Custom Door Handles, Are there any available? Options

[palmer_md]

I'm trying to find out if anybody makes custom door handles for the 914. I have not come across any using the search function, but there are lots of results and reading entire threads is becoming tedious. Hopefully somebody can point me in the right direction if something exists.

I have had the driver side door handle break twice on me. Fortunately the passenger side door was functioning and I was able to get into the car without breaking windows or anything drastic. After the second time, I just removed the door handles from my car and I run without them. I'm not too worried about parking without locking the car, and most people can't figure out how to open the door right now even without the handle. For me its easy to just stick your thumb into the hole and push the button to open the door. Ever since I've been running this way I've been thinking about building a small plate the shape of the original door handle, but without any moving parts. Just a plate, and then a button in the middle that presses the button on the inside of the door. This would look better than it does right now, and get the same functionality. It could be even better if the button had a keylock that kept it from getting pressed. The door would essentially be unlocked, but the button could not be pressed to push the interior button. (is this making sense?)

I did see that somebody uses electric actuators for the door, and this might be a good option as well. I just need to figure out how they open the door in the event of a dead battery.

Hopefully somebody can point me to an already complete project, or maybe will stimulate some ideas for me to fabricate my own door handle.

Thanks,
Michael

[Cap'n Krusty]

When you "service" your car, and not just do a tuneup and an oil change, the door latch mechanisms get lubricated. We used to do it all the time, but people tend to take the cheapest way out and chassis servicing has fallen out of favor. It's not that your door handles are weak, it's that you're asking them to move components that haven't been properly cleaned, adjusted, or lubricated for years, if not decades.

The Cap'n

[rick 918-S]

When you "service" your car, and not just do a tuneup and an oil change, the door latch mechanisms get lubricated. We used to do it all the time, but people tend to take the cheapest way out and chassis servicing has fallen out of favor. It's not that your door handles are weak, it's that you're asking them to move components that haven't been properly cleaned, adjusted, or lubricated for years, if not decades.

The Cap'n

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Exactly what I was going to say. Pull the door latch mechanism and clen and lube it. Check for excessive wear that will caus the thing to bind. Also check how the door latches. If you hinges are sagging the latch will bind causing stress on the handle.