Re: {Chrysler 300} What's the deal with 1957 Chrysler door handles?

forward look .com can rebuild old ones if plating ok , or a kit for you to do , substitutes shoulder bolts and spacers for rivets . There are several versions , early ones had small pivot rivets and often broke at rivets at top of ears . All of them the springs rust and break . The kit fixes both size rivets , but not a broken casting . Later service ones we think have large rivets and stronger casting in rivet areas

And the kit has a new spring .

The main purpose of the kit was you cannot disassemble to rechrome them without destroying the rivet . I had that problem on 2-3 cars . Has to be drilled out . Poor fit too , so a new rivet is loose and impossible to “set”

Plus same situation with broken spring which gives rise to a floppy handle . Have to drill rivet to get at that spring , then what ?

Forward look does not do rechrome etc . But a good looking one with bad spring yes , or loose / worn rivet etc can be repaired

To rebuild yourself , you take apart and get the two pieces plated , use kit to reassemble . Drill holes etc for new parts before chrome is best . Possibly touch up hole after .

Also , may have to file before plating where two pieces pass each other to be sure it does not scrape , factory fit is very close , sometimes adding chrome makes it drag .

Agree not easy to find , but I think 57-59 interchange on all Chrysler front doors , maybe back doors too . But often pitted they need new chrome . Chances of finding an unpitted one in junkyard are very low . So NOS . Plating expensive , but then it is like new . Probably better , factory plating not very good .

I think 60 up are reproduced , on ebay .
Hope this helps

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 14, 2022, at 12:53 PM, Nick Taylor <nicksgaragesd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've been trying to find a good drivers door outside handle for a friend and it's been a real struggle. Every one I've laid my hands on is broken or on its way to being broken.

The parts books show a lot of different part numbers but I can't tell the difference between the '57-59 door handles.

Are they all the same? This is for a two-door coupe.

Thanks, Nick

--
For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylang
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Chrysler 300 Club International" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to chrysler-300-club-international+unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/chrysler-300-club-international/CA%2BjApFMgtWNOrEhT2uGuY5bd3YHiDswmdyYSKXtj%3DV8_W3wg3g%40mail.gmail.com.