1940 Lasalle woodie restoration pictures

[46 woodie]

Shootey, I don't know what your time frame is, but walking around HERSHEY I see some vendors with hundreds of door handles laid out. You might get lucky, can you post a picture of what you need?

[Shootey]

I’m away from the car just now but I’ll photograph it when I get home in the next few days. Thanks for your thought. I’d love to go to Hersey myself but it’s a trek from the west coast. 

[46 woodie]

Didn't realize you were on the west coast, 56 years and counting fro HERSHEY for me.

[Shootey]

Here are some photos of door handles and gate handles. I can send more with tape measure alongside. 

[blind pew]

A. They aren't that bad as is. I personally sometimes wonder why everyone strives to have all peices perfect on a very old car. There is nothing wrong with a little "patina". If those were mine, I'd leave them. Essentially ALL of the handles I have ever had for woodies have been so trashed that they needed replacement or rechroming. That is the case with the international I'm doing now- everything that WAS chromed or stainless was trashed. 

 

B. If you don't like them, just get them re-chromed. The only downside of chroming is:

a. the time it seems to take

b. finding a US chromer that hasn't had the EPA close them

c. someone who doesn't outsource the pieces and uses some cheap, crappy mexican chroming (for God's sake- use a US chromer. MANY of those in CA are sent to Mexico and do a crappy job). 

 

I found some dudes in Elizabethton, TN (about 15 miles from where I used to live) who did a great job and were not out of control for time or price. High quality stuff that will last (and has done so). 

 

C. Get some new repro handles that are not identical to these, but CLOSE. From the photos, the car has been re-finished at least once, so it's technically not "original" anyway. "Original" to me means original paint, all original parts (except mechanical/engine parts that need replacing every 20,000-50,000 miles with usual use and wear). Rarely, if ever, do I run across an "original" car- they are ALL MODIFIED in one way or another. 

 

It all depends what kind of car you want. Some want every nut, bolt and screw to be like the original car. I've had (and currently have one) completely bone stock woodies. I prefer modified/restomods, as sometimes ORIGINAL SUCKED. There are, of course, completely stock cars that are beautiful and still functional. 

 

Do the car as YOU prefer, whether stock or modified. 

Edited April 24 by blind pew (see edit history)