IML: '60-63 Interior Door Handles

["Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  ****This last weekend I had a jerk relative working my 60's handles back 
and
           forth (before I could stop him) while saying something stupid 
like"they sure
           don't build them like this anymore****


When the handle's roll pin has let loose of one side of the clamping piece, 
this is the very action of the passenger that is usually observed if the 
door doesn't open easily. One should use all the aforementioned devices, 
suggestion/screaming/crow-bar immediately upon the offending party, then go 
around and open the door from the exterior for them. At the earliest 
convenience, the interior door handle should be removed and inspected to see 
if the roll pin is securely fitted to both sides of the clamping piece.

The handle will not clamp properly to the latch pivot on the door if this 
roll pin isn't fully securing both sides of the clamping piece, causing the 
passenger to go thru such hysterics.

If the pin has let loose of one side of the clamping piece, please consider 
the rivet upgrade I've described. It's simple, inexpensive, and effective to 
preserve these handles. There are three pieces to each interior handle: the 
large pot metal handle, the small wrap around stamped clamping piece, and 
the tiny roll pin.

The clamping piece needs to be kept from spreading apart and the rivet 
effectively does this where the roll pin cannot. While a strengthening of 
the hollow part of the handle might be a worthwhile endeavor, it will be 
pointless unless the clamping piece is tight on both sides and fits square 
to the latch post on the door. For an already broken handle, has anyone 
tried JB Weld? Pot metal breaks are typically matching w/o distortion. I 
would think JB Weld would hold it together sufficiently as it takes 
relatively light pressure to open a firm and square fitting handle..

Eric
Portland, Oregon
_______________________________________________________________________
From: "imperialman" <imperialman@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: IML: 60-63 interior door handle breakage fix ?
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 21:20:15 -0500
Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(Gulp) I had no idea that the handles were that fragile!
This last weekend I had a jerk relative working my 60's handles back and
forth (before I could stop him) while saying something stupid like"they sure
don't build them like this anymore"
               Clay Smith
              60 Custom( with four good door handles)
             67 Crown Coupe( with two good door handles)
                           *****************************************
From: "Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: IML: Interior Door Handles
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 05:58:56 -0700
Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'd like to counter this impression that the '60-63 handles break due to
thin pot metal. These handles break because the roll pin has no provision to
keep the stamped piece of steel that grips the door latch post from
spreading apart, thereby losing contact with one side of the roll pin and
making a loose and off center grip to the post. When this happens, the
handle gets pulled back in an attempt to open the door, and when the 1st try
doesn't open it, the operator exerts even more force and breaks the handle.
A tight and square fitting handle will grip the door latch post allowing for
an easy pull back of the handle to open the door.

The fix for this is to replace the roll pin with a rivet. I have done this
to my '63 after finding all the roll pins only tight on one side of the
stamped steel piece, and finding that each stamped piece was spread out more
than when originally assembled, causing a loose and unsquare fit to the
post. I've found that Arrow aluminum 5/32'' (4mm) 'Long' rivets are a
perfect fit for the replacement of the roll pin. Remove roll pin, press the
stamped steel piece back to being tight against the pot metal handle, then
rivet together. After I did this, all my handles sit square and require a
light effort to open the door with.

I bought an inexpensive rivet gun and some rivets at Home Depot, about $30
total. This fix also applies to the '64-66 cars. I would bet that if each
broken handle was inspected, it would be found that the roll pin had let
loose of one side of the stamped steel piece in just about every case, and
I'd welcome hearing if this was the case or not. As well, if you have a door
that is resistant to open, an inspection of this part of the handle would
likely reveal this to be the reason. This stamped piece can be returned to
its original shape and the old roll pin can be refitted into it, but it will
likely come apart again after a good tightening to the handle post, the pin
was just not a good 50-100 year design. The fix is inexpensive and
relatively easy, but if anyone would like this upgrade done for them, I
would offer my assistance. Please email me off the list. I highly recommend
the upgrade to save the handles not yet broken.

Eric
Portland, Oregon



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