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Electric lock was an option and only locked so all 4 door cars even with the option had the standard manual "button" to control the rear locks from the inside. Push down to lock and pull up to unlock the rear doors. A plastic or rubber button should be located at the front lower corner of the window. If the car had been parted it is possible someone removed the mechanism and it is also possible that if someone tried to remove the buttons incorrectly part of the mechanism was broken inside the door.

It is not possible to lock or unlock rear doors from the outside. The latch locking mechanism operates by a long rod coming from the button. It does not have the pieces the key cylinder on the outside handle needs to convert rotary to linear motion to operate the locking mechanism.

The button mechanism and location are shown in the red circles.

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As I understand you should be able to at least reinstall the mechanism and have locking doors. They should be easily available from parts dealers.

I disagree that wiring would be too difficult. I believe the wires would run from the dash behind the side footwear upholstery and under the door sill, which unscrews. Then you could probably fish them thru the B pillar. Question is whether your door still has that plastic piece the wires go through. And IDK if the doors had their own ground wire ran to the chassis. I would assume so. I admit I'm not the best source of info on this...

Anyway, if you were able to get the wires where they need to go (basically, dash to inside the door) the wiring would not be difficult for your mechanic.

The lock used a single wire which was a part of the power window loom and went to the solenoid in each door. Wire originates at the lock relay in the engine compt and then is spliced to go to the 4 doors.

I just took the solenoid s. Out of my parts car.

2 screws.

Yes like hh said 1 wire. Which is hot.

Spade type.

Need pictures to see what you have.
Or don't.


Look for a red. Wire

So the rear locks on both rear doors simply push through whether the interior manual lock “button” is up or down.

It’s just really strange and no one I’ve shown it to in person quite understands why.

Let me see if my mechanic can take a few photos since the door panels are already off to fix the windows.

Oh. Yeah.

You don't need the solenoid .


They work just like a manual door lock.

Pull up ... Push down..

On any door to look push door handle foreword..

The automatic lock is for convenience../ emergency guess that can be put in .

The solenoid is a one shot.

Doesn't stay energized. Unless you hold button up. Then it will probably burn up.

The power door locks were available only with power windows and I have a set of both power windows and locks with a reproduction harness to install in my 1956 Clipper. Since the car did not originally have them, it’s no easy task as the doors and jambs must be modified to provide the passageways for the wires.

Well, after more than $400 spent over 3 locksmiths all to not fix the problem. The best locksmith, who went all out and charged the least, (he wasn’t going to charge because it wasn’t fixed but I forcibly gave him $50 for over an hour of work and an hour or so of his research online). The diagnosis is the locking mechanism got bent and the push button could slide across the lock to push the manual locking lever up.

I found a workaround for the lock by removing the decorative push and using 2 nuts and a washer on the threaded levers. The washer barely fits and there is enough wiggle room that I can lock it to the lip if I push the lever over a few mm.

It’s not wonky it’s “hot rod style,” 😄and I feel better now that my door locks.

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How concerned should I be over the white smoke and liquid coming out of the exhaust when warming up?

Video:youtube.com/shorts/2KcLv98N1o4?feature=share

From a very basic online sleuthing it looks like head gasket issue. Just kinda hoping it’s not.

I assume you've had the car on before and it didn't do that?

Looks like a head gasket leak on the driver side to me. Check the oil, if it's milky/cloudy then it's definitely a head gasket leak.

Replacing a driver side head gasket is really not the worst thing in the world as long as your exhaust system is not rusted solid. Gaskets are easily available. You can do it with a buddy in your driveway.