Driver's door question

[usraptor]

Okay, when I lock the passenger door (1970 'Cuda) with the inside door lock lever and pull the inside door handle the door will not open until I first unlock it with the inside door lock lever.

On the driver's side, if I lock the door with the inside door lock, I can not open the door with the outside door handle but if I pull on the inside door handle the door unlatches/unlocks.  Is this a safety feature that allows the driver to open the door even if it is locked, or is something messed up.  If it's not supposed to unlatch/unlock just by pulling on the inside door handle any ideas what is wrong? 

[1 Wild R/T]

You have a 71 & up latch in the drivers door...

[usraptor]

Possible, but when all else fails read the "Operator's Manual"     Page 20 states,: " Two separate operations are required to open the Passenger's door once it is locked.  First, the door lock handle must be pulled to the rear and then the inside door handle can be pulled.  This reduces the risk of the doors being opened accidentally while the car is in motion."

Since it doesn't say anything about the "driver's" door one could assume that it's not necessary to first unlock the door from the inside before opening the driver's door.   However,  since it does say that this "reduces the risk of the doors (plural) being opened accidentally while the car is in motion",  Wild R/T could be correct that I have a '71 latch.  Anyway, one way or the other, it's appears normal so I'm not going to worry about it.   

[Cuda Cody]

They did make a change in the way the door locks worked from 1970 to 1971 like 1 Wild RT said.   

[Cuda Cody]

Try locking the doors from the inside and closing.  Click to enlarge photo and look on the right column.

[usraptor]

That "feature," press the inside door lock down in the door and shut the door does not work with my '70 Cuda so I guess I have the a '70 latch.  I cannot push my lock lever down unless the door is already closed.

[Chryco Psycho]

I modified mine on the drivers door so you can lock it from the inside & close the door & it will be locked , stock you had to lock with a key once the door was closed , just had to bend a small tab out of the way to change it.

[usraptor]

Thanks Chryco.  I'll try that.  Ends up I got a '71 latch in with all the parts when I bought the car.  The original '70 latch was all jacked up so I used the '71 latch.  We noticed the difference in the latches but didn't understand what it meant. Now we do.  Definitely nicer to be able to push the latch down and shut the door than using a key to lock every time.