914 GT Door Handle Pull Straps Options

[JamesJ]

Hello All,
Has anyone used these "GT door handle pull straps" from Auto Atlanta?
I removed the armrest/compartment assemblies as I wanted a clean and simple look on this car. I bought a set of the these and prior to installing them(still figuring out the best way to do that), I rotated the handle that pivots on the mounting tabs back and forth. They only freely pivot about 45 degrees, then they fight you, but perhaps once mounted they will pivot more fully or maybe they are not meant to pivot a full 90 degrees. I "bench tested" them by just pressing the mounting tabs against a flat surface and I found that the 45 degree position is enough to get 3 or 4 fingers behind it to pull on it.
The other issue is that they don't pivot back into the flat resting position because they are not spring loaded, so it appears that they will always be in the "open" position(see 2nd photo) and not sit against the door panel when not in use(I think I am ok with that); however, I am reluctant to put holes in my new door panels without knowing these will function well. I wish they were more sturdy than they are, but perhaps I am expecting too much from a $23 part.
Could anyone share how these have worked for them or if there is another similar alternative? Perhaps from a 911/912 application or other European car model?
Thanks!

[john77]

I have similar ones in my 914 - they were in the car when I bought it. You don’t need a ton of leverage to shut the door, so they do the job they’re supposed to.

Given enough use the wear and tear will probably cause them to loosen up and fall flat. In the meantime, you can just push them down if it bothers you.

[JamesJ]

I have similar ones in my 914 - they were in the car when I bought it. You don’t need a ton of leverage to shut the door, so they do the job they’re supposed too.

Given enough use the wear and tear will probably cause them to loosen up and fall flat. In the meantime, you can just push them down if it bothers you.

Thanks @john77
Would you mind posting a photo? I am curious as to where yours are mounted.

[mepstein]

There are a couple sellers for the plastic ones on ebay.

WEVO aluminum are pricy but nice.

https://www.wevo.com/Products/BodyTrimProdu...RLiteHandle.htm

[JamesJ]

There are a couple sellers for the plastic ones on ebay.

WEVO aluminum are pricy but nice.

https://www.wevo.com/Products/BodyTrimProdu...RLiteHandle.htm

Thanks @mepstein
Those look great. Pricey, yes. WEVO is 15 minutes from my office. I can also start with the plastic ones and see how they hold up. I like that he WEVO handles mount in the same place as the plastic ones, so it’s easy to upgrade without cutting new holes in the door panels.

[Retroracer]

@JamesJ - I found mine from searching for "Fiat 500 door handles" on the interweb; Like your experience, mine seemed stiff when they arrived and I was similarly concerned that they would not "drop" when closed - but I think this is a function of it being a fresh part - now mine have been used and temp cycled for a year or two they drop once used, as expected.

I attached them using stainless self tapping screws; I took the door card off (I was replacing it anyway) and made some reference measurements to make sure that when located the screw threads a) wouldn't hit or foul anything important and b) have enough metal to grab on to.

Hope this helps. Looks like you're local to me, so feel free to PM me if you want to see the install or discuss further

- Tony





And now some, er, precision measurement pics:

[mepstein]

There are a couple sellers for the plastic ones on ebay.

WEVO aluminum are pricy but nice.

https://www.wevo.com/Products/BodyTrimProdu...RLiteHandle.htm

Thanks @mepstein
Those look great. Pricey, yes. WEVO is 15 minutes from my office. I can also start with the plastic ones and see how they hold up. I like that he WEVO handles mount in the same place as the plastic ones, so it’s easy to upgrade without cutting new holes in the door panels.

The more knowledgeable guys on this site will know but I think the plastic and metal door pulls are just copies of an early Fiat door handle. I have seen some similar ones on ebay for reasonable prices. They are metal so that's a bonus over the plastic reproductions but I remember them being a gold color.

Lastly, someone on Pelican was making GT/RS door pulls in titanium. They looked fantastic but were $150-175pr iirc.

[mb911]

I bought the fiat 500 handles for mine and they are what the GTs came with.

[gms]

The handles you bought are copies of the FIAT 500 door handles implemented in the 914/6 GT, they are pure function in a lightweight form. Some people like race parts on their car but make no mistake GT parts are not lavish or luxurious.

[mb911]

Fyi for those interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-CLASSIC-FIAT-5...4.m46890.l49292

[JamesJ]

I appreciate all the great feedback!
I see the price of the plastic handles is lower on eBay than AA, but all of the plastic handles on eBay are overseas, and with shipping they are a slightly higher cost than the AA ones, but good to know. The packaging mine came in say "Fiat 500" on the bag.
Thanks @retroracer
I'll PM you.

[raynekat]

The ONLY problem with the plastic ones is they can break.
As far as copies of Fiat 500 handles? I think they are Fiat 500 handles...why wouldn't someone still be making them? Maybe I'm wrong. I bought mine 30 years ago. Were those copies as well? They all look the same regardless.

I have an 911 RS replica with these handles and I always keep a couple of spares because if you pull too hard to close the door, they can break. I've done it at least once.

That is where the metal ones would have the advantage.

[wysri9]

Mine came from a UK Car Parts Supplier and are plastic with metal ends. Seem pretty robust.

Ill post a picture of my door cards showing the handles. You may also be interested in my door opening pulls which after installing in the usual way I found fouled the door card and door structure and just had way too much friction to work properly. I realigned the pulls and created a custom surround which gives a very low friction solution which works well.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[TRS63]

Clean and nice solution!

[live free & drive]

For slightly more panache - but essentially the same thing - the Alfa Spider driver's door pull:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CLASSIC-ALFA-ROMEO...L4AAOSw9uFW-UK-