1934 Rover 12 door handles

[digcot65]

Morning I`ve noticed on my Rover 12 ,that the key will lock the front doors to stop anyone getting in.However I`ve found if the door handle is pushed forward than it isn`t possible to open it from the outside .I had a case where I must have knocked the handle forward on the door,getting out and it was impossible to open it from the outside.Fortunately,I had left the window open.Anyone else had this problem.As I said if the handle is pushed forward when closing is locked if youre outside Len
"TENT "making coming on ,waiting for clear plastic to arrive,I bought some of the very lightweight sheeting,but useless to work with . I remebered to make a door in the "TENT" so I can get out !!!! `m getting scared of going in the garage,every time I do I find another slight ding on the body I must have missed .With an 86 year old car,there is no end to getting it right.The problem is,the car had 4 damaged wings from catching gate posts etc. and the repairs were not very good with patches welded in which weren`t level with original bodywork,leaving it almost impossible to correct.At least it keeps one busy.Len

[RobHomewood]

Hi Len
In a way you are lucky to have a locking handle on both front doors- my later '39 P2 only has a lock on the nearside door and the offside is, as you describe, locked from inside only by pushing the handle up. I dont know whether mine have been swapped out with a LHD at some time (they are handed) but I find it a bit of a nuisnce having to walk round to lock or unlock the car which is probably why I dont do it that much!
regards
Rob

[digcot65]

Hello I don`t think I made myself clear.If the inside handle is pushed forward ,by mistake when getting out then once the door is closed it isn`t possible to open it from the outside.This is even when the outer door isn`t locked,it could be very awkward if the doors are locked from inside,then it would be impossible to get into the car .I can`t see this being correct,I would have thought the outer handle could open the car anytime when unlocked by the key.Len

[RobHomewood]

Hi Len
Your last post made me wonder how mine worked so I had to go and look. There is no locking mechanism inside on the door which has key locking outside (in my case the nearside) Also when I lock this one with the key from the outside I can still open it from the inside - possibly for safety reasons - but the outside handle remains locked. So it seems to me that the key locking only locks the outside handle and also that the inside lock on the non keyed door locks the mechanism only and not the outside handle (I didnt check this though). I wonder whether someone has mated the two types on your car as I would be surprised if the principles had changed that much in the years between your car and mine. Perhaps someone with a 34-ish car could help here?
Rob

[HAD501]

Hi Len & Rob

The usual arrangement for locking on most makes up to around 1960, so including P4s, was to have the driver's door locked by a key from outside and the other doors locked from the inside by pushing the handle in the reverse direction to opening. As Rob says the key locks the handle to prevent opening, while on the other doors the actual lock itself is locked to prevent it being opened by the outside handle. So as you both say not a good idea to have all doors lockable from the inside. I'll make a point of checking my driver's door when I get out of isolation!

Cheers, Dave

[digcot65]

Hello I will have to remove the door card from one of the front doors and see if I can immobilise the handle to stop it locking from the inside.I realised,when it happened in the garage,I would have been in a right pickle not being able to open it.Just waiting for some more plastic sheeting to arrive,the one I bought was far to thin and tore if looked at.After finishing the "tent" I have to choose a day with the right weather.Len

[digcot65]

Just double checked ,if the interior door handle is pushed forward to lock the door there is no way it can be opened from the outside.This could be awkward Len

[Rubythursday]

You shouldn't be able to lock the door that has a key in the handle from the inside. I suspect the wrong door lock mechanism has been fitted.

[digcot65]

Morning, a lot can happen in 86 years.I suppose if the door is locked from inside by the handle being moved forward it is to stop anyone getting in the car. If the outer door is locked then it isnt possible to turn it ,but if in the open position with the door locked inside it should still be impossible to get in the car.I have to take the door car off one of the front doors and disable one of the interior locks. I still have to have the steering rebuilt.As I said I took it to a large firm in Birmingham,( which is only 12 miles away) back in mid June.After 9 weeks when I phoned it was still in bits,they said they were waiting for a part.The problem seems to be ,there is an elderly man who knows these boxes but he only comes in 2 days a week.Any way I needed the box to be able to move the car, now that`s done I can sort a restorer out.Some one on the Forum recommended a man on Oxford in which case I can take it myself rather than risk damage,the last thing I need .I`ll let you know how the saga of the box goes. Len