Re: IML: '60-63 Interior Door Handles

["imperialman" <imperialman@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you for the advice and  how to do it.
This is something that I will do before the car season ends and my 60 is put 
back in storage.
            Clay Smith
              60 Custom
                67 Crown Coupe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 4:03 AM
Subject: IML: '60-63 Interior Door Handles


>   ****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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