914rubber door handles, Any experience with them? Options

[horizontally-opposed]

Did a search and didn't see anything, but perhaps I didn't do the search right.

Specifically interested in fitment and how close they are to factory NOS...as well as any design improvements? Mine work okay, but the chrome is tired and the thought of rechroming fatigued metal is unappealing. NOS means a search, while I wonder about the quality of later factory parts given what we've seen. The 914rubber pieces could be a nice alternative, but I'd love some pics and feedback from those who bought them.

Thanks in advance!

pete

[ConeDodger]

Pete,
Matt Whitesell has just about everything they sell on his car. Plus he drives the snot out of it so if there are failure issues, he’d experience them like a customer. If he or Mark don’t respond, PM me and I’ll give you their phone numbers. Rechroming works great but make sure the understand not to rechrome the articulating surfaces or the parts will be junk.

[Matty900]

Hi Pete,
That is a part we stock, not one that we make. They are a good reproduction part that is way less hassle than trying to re chome original parts. We have sold quite a few and I am not aware of anyone having any issues with them.
Cheers,
Matt

[914Sixer]

Just my 2 cents. Reproductions are not good quality. Chrome is POOR and the lock barrels are not correct requiring modifications.

[Krieger]

Hi Pete. Just a thought. Maybe rechrome a few old sets to get the economy and extra sets if you break. 3 lefts and a 2 rights? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[JamesM]

Just my 2 cents. Reproductions are not good quality. Chrome is POOR and the lock barrels are not correct requiring modifications.

Had issues with the lock barrel on one i picked up from Sierra Madre as well (guessing they are the same supplier). Noticeable difference in quality from OEM.

[bdstone914]

@horizontally-opposed

Specifically interested in fitment and how close they are to factory NOS...as well as any design improvements? Mine work okay, but the chrome is tired and the thought of rechroming fatigued metal is unappealing. NOS means a search, while I wonder about the quality of later factory parts given what we've seen. The 914rubber pieces could be a nice alternative, but I'd love some pics and feedback from those who bought them.

Thanks in advance!

pete

Pete,
I sold one set of the aftermarket outside door handles while I was with Pelican and the customer had to modify them to fit. The section for the lock cylinder was too long.
As @914sixer pointed out the aftermarket ones do not have a good rap. But some of the new genuine Porsche parts are not so great either.
Replating them is tricky. A local shop wanted $100 per handle with no guaranteed as they were pot metal.
I would be more inclined to find a good speciality chrome plater for restoring vintage parts. Hemmings has a lot of listings.
Bruce
Bruce

[ConeDodger]

Ogden Chrome charged me about $100 and shipping was free. Again, be sure to emphasize, nothing chromed below the face of the handle. Those dimensions mustn’t change...

[Mikey914]

Well,

If the consensus is that they are crap perhaps we need to make them?

[horizontally-opposed]

Well,

If the consensus is that they are crap perhaps we need to make them?

First and foremost: Thanks for all of the parts you make for these cars.

I was on your site and looking through things and you have added so much to the ability of enthusiasts to own and actually use the 914 some 50 years after it appeared. There are a lot of parts. One thing that would be nice to know is when a part is something you've made, as I know you're just as skeptical of some of the reproductions out there as many of us are.

There are some "hard parts" for the 914 that are NLA but high use/wear, which makes redoing original parts less attractive. Front bumpers are one, door handles are another. Both seem like fairly complex pieces. I'll look into Ogden chrome, but I doubt I am alone in a willingness to buy a pair of really good NEW repros to put in a box for later since the originals are just pot metal.

In the meantime, thanks again for what you do for this community. So good to see you making a good go of it!

[Mikey914]

Yeah as more Chinese stuff enters the market it's a matter of educating the differences. I'm actually unsure of the origin of the handles but I know brand U dosen't list them so I sell them. I don't mind helping other parts providers is the quality is "acceptable" but there are some I will not sell.

Yes a fairly complicated part, but could be worth another look. I did have a few ideas on how they could even be improved without being cosmetically different that OEM.

Mark

[wes]

Wasn’t there someone looking into doing these in stainless steel sometime back?

[Mikey914]

I was the one, until these came out. We can do stainless, but it's with the new ones so inexpensive it didn't seem like a path that would pan out in either. I do think we could do these in stainless but not sure if they pencil out.

[burton73]

10 years ago, I looked at doing these in brass in lost wax process in China. That would have taken care of the problem of these breaking. Price point was too high for most of the people here.

Bob B

[mb911]

I would love to see a quality part .. Stainless is an interesting idea..

[76-914]

Yeah as more Chinese stuff enters the market it's a matter of educating the differences. I'm actually unsure of the origin of the handles but I know brand U dosen't list them so I sell them. I don't mind helping other parts providers is the quality is "acceptable" but there are some I will not sell.

Yes a fairly complicated part, but could be worth another look. I did have a few ideas on how they could even be improved without being cosmetically different that OEM.

Mark

IMHO, This is one of those "must have" items. I regularly see nice used handles going for $200. If someone was offering a pair of quality replacement handles in the $700-800 range they'd sell. Maybe more?

[URY914]

10 years ago, I looked at doing these in brass in lost wax process in China. That would have taken care of the problem of these breaking. Price point was too high for most of the people here.

Bob B

Hey Bob. You talked to me back then about giving you some on the good ones I have.

Remember people the bodies can be repaired. I've repaired a few dozen over the years. But if you break the flapper handle section you're screwed.

[burton73]

10 years ago, I looked at doing these in brass in lost wax process in China. That would have taken care of the problem of these breaking. Price point was too high for most of the people here.

Bob B

Hey Bob. You talked to me back then about giving you some on the good ones I have.

Remember people the bodies can be repaired. I've repaired a few dozen over the years. But if you break the flapper handle section you're screwed.

I remember,

The business of making 914 parts is a fine line between art, and hobby versus a, well, a profitable true business. The majority of people want the lowest cost part.

In the past 914 guys have been very cheap.

Bob B

[JamesM]

Remember people the bodies can be repaired. I've repaired a few dozen over the years. But if you break the flapper handle section you're screwed.

I have a pile of broken ones, most of which its the flapper portion that is broken. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[mb911]

I personally believe the new threshold currently is 200-300 each but that is still allot.. Can the current repos just be modified and rechromed economically?