1941 Door Handle Questions

[Buicknutty]

Folks;

My car is a 1941 McLaughlin Buick (Canadian built) Roadmaster Coupe, and I have found that '41s seem to use 2 types of door handles, one has splines, the other, like my car, uses a square fitting for them. So do any of you folks know if this square type was used in other years?

Perhaps the US cars used the splined, and Can. cars used the square type??

In this era there is so little difference between US built Buicks, and Canadian ones that is very difficult to tell one from the other.

Also, do you have any extra door and window handles with the square type of fitting for sale, esp. a vent window handle?

Thanks.

Keith

[Grandpa]

Keith,

The USA built 1941 Buicks have splined handle shafts. The USA handles have a slightly different design than the ones from your Canadian built Buick. The attached picture are the handles from a USA built 1941 Buick Roadmaster.

Grandpa

[Grandpa]

Keith,

The attached picture shows the splined shaft used on USA built 1941 Buicks.

Grandpa

[Grandpa]

Keith,

My prior post picture is shown with the seal plate removed. This plate doesn't seem to be provided on your Canadian built 1941 Buick. Please see the attached picture which shows the plate installed on a USA built Buick.

Grandpa

[Buicknutty]

Thanks, Grandpa. There is no evidence of a seal plate on my car, and that's something I didn't realize the US cars had.

The spline shaft in your photo is what I'm used to seeing on the other post war Buicks I've had.

The other point that I didn't mention, is that the handles on my '41 have a pin that goes through the handle and into the hole in the shaft to retain the handle, rather than the hold on clip the spline fittings have.

Keith

Edited June 19, 2012 by Buicknutty
grammar (see edit history)

[Guest Grant Magrath]

My 39 Chevy was a Canadian made and New Zealand assembled car, but still used the GM USA splined shafts. I believe Chrysler Corp products went with the square shaft and pin.

Cheers

Grant