Hi Paul, It is a miracle to me too, why this is possible to lock your self out.. As far as I know the only sloppy part is the door lock cylinder itself. Btw, I have a Crown Southampton 4 door of 1960 so I will try the trick with the coat hanger! Since my roof rail weatherstrip is not of the best quality anymore it might be worth to try it out! I don't know yet what a slim jim is but I will look it up at the Internet :) Thanks for your help sofar and I will keep you updated!1 Best wishes, Robert On Di, september 13, 2005 19:15, RandalPark@xxxxxxx said: > These cars are designed so that one cannot lock themselves out of the > car. The front doors will automatically unlock as the door is closed. > > That said, on cars with power door locks, the front doors can lock > themselves when they close. This is not usually due to an electrical > problem, but rather a mechanical one, and occurs when the mechanisms grow > old and get a little bit sloppy. I am not sure why this happens > specifically with the power door lock cars, other than maybe the extra > mechanism has a potential fault. > > This happened to me on my '62 LeBaron when the door closed while the car > was running. Being a Southampton, I was able to use a straightened wire > coat hanger (sorry Mommy Dearest!)to operate the inside door handle from > outside the car. I made a hook on the end that I stuck into the car, and > I went in through the top of the driver's side window. This was not > difficult as my roof rail weatherstrip is very worn. If your '60 is a > Sedan, it may be more difficult, but it should work. If you have a very > nice weatherstrip, BE CAREFUL! > > If you are handy with a "slim jim" you can use this tool to open the > door. A lock smith can also be hired to come out and open the door using > the lock. Though expensive and time consuming, this is probably the best > and least distructive method, plus you will end up with an extra key that > you can keep in your wallet in case this should happen again. > > Paul W. > > > In an email dated 13/9/2005 3:40:54 pm GMT Daylight time, "Rob van der > Es" <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: > > >> Dear fellow Imperialists! >> >> >> I have a big problem, I managed to lock myself out of my 1960 Crown.. >> I was working on the electrical system of the car and somehow I must >> have activated the electric doorlock system. >> >> Must have made a short circuit or something and didn't noticed the >> clicking sound of the solenoid.. The keys are in the ignition lock of the >> car, and I don't have spare ones yet... After closing the driver door, I >> find all 4 door closed like a safe with the keys in the car. >> >> >> Anyone knows a trick to open the car, without damage anything?? >> >> >> The car is a 1960 4 door Hardtop. >> >> >> Thanks in advance, >> >> >> Robert >> >> >> >> >> ----------------- ?http://www.imperialclub.com ?----------------- >> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please >> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared >> with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators >> should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to >> http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm >> >> >> > > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- > This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared > with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators > should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to > http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm > > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm