A question about my new Hearse

This is a bit of a niche question and I haven't had any luck with searches online but perhaps someone here knows.
How do I disable the automatic unlock feature for the back door of our 1987 Caprice Hearse? Every time we close it, whether the button is up or down it unlocks itself.
Any input is appreciated, thank you.

 

Is there a switch? Maybe just disconnect it? That or call a priest and exercise the spirit that keeps unlocking the door!

 

That's an interesting conundrum. I am not too familiar with the coach built cars. Are the locks all electric? Or is this one a manual lock?

 

Not electric at all, it's a manual mechanism inside the door that allows the outside button to release the lock. But I don't think a simple disconnect of the door handle button will do it because the button is still necessary to open the door. It is a weird one considering you could still let yourself out of the side doors but I guess it prevents an accidental lock if you roll up to the cemetery with a body and forgot your door lock keys.

 

It probably is some kind of “safety feature” for hearses. I’m just thinking about losing or locking the keys in there while it’s occupied… on a hot day

 

Exactly, the body would be stuck in there. But since it's no longer operating as a hearse I would prefer to disable that feature. I have been unable to find a diagram for this mechanism or a retrofit option to switch it out (if needed).

 

I didn't know that, will try it out today - that would solve the problem for me (an easy fix at that).

 

Unfortunately that didn't do it, whether I hold the handle down or not the plunger button on the inside pops back up as soon as it is closed.

 

Bummer. I thought that might be the ticket.

 

My Plymouth is similar. If I put the lock down on either of the front doors and close it, the lock automatically pops up. Holding the button in on the exterior handle doesn't have any affect either. As long as I can remember we have always closed the front door first, then opened the back door, reached in and locked the front, then the back and shut the back.
All of these things from the factories were intended to keep you from locking your keys in the car. Unfortunately due to the simple habit of doing the exercise I described above I have in fact locked my keys in the Fury on more than one occasion, in spite of the factories best efforts to make it impossible.

 

Without seeing a pic of the door handle, there's no way to know what handle might do what. But, if it has an older-style handle with separate button, chances are it will stay locked when you hold the button.

 

Is the conversion company still in existence? If so, send them an inquiry about it.

 

They’d prob like to hear from a post service owner.

 

They do by name (Eureka) but the company has changed hands a couple of times since this model was built.