L-body door handel replacement: where to buy?

[Clay]

1) are they still available at the dealer?

2) are the ones you can get at the auto parts store (Dorman/Help) any good? OR stick with factory ones?

thanks,
clay

[minigts]

Dorman, sold at some Autozones and most Napas. I'm going keyless remote entry so when I'm done you can have my handles.

[TheCanadian007]

I just pulled a bunch from the local scrap yard; cheap and easy and at 2 bucks a pop, worth every penny!

Regards, TheCanadian

[Clay]

yeah, but (there is always a but!)

these are going on my nice GLHT. Ive got a few pull offs in the garage now, and none of them would look right on this car. Way to pitted. (yes, Im being picky).

[shelbydave]

Dorman, sold at some Autozones and most Napas. I'm going keyless remote entry so when I'm done you can have my handles.

I think I've got mine hanging around since I shaved my handles...

[minigts]

I think I've got mine hanging around since I shaved my handles...

Pics please. Also, what did you do for releasing the lock mechanism? I know once I get there it will be more obvious, but just curious how you did yours. I personally thought about doing something like a button or something that requires little motion, as to reduce the possibility of something breaking the way ours do.

[Clay]

hell, just do what Ive done on other cars/trucks. Electric solenoids. Nice and easy. You can go easy with just a push button to activate it, OR high tech with a remote control.

[shelbydave]

Pics please. Also, what did you do for releasing the lock mechanism? I know once I get there it will be more obvious, but just curious how you did yours. I personally thought about doing something like a button or something that requires little motion, as to reduce the possibility of something breaking the way ours do.

I used solenoids. It was the pop door kit from A1 Electric. I really like it. It uses a remote keyfob to open the doors, and the locks are disabled. The unit I got had 12 outputs, so I modified the relays to use the 3rd one to pop my hatch remotely. (The 3rd relay is a "safety" relay which will not allow you to use the solenoids when the key is on... Well, If I'm picking someone up, I'm not reaching over to open the door if I can do it automatically).
My daughter has the camera right now, but I'll post up some pics. I still have the panels off so I'll get pics of the solenoids installed too.

[contraption22]

yeah, but (there is always a but!)

these are going on my nice GLHT. Ive got a few pull offs in the garage now, and none of them would look right on this car. Way to pitted. (yes, Im being picky).

Sand blast em and paint em black.

[bgbmxer]

I think I've got mine hanging around since I shaved my handles...

i was gonna shave my handles but i think if i plan on racing the car i will need them on for saftey reasons. i will be shaving the antenna, rear side marker lights and the third taillight though. the anteena is a hidden antenna under the dash

[glhs727]

well, if you don't want used, we sell new ones for $19 each.
later,
Cindy

[85shelbycharger]

I got new ones from Mopar about a year ago...

[Clay]

well, as of Saturday Im down to 2 good working door handles. Amazingly enough they are both MOPAR factory handles...........

[minigts]

lol Spoken like a true turbo Mopar owner. So what, do you get in through the back seat? ROFL

[Clay]

well, weekend before last the drivers door handle broke, so I took the door handle off the passenger rear door, and put it on the drivers door. Drivers door now opens GREAT!

Saturday the drivers rear door handle broke. It always was a very hard pull, so I knew it was just a matter of time.

So I drive a 4 door omni.......... 2 door handles in front, no door handles in the rear. If it wasnt for the freakin strobe stripes on the side I would just shave the rear handles and be done with it.

[minigts]

I have found if you take the mechanism out and clean it thoroughly and reapply some grease or some lubricant, it will allow the handles to open easier and reduce the tension needed to open the doors. I soaked mine in some thinner and then cleaned them with some brake parts cleaner. After that, applied some grease and sprayed some effectively, dilithium grease, to the parts that pivot. I still plan to do something remote entry, but this is my solution for the time being.

[shelbydave]

I have found if you take the mechanism out and clean it thoroughly and reapply some grease or some lubricant, it will allow the handles to open easier and reduce the tension needed to open the doors. I soaked mine in some thinner and then cleaned them with some brake parts cleaner. After that, applied some grease and sprayed some effectively, dilithium grease, to the parts that pivot. I still plan to do something remote entry, but this is my solution for the time being.

That's good to do even with the remote entry. With 45lb soleoids, they were straining to open the doors at first. I took the latches off, cleaned them up, and re lubed them and it's pretty slick now.

[Clay]

you can also adjust a few things on the mechanism to make it open easier. I dont remember the procedure as its been a while, but there is an allen screw or two you can adjust to help out.

[minigts]

you can also adjust a few things on the mechanism to make it open easier. I dont remember the procedure as its been a while, but there is an allen screw or two you can adjust to help out.

I THINK I did that as well, but definitely clean those jokers out. The grease is mandatory, but 20+ years of stuff floating around in the air tends to make the grease more like mud.

[t3rse]

bend the rods...I have parts store replacements and they work fine