1937 Buick Trunk T handle

[1937McBuick]

I think I may have been down this road here before but I am going to travel it again,  in hopes of getting to my desired destination.

I am looking for a T handle that properly fits my 37 Buick coupe.  The one I have appears to be too short(the shank) that the handle portion contacts the outer trunk surface without leaving alot of threads to put the nut on in the inside.   Having a shim(or a spring between the handle and mechanism like in one of Pete Philips posts) would make it even worse for having enough threads to put on the retaining nut.

 

Can anyone help?

Matt Hinson provided me with part numbers for the different models but I will have to dig through digital archives to see if I can find it.  So I believe there are different ones for different models.

 

Ultimately I would be looking for a handle that had a shank longer than 1-5/8 inches(like in the pictures I posted) long measured from the bottom of the square block of the T-handle.

 

ps,  do you think this should also be posted in the "general" parts wanted category?

 

 

[AlanS]

I’m fairly new here, but I’ll try and help with some measurements. I’m also looking for a handle for my 1937 model 47 plain back. I’ve been told that the plain back and coupe use the same handle. I took some measurements with the handle out of the trunk lid. The distance from the top edge of the ferrule to the point in the latch where the handle seats is 1.95”. It appears most of the handles are the same past that point and measure approximately 0.5”. I’ve had no luck finding the proper handle. Looking at some older Chevrolet handles it appears they have a longer shaft. The shaft is removable and I have considered trying to see if they will interchange. 

[1937McBuick]

Alan,  a couple I know in Arizona sent me this picture(on white back ground) of the trunk T handle that came off their car.

 

It is the same as mine but mine seems a bit short when mounted on my car.

 

Another thing I learned was my shank isn't properly oriented in the handle...and I can rotate it.  Proper alignment has the locking cogs opposite the T handle...like in the picture from Arizona.

 

The one pictured on the wooden table but without the locking mechanism "seems" to be a longer.

 

Bell's Buick parts in Florida has a couple of handles,  again I believe they are the same as mine.

 

I doubt the handle should contact the ferrule,  the block of the handle is recessed.

 

MATT HINSON,  would you be so kind as to post a picture of the part numbers to this thread?

[AlanS]

I have one that I bought that measures the same as the one you have pictured on the wooden table. I bought it not knowing what I needed as the handle that came on my car was not working and someone brazed about 4" of threaded rod onto it trying to make it work. 

[pont35cpe]

Here is one newly listed on ebay.  item  #224385916588

[1937McBuick]

Pics courtesy of the eBay link provided by pont35cpe

 

Where is the lip on the bottom of the square block?

[1937-44]

19 hours ago, 1937McBuick said:

Where is the lip on the bottom of the square block?

 To be honest it looks like the lip has been ground off the handle in the picture for some reason. Here is a picture of a 1937 Buick trunk handle showing the lip.

 

Carl

[AlanS]

Good morning Carl. What is the measurement on your handle from the base to the end of the shaft? It appears longer than the one I have.

 

Thank you,

Scott

[1937-44]

Hi,

 

 Had a little time to dig up a touring handle for comparison. The shaft on the slant back models is about 1/4 inch longer. Hope these pictures help. From the base, not the lip to the the end of the threads the touring is 1 13/16 inches. From the base not the lip to the end of the threads the slant back handle is 2 inches. Hopefully the last picture shows the frustrating length of the shaft difference.

 

Carl

[1937-44]

I'm posting this here instead of a private response in case anybody else is interested in interchange of rear compartment handles.

 

Carl

[1937McBuick]

Yes 1937-44,  that is perfect to help determine which body style cars used the same handle.

 

You guys are assets to the hobby.

Special shout out to Matt Hinson as well,  resent the info he sent me before,  this time I saved it to the 37 Buick file.

[1937McBuick]

[1937McBuick]

1937 Buick trunk handles at a glance.....

 

Yellow- share the same handle(4074738)(trunk backs, coupes and rumble seat coupe tire compartments)

 

Blue- share the same handle(4074751)(all plain backs and plain back Phaetons)

 

Green- share the same handle(4085393)rumble seat lid(?)

 

Short shanks should cover yellow coded on the list????

Long shanks should cover blue coded on the list?????(by 1937-44's sample)

I have no idea what the green coded rumble seat coupe lid handle would look like.????

 

Please do your own due diligence(DOYDD).

 

Hope this helps Scott.

Edited March 17, 2021 by 1937McBuick (see edit history)

[1937McBuick]

Got to wonder what makes the rumble seat lid handle different from the other two.

 

Ultimately this whole exercise "kind of" reassures me I have the right handle for my car, McLaughlin Buick, but who really knows for sure, lol.

 

The picture of the two handles 1937-44 posted speak volumes.

Wouldn't it be cool to compare the third rare option 

[AlanS]

Definitely helps. Thanks to all for the information. I also looked at an old thread that Matt Hinson posted some photos of the latch mechanism. I'm comparing those now with my latch mechanism to see if something is different. The good handle I purchased a few months back is just like the longer one Carl posted above. When I place the handle in the trunk and it bottoms out against the trunk deck, it still appears too short. The threads are nowhere close to coming through the mechanism. But, I'm glad to  find out that it appears I have the correct handle. Now, to figure out the rest. 

 

Thanks again to everyone for the help. 

 

Scott

[AlanS]

Here is what I have. With the handle installed in the trunk deck and flat against the trunk, which I know is incorrect, the shaft is not long enough to protrude through the latch as shown in picture B. The latch mechanism is the original as far as I know and appears the same as what Matt Hinson posted in a previous thread concerning the trunk handle in 2018. The handle on the bottom in picture A is what came with the car. The one on top appears to have the same dimensions as Carl posted above for the slant back. At this point I am stumped.

[1937McBuick]

Scott,  is your latch mechanism slightly bent away from the interior of the trunk lid?  Is it sitting tight against on the part of the trunk lid that is "stepped"? You could probably take out the shims under the latch mechanism.  All in all it looks like you have a way to go to get those threads through far enough to get a nut on AND have the handle clear the body.

[1937McBuick]

Scott.....  courtesy of McHinson's parts catalog....

 

Truck lid latches at a glance.....

 

4059062(Red) Rumble seat coupes rear lid compartments.

 

4072044(Black) 80&90 series (see foot note)

 

4074736(Blue)  Rumble seat coupes tire compartments.

                           Series 40&60 Coupe trunk lids.

 

4074749(Yellow)  Series 40&60 plain back and trunk back.

                               Series 80&90 (see foot note)

 

I assume there was a model or serial # break in the footnote pertaining to the 80 and 90 series.  *****Remember there was a trunk handle difference between the plain back Phaetons compared to the trunk back Phaetons and other large series trunk back models*****

[1937McBuick]

Folks,   I only focused on the 1937 year for the T-handle and latch assembly.   The latch assemblies sometimes cover other years and models too.   For the sake of "keeping it simple", for me,  I only focused on the year 1937.

 

DYODD.

[1937McBuick]

Well I think I'm done.   

I had the threads extended on my handle,  probably too much but we can remove what we don't need.

The shank was loose(some rotation) in the handle so my "go to" machine shop suggested drilling into both pieces and using a cold roll pin to prevent it from rotating,  they did two sides.

 

So with some shimming where indicated in the picture to prevent the handle from contacting the exterior of the trunk lid and the extra thread to make up for it I should be ok.

 

I would have really liked to try a long shank handle pictured in one of 1937-44's post.  Although I have to take his word the slant(plain) back handles are longer and from the parts book data we know there were a couple of common options....I believe I have the right handle but it didn't fit properly.  But these cars are 84 years old and who knows what kind of mixing and matching occurred either at the factory or in the cars life.  The latch mechanism looked original to the car but whose to say something wasn't done right at the factory.  If I ever come across a decent long shank trunk T handle for the 37 I would likely buy it.....just because.