Re: IML: 60-63 interior door handle breakage fix ?

[joestill1@xxxxxxxxxxx (Joe)]

On our '61 Crown, the sole surviving interior door handle was filled with some sort of putty, sort of like plumbers putty, when we got it.  I don't know if that is the reason is was spared and the other three weren't but it's an idea anyway.

 

--
Joe
Allen, Texas
'61 4D Crown Southampton
http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1961/JoeStill/index.htm

 

> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> Everybody who has owned a 60-63 imperial is probably aware of the problem with the interior door handles breaking. I was pulling stuff off a 61 at a junkyard last week and noticed that all four of the handles were broken on that one. My blame for the problem is that the top of the handle is hollow and gets real thin were it meets the stem, causeing it to flex, over time all the flexing leads to breakage. My idea is to fill the hollowed top portion of the handle with something. I believe that would stop the flexing, add strenth and save the unbroken pieces that are left. I have considered lead, fiberglass resin, or some sort of epoxy like maybe JB weld. As for the already broken handles they're pretty much scrap metal, they're made of pot metal I believe,  and cant be welded as far as I know. I would like to hear some of your opinions on th
> is fix. Has anybody ever did this before ?