New ext door handles

[2carb40]

Rainy day project. Installing new ferrules and handles in the doors of my 39 Spec cpe. Always need a little tweaking needed no matter how much new stuff involved! The ferrules wouldnt fit over the round shank of the install tool so I setup 1/2 of my flaring tool in my vise and tapped carefully on the ferrule till it widened at the end that was formed slightly to small. Easy-peezy after that. Both done and rid of the shiny but riddled with small pits handles that came on the car.

Edited August 14, 2020 by 2carb40 (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

Hi 2carb40

When replacing them, is there any way to adjust the position so they line up with the door mouldings. Both mine have dropped and look shocking.

 

A 40 Pontiac I had was fixed by twisting the handle shaft in a vice till it was correct (according to the manual) but this method seems a bit agricultural for a Buick.

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[Guest]

Sometimes changing them from side to side will bring them back to level.

[Pete Phillips]

"...seems a bit agricultural for a Buick."

 

I like that !😁

[neil morse]

On my '41, the "drooping handles" problem seemed to be strictly a result of wear to the brass fixture in the latch mechanism that the handle shaft fits into.  I've circled the culprit in this photo:

 

 

Why this piece is made out of brass instead of some harder metal is unclear to me.  But the result is that the hole gets slightly enlarged over time where the keyed end of the shaft fits inside, allowing enough play in the shaft so the handle ends up hanging down slightly.  This is the case with all four door handles on my car.  Short of replacing the brass piece with a new one (probably nearly impossible to find), I don't know how it could be fixed.  And the new one would eventually wear the same way.

[MCHinson]

The spring can also weaken causing handle droop. It is possible to clean up, lubricate, and possibly to bend the spring to return the handle to a horizontal position. Personally, I found it easier to just buy a replacement door latch mechanism from Dave Tacheny and swap it out. 

[1937McBuick]

17 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Hi 2carb40

When replacing them, is there any way to adjust the position so they line up with the door mouldings. Both mine have dropped and look shocking.

 

A 40 Pontiac I had was fixed by twisting the handle shaft in a vice till it was correct (according to the manual) but this method seems a bit agricultural for a Buick.

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

Yup,  made me laugh.   Even more ironic is I grain farm for a living.  Mark my words,  baler twine and pliers, or brute force, doesn't fix much on today's complex equipment.   You will have to find a new euphemism to describe back woods fixes.   

 

Sorry I don't have a solution to your problem but the comment was worth the chuckle.

Edited August 18, 2020 by 1937McBuick (see edit history)

[2carb40]

These are two different cars that, coincidentilly(spg?) Already have taken 'last drives', so, latch parts, as others, available! Good luck with ur repairs!

16 hours ago, neil morse said:

On my '41, the "drooping handles" problem seemed to be strictly a result of wear to the brass fixture in the latch mechanism that the handle shaft fits into.  I've circled the culprit in this photo:

 

 

Why this piece is made out of brass instead of some harder metal is unclear to me.  But the result is that the hole gets slightly enlarged over time where the keyed end of the shaft fits inside, allowing enough play in the shaft so the handle ends up hanging down slightly.  This is the case with all four door handles on my car.  Short of replacing the brass piece with a new one (probably nearly impossible to find), I don't know how it could be fixed.  And the new one would eventually wear the same way.

There is a lot more "modularity" in these parts in cars built within one year up or down than folks realise! Most crs wear out the drivers side first, unless it was a taxi. That being said, after recently using disassembly of parts cars as my teacher,as opposed to part #s from my books, I discovered some fordor rear latche parts are identical to fronts. Read way less wear typically,(not universally!) These parts need to be inspected carefully to make sure they are not just as worn out as parts your trying to repair, but, playin the odds, they probably are not. I like to have things used freqently, like anything in the drivers environment work as designed,(aggravation reducer!) My magic wand has dead batteries, so I cant loan it out at the moment, but I might could find latch parts to supply if you decide to take the inside door panel off and remove latch to repair. See photo of 'pretty' MN parts car currently coming apart! Lemme know if Dave T. Doesnt have what ya need! He usually does. Oh yeah, just a reminder, Im old, but I am slow!

Edited August 18, 2020 by 2carb40 (see edit history)

[neil morse]

1 hour ago, 2carb40 said:

My magic wand has dead batteries, so I cant loan it out at the moment

 

😄🤪 Great line!

[kingrudy]

On 8/17/2020 at 5:14 PM, neil morse said:

On my '41, the "drooping handles" problem seemed to be strictly a result of wear to the brass fixture in the latch mechanism that the handle shaft fits into.  I've circled the culprit in this photo:

 

 

Why this piece is made out of brass instead of some harder metal is unclear to me.  But the result is that the hole gets slightly enlarged over time where the keyed end of the shaft fits inside, allowing enough play in the shaft so the handle ends up hanging down slightly.  This is the case with all four door handles on my car.  Short of replacing the brass piece with a new one (probably nearly impossible to find), I don't know how it could be fixed.  And the new one would eventually wear the same way.

Neil, 

I found out the hard way that this part is extremely hard to find and it is pressed in place, making replacement a real challenge. Wrecking yard used a torch to remove the door handle which distorted this brass part and turned the whole part to junk.

 

Mike 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by kingrudy
signature (see edit history)

[2carb40]

Mikes struggles with these parts caused me to research interchange when parting the 1st rust beyond repair 40 Super I parted this summer! I have found(even tho the Buick factory parts books give different part #s), that the regulators are exact interchanges, diagonally, if you will, in other words, the right rear and left front, identical, right down to raised #s cast into the body of the part! Why is not listed that way(part#wise), remains a mystery! 1940 & 1941 latches differ slighty, in that 40 has a remote lock lever operated by a chrome lever on the door panel whereas 41 has the stem which sticks up thru the garnish trim. Individual Parts on the latch mechanism werent all changed, so some can be used to repair, but are not listed by number in Buick parts books, as, I beleive that part was outsourced whole and installed, except coil springs? I suppose Buick chose to stock complete replacement latches if needed, understandable as I certainly wouldnt disassemble these and the sell parts for $2.oo each, Its not much of a life, but I have one anyway! Nice that folks are posting photos of these latches to show whats possible to repair parts wise!