Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: Rebuilding door handles?
914World.com > The 914 Forums > 914World Garage
ConeDodger
Just did a search for door handle rebuild and no-joy. Anyone know of a thread?
TheCabinetmaker
What exactly do you mean by"rebuild"? Are they broken, or just needed cleaning up and new plastic actuator?
Elliot Cannon
The last five years or so, I have been totally removing the locks/door latches, inner and outer handles. I degrease them with carb. cleaner or whatever I have on hand at the time, re-lube them, replace the plastic part and re-install. These things can get gummed up pretty badly, hard to open and often break. Time to do it again just before route 66. biggrin.gif
ConeDodger
QUOTE(The Cabinetmaker @ Jan 9 2018, 09:50 PM) *

What exactly do you mean by"rebuild"? Are they broken, or just needed cleaning up and new plastic actuator?


They are going to be rechromed after GT drilling so the have to come completely apart.
Larmo63
Whilst on the subject of 914 door handles, have you ever really taken a good long look at one? They are actually a thing of beauty and no other Porsche sports a door handle quite like it. Very cool. I think they are very mid-century modern as the 914 is THE perfect mid-century sports car.
Mueller
QUOTE(ConeDodger @ Jan 9 2018, 05:20 PM) *

QUOTE(The Cabinetmaker @ Jan 9 2018, 09:50 PM) *

What exactly do you mean by"rebuild"? Are they broken, or just needed cleaning up and new plastic actuator?


They are going to be rechromed after GT drilling so the have to come completely apart.



I hope you can drill them more evenly spaced than the drunk that did those smile.gif
TargaToy
I hope you can drill them more evenly spaced than the drunk that did those smile.gif


av-943.gif lol-2.gif
ConeDodger
QUOTE(Mueller @ Jan 9 2018, 11:41 PM) *

QUOTE(ConeDodger @ Jan 9 2018, 05:20 PM) *

QUOTE(The Cabinetmaker @ Jan 9 2018, 09:50 PM) *

What exactly do you mean by"rebuild"? Are they broken, or just needed cleaning up and new plastic actuator?


They are going to be rechromed after GT drilling so the have to come completely apart.



I hope you can drill them more evenly spaced than the drunk that did those smile.gif


Oh I agree! When I posted that, I couldn’t find this picture. My friend Rex is a machine shop manager and a Datsun guy. We work on projects together. Right now it’s coilovers for his 510. Rex is going to drill them. It should be very accurate. Just for giggles, we decided to weigh them before and after! laugh.gif
Elliot Cannon
QUOTE(Larmo63 @ Jan 9 2018, 06:37 PM) *

Whilst on the subject of 914 door handles, have you ever really taken a good long look at one? They are actually a thing of beauty and no other Porsche sports a door handle quite like it. Very cool. I think they are very mid-century modern as the 914 is THE perfect mid-century sports car.


Mid-century?? Actually THIS is a mid-century sports car. av-943.gif
ConeDodger
Yes, that’s all very interesting, but how do you get the damned door handle halves apart you tards! dry.gif av-943.gif
TheCabinetmaker
Drill out the rivet? Better find a replacement rivet first
campbellcj

QUOTE(The Cabinetmaker @ Jan 9 2018, 09:50 PM) *



They are going to be rechromed after GT drilling so the have to come completely apart.


Did you drill those yourself or source them someplace? I have been interested in a set but don't want to deal with the tools and replating.
bbrock
I was able to take one apart and save the rivet by using pliers around one end to smash the peened end back down to where it would fit through the hole. I've done it exactly one time so don't know how repeatable it is, and it took some time. I think a pair of bird banding pliers would make it easy, but who has a pair of those lying around? If you can find proper replacement rivets, that would be the way to go. I couldn't, so wanted to salvage the existing rivet if I could. But the rivets themselves are soft and the peened edge can easily be ground off with a 2" roloc disc on an angle grinder. Just did that last night on a handle I was using for spare parts.

BTW, those GT handles remind me of the old backpacking joke of drilling holes in your toothbrush handle to save weight. laugh.gif
Andyrew
Doesnt Paul URY rebuild them?
bbrock
QUOTE(Andyrew @ Jan 10 2018, 10:31 AM) *

Doesnt Paul URY rebuild them?


Yes, and here's what he said on another thread about sourcing new pins or reusing the old ones. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...t&p=2510567

And his method would even shave MORE weight off that handle! lol-2.gif
scallyk9
QUOTE(bbrock @ Jan 10 2018, 09:26 AM) *

I was able to take one apart and save the rivet by using pliers around one end to smash the peened end back down to where it would fit through the hole. I've done it exactly one time so don't know how repeatable it is, and it took some time. I think a pair of bird banding pliers would make it easy, but who has a pair of those lying around? If you can find proper replacement rivets, that would be the way to go. I couldn't, so wanted to salvage the existing rivet if I could. But the rivets themselves are soft and the peened edge can easily be ground off with a 2" roloc disc on an angle grinder. Just did that last night on a handle I was using for spare parts.

BTW, those GT handles remind me of the old backpacking joke of drilling holes in your toothbrush handle to save weight. laugh.gif


There's another solution to the rivet. AA does have a long shank/short threaded allen bolt with nylock nut packaged just for this purpose. I wasn't clever enough to remove the rivet so that it would be re-useable, and this fit perfectly.
URY914
QUOTE(Andyrew @ Jan 10 2018, 10:31 AM) *

Doesnt Paul URY rebuild them?



I can rebuild them. The pin is reusable even after filing down one end of it. It's best to reuse the pin because it fits very tight.

BTW, in my opinion after rebuilding a few dozen I'll have to tell you they are a shitty design. They can break several different ways and have several weak points.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Invision Power Board © 2001-2024 Invision Power Services, Inc.