not seen many that uses them ? please show which ones used them ?
One way to hook them up would be to go thru a electric button behind the Lincoln button and then have a solonoid to accuate the accual pulling of the mechanism , this way you could have another hidden button to lock the car and that way disinguage them , sorry just let my mind run free !!!
Another idea that I never used is to set up a electric motor from a viper , those are slow but strong , dont use alot of amps and can be set up pulling a wire , on my -51 Merc I made a wire attach to the inner door opening mech and drilled holes thru the A-pillar area and have it come out inside the front fender , the slack is tensioned by a low force spring , this way the door can be opened and closed without tangle of the wire . This emergency opening was never ment as a regular opening but I just never got around to do electric openers (yet) .
Wolf

[Bert Gustafsson]

There is a tech article on installing Lincoln push buttons in the latest Rod & Custom (Feb -14 issue)

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