What is it ?????

[thehandleman]

I know its GM any idea's ??  it has the T-29799 Part #

Any help appreciated

Regards

Rich

[auburnseeker]

You might post a front shot as well.  How did you come up with it being GM? That small a number would put it back in the 1920's I think or earlier.  I think Studebaker used similar numbers in the 30's-40's. GM usually used six digits and I don't recall ever seeing a letter as a prefix to any of them.  All be it this may be a casting number. Just doesn't look like anything GM (regarding the numbers) I've seen in the years I spent Identifying NOS parts by numbers. 

[thehandleman]

Well since my years of selling over 45k handles all the oem GM handles have a T- in front of the numbers either on the GM shank round part or the back underside mainly from 1934-1950 give or take a few years either way on there exterior and trunk handles thats how I come by its for GM. Your right it may be T for Ternsteadt who made most of the door handles for GM or just a casting number ? Just my opine but I do not know what it is

cheers

[Gunsmoke]

The tapered (dovetailed) slot suggests a part missing (like a red plastic fin/wing), and the 2 attachment holes on either side of the notch suggests it may have crossed some other piece of trim, beltline, or such, or this was a finger pull of some sort (like a hood/trunk release) . Having said this, I don't have a clue, whether it is for inside or outside, or even for a car? Is the concentric circle casting logo known?

[auburnseeker]

I hadn't dealt much with door handles where I needed to ID them by a casting number.  Most of my stuff was NOS and usually any uncommon handles were all gone by the time i got the batch. I was referencing the rest of the parts I dealt with.  Don't recall seeing it on other GM parts from the 1930's up.  Not to say door handles didn't have them as mentioned.  I just never had many of them.  I also know that it seems like every lot I bought,  regardless of what make,  always had a few renegade parts in it for one reason or another.  Cleaned out a well picked over Mopar dealership started in the 30's.  In there was a pair of near mint 32 Essex Coupe rear bumper bracket covers.  How they ended up there,  who knows,  but I spent alot of time looking up Mopar parts before I figured out they weren't Mopar. 

[thehandleman]

See. The circle before but have no clue to what, and as for all my oem handles like I said that have the gm key code 4 digit has the T-##### on them so I am pretty sure this was made for GM maybe it was assy I can take pictures of hundreds of gm trunk handles and exterior handles with the T-##### but either way, Thanks for both chiming in maybe someone comes along and has a answer or it goes in the grab pile at Hershey 😂 

[drwatson]

Here's confirmation for the GM - Ternsteadt logo visible on reverse side of the mystery handle.

 

[thehandleman]

Thanks for confirming what I thought it was made by Ternsteadt.  Dr Watson now do you have a book that tells what it is by the Ternsteadt number then you will truly be the Master of your name.

Good Job Doc!

[Gunsmoke]

The "dovetailed" slot suggests to me that this piece was fixed firmly to a door/hood or such and is part of a 2 piece latch/release handle, with the missing piece fastened to a latching mechanism and protruding thru this first piece and able to be pulled on to release the door/hood etc. Whatever went thru the tapered slot was obviously not fastened to this piece, so this piece appears to be largely decorative to cover the larger mechanism slot. Maybe even on an appliance, such as a fridge/freezer. The mystery remains.

[thehandleman]

Ternsteadt only did Automotive parts and assy’s, Interesting thoughts  thanks Gunsmoke. 

[Gunsmoke]

Maybe mounted vertically on side of car (notch fit over a belt line or trim), and the slot was for one of those flip out turn signal things, so popular in Britain. grasping at straws here. 

[thehandleman]

cheers

[95Cardinal]

I would guess it is part of a Frigidaire refrigerator handle mechanism from the late 1930's to late 1940s.

Both Ternstedt (no "A" in Ternstedt) and Frigidaire were divisions of GM.

 

 

 

 

[drwatson]

Haven't nailed it!  but it's worth mentioning an old forum discussion about a '34 Buick Hood Ornament referred to Ternstedt p/n T-29726, surely "in the ballpark" for op mystery latch with Ternstedt p/n T-29799. 

Making the search difficult:  1. GM documented their own (different) p/n's for Ternstedt made items.

                                                2. Documentation or cross reference info for Ternstedt products appears to be non-existent.