[ChevyLuv]

Hi. I wanted to see what brand of shaved door kits everyone likes to use. This is for a 61 Chevy pickup. I'm looking at the Autoloc 50lb kit.

 

[Halloweenking]

I dunno about most of these guys, but myself as well as many others preffer not to use shave doors anymore. They may look cool, but are no fun in case of a wreck or dead battery if you have no emergency remote switch. If you look at most new customs, everyones going with trick doorhandles. Either new model cars and truck door handles or custom fabbed hide away handles. They are safer, and cooler I think, because they are more creative than just shaving them. If you would like to do this let me know, I'd be happy to tell you how, I could do a step by step if you need it.

HK

 

[ChevyLuv]

Hi HK, yeah I would like to know more about this. I'm trying to get a grasp on what your talking about. If you have something "cooler" I'm for that!
Do you know of a web site to see what you're talking about with trick door handles? Fun, new stuff to learn about!!

 

[Halloweenking]

I don't know of any web sites. The trick doorhandles are like hiding the doorhandles in chrome trim, or as your mirror or something cool like that. Other cool ideas are just replacing your old handles with newer cooler handles from a modern car. Its pretty easy replacing old with new, but the tricked out handles like hide-aways and the mirror thing take a bit more enginuity. If you have a cool idea you want to try lemme know I'm sure with a pencil I can come up with a how-to to get it done

HK

 

[ChevyLuv]

AAHHHH, now I get it. <img src="graemlins/sweat.gif" border="0" alt="[sweat]" />
That would be cool. Using flat handles from a new pickup. I wouldn't put anything in the trim, because...no trim right now. Maybe later. How easy would these be to install myself? I'd probably have to change the gear system in the door.

 

[Halloweenking]

Its actually easier than shaving the doorhandles, just a few more steps. Cut out your existing doorhandle prefferably in a rectangle pattern. Measure it with a calliper. Go to the local yard cut out the dorhandle 1/2" more of sheetmetal around it than the measurement after you take the handle out and disconnect everything so nothing gets melted or cut through. Take everything from the handle to the linkage and even the latch if you need it. take it home, trim it down to size as close as possible(hence the caliper measurement) weld it in, smooth add filler smooth prime and paiont and hook it up and your done basically. Its pretty easy, but I've done it about 70 times so of course its easy for me. If you need a step by step lemme know

HK

 

[Kevin45]

Shaved doorhandles to me is still the way to go. I think its the latest issue of either Super Rod or Custom odder tells how to shave them plus put in and emergency cable in case the battery heads south on you. In the case of a wreck the emergency crew will pop the window anyhow if you happen to be unconsious. I'll look up the article and let you know.

Kevin

 

[BstMech]

My little brother shaves almost every handle he can, but he doesn't use those aftermarket solenoids (they don't pull hard enough). If I remember right he uses Cadillac/Lincoln door lock or trunk popper solenoids. These things are cheap as he!! and are plentiful at partsyards. He wires them up through his alarm, and has a barrel key lock hidden so he can "lock" the doors. It's way cool to have your door "pop" open by remote control (especially if it's raining ) As far as dead batteries go, he's never had that problem, but I don't think it's that big of an issue to figure something out to counteract that.

 

[meanmachine666]

both ways sound cool to me but either way I have to replace my latch system with bear claws because the OEM system was not that safe when it was new let along being 48 years old. I like the shave ideal because I can not find the stainless for the car and I lack the knowledge that HK has on prefab work to make all new trim. but the refitting new style door handles sounds like it is doable as well. gives me something to think about.
I am still in the planning stag of my 54 pontiac chieftain 2 door hardtop so if anyone has a thought on how to trick it out let me know for the time being I will be using the OEM drive train. the flathead straight 8 was rebuilt 3 years ago along with the transmission. so until it gives up the ghost I will run it.other then that I am open to anything.

 

[ChevyLuv]

Hey HK, I would love to have a step by step. I think some others would, too, like meanmachine. Yea, I get to play with fire!! <img src="graemlins/sweat.gif" border="0" alt="[sweat]" />
Kevin, the Autoloc kit I was looking at had emergency cable. I like the idea of either shaved handles or replacing them with new flat ones. I like the smooth look, so I'm taking everything off the sides.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: 6163ChevyLuv ]</p>

 

[Halloweenking]

ChevyLuv and meanmachine I already did a step by step a few months ago on this subject so I'm going to see if Jon still has it in his archives, if not I'll write you two a whole new one

HK

 

[ChevyLuv]

HK, yeah I'd hate to have you write it out again. I looked back before I asked, but couldn't find any info. Maybe I didn't check far enough.

 

[Halloweenking]

ChevyLuv, it wasn't posted on here. It was posted in the how to section way before you arrived when the RBBO still had a section. If he doesn't have it I should have a new one typed up before the weekends out

HK

 

[meanmachine666]

thanks HK sorry you have to rewrite it thou.

 

[CARGUY]

i did late model handels on my el camino i have a pic in my photo album it was easy

 

[ChevyLuv]

Carguy - I checked out your photos. That's pretty cool. Do you remember what year handles you used?

 

[CARGUY]

no, i dont, a buddy of mine was going to throw them away so i took them. just go to the yard and look around you should be able to find something,sorry i couldnt help.

 

[Halloweenking]

Shaving door-handles or modern replacement.

First prep the surface before working. Remove existing handles and lock mechanisms. Remove all paint and sealers down to bare sheet metal at least 5” from working area. Now that you have prep the area you are ready to start. Draw a rectangular template around the area you wish to remove. Encompass a minimum of one inch (1&#8221 around the handle mounting. Now that you have traced a stencil to follow with your cutting tool (cutting wheel, saw, or plasma cutter) cut and remove the handle area. Be careful when doing this not to overheat the metal to prevent warpage. Now that the handle area is removed measure the hole with a caliper or micrometer to 0.001”. By measuring to 0.001” you will have a better and tighter fitting patch panel to weld in. You could also place a white piece of paper on the outside of the hole and with a spray can of paint spray the paper through the inside of the door to get an accurate stencil for the patch panel. Now in shaving a door handle you will need to cut a piece of sheet metal to the measurements or to the stencil. After cutting the replacement panel you will need to form it to the doors curvature and/or bodyline. After the panel is formed to your satisfaction you will begin welding it in place. Spot-weld the panel in on all for sides to hold it in place. weld 3-5(every 1/2" ) spots on each side shifting randomly from side to side so the sheet metal does not overheat and warp. Grind the welds smooth being careful not to overheat the metal, after grinding let cool and smooth with a light coating of filler prime/seal then paint.

Modern replacement.

First prep the surface before working. Remove existing handles and lock mechanisms. Remove all paint and sealers down to bare sheet metal at least 5” from working area on both doors, donor and replacement. Now that you have prep the area you are ready to start. Draw a rectangular template around the area you wish to remove. Make sure the area you remove on the door awaiting replacement is large enough to house the modern handle. Make sure through measurement. Encompass a minimum of one inch (1/2" ) around the handle mounting. Now that you have traced a stencil to follow with your cutting tool (cutting wheel, saw, or plasma cutter) cut and remove the handle area. Be careful when doing this not to overheat the metal to prevent warpage. Now that the handle area is removed measure the hole with a caliper or micrometer to 0.001". By measuring to 0.001" you will have a better and tighter fitting patch panel to weld in. After cutting the replacement panel you will need to form it to the doors curvature and/or bodyline. After the panel is formed to your satisfaction you will begin welding it in place. Spot-weld the panel in on all for sides to hold it in place. weld 3-5( every 1/2" ) spots on each side shifting randomly from side to side so the sheet metal does not overheat and warp. Grind the welds smooth being careful not to overheat the metal, after grinding let cool and smooth with a light coating of filler prime/seal then paint.

Do to the fact that shaved door handle kits as well as modern handle replacements vary so greatly the step by step was left rather vague. If you need any more step by step information on either adaptation of the new modern handle and mechanism or if you require a more in depth explanation to any of the steps above including techniques please contact me.

HK

[ October 12, 2002: Message edited by: Halloweenking ]</p>

 

[ChevyLuv]

Thanks for all of the info HK. We appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

 

[Miststlkr]

ok, you piqued my intrest. how would i rig my side mirror to do it?

thinking it over, itdoesn't seem THAT hard, as long as I could figure out how to get a hidden hinge to hold the mirror assembly onto the car. then it would just be a nmatter of routing the cable so that it pulls the latch. is that right?