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View Poll Results: Do you prefer black or chrome exterior door handles?
chrome
4
11.11%
black
32
88.89%
Voters: 36. You may not vote on this poll

door handles: chrome or black

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Old Feb 11, 2004 | 11:33 PM
  #1  
my84firebird's Avatar
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From: florida
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: modded 5.0
Transmission: modded 700r4
door handles: chrome or black

Well my 84 came factory with chrome door handles which seems to be a rarity but I don't really like them. I'm thinking of putting on black ones for more of an updated "formula" look. What do you guys think?
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Old Feb 11, 2004 | 11:40 PM
  #2  
Kandied91z's Avatar
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never seen or heard of chrome handles from the factory...i personally like black though. i've been toying with the idea of body color on my own just to see what it would look like but black is my bet.
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Old Feb 11, 2004 | 11:46 PM
  #3  
my84firebird's Avatar
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From: florida
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: modded 5.0
Transmission: modded 700r4
Kandied- I've always liked the body color idea, you can always try it and if you don't like it, door handles are cheap......

For those who haven't seen chrome door handles heres a pic of mine:
Attached Thumbnails door handles: chrome or black-doorh.jpg  
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 05:14 AM
  #4  
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From: In a mint Third Gen!
Car: Red 87 IROC-Z28 T-Top
Engine: 5.7 Tuned Port Injection
Transmission: 700R4 Auto
Axle/Gears: BW 9-Bolt 3.27
Black is the ultimate when it comes to trim or offsetting any color. Keep them black like they were stock IMO.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 08:37 AM
  #5  
GarageToys's Avatar
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From: Naperville, IL
Car: 89 Iroc Hardtop
Engine: LB9 w/G92 Pkg
Transmission: T5 5-Speed
Axle/Gears: 9-Bolt, 3.45
Originally posted by IROCZTWENTYGR8
...Keep them black like they were stock IMO.

Ummm, but his came stock with chrome...


My '83 came with chrome handles as well. I think it makes the car look newer to swap them to black. You can get a set of brand new black handles really cheap on eBay.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 09:59 AM
  #6  
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My 84 Firebird had chrome ones as well, i replced them with black ones.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 10:12 AM
  #7  
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From: Dixon, IL
Car: RS
Engine: 305
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.42
I'm a fan of the black myself, but I don't have on with the crome ones
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 12:34 PM
  #8  
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From: New York
Car: Trans am
keep the chrome , its def something different. i bet gm was trying to get ride of all the extra chrome door handles from the second gens, my dads 77 ta has chrome and it looks good, black would look out of place.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 12:44 PM
  #9  
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From: North East GA
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Humm I would say black, Don't do body color, I have seen several and it just don't look right IMO. I painted mine black with dupli color 4 years ago and they still are good, I also painted the t-top edges and the ring around the hatch glass, its still all in real good shape, I didn't expect the spray paint to last that long..
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 12:53 PM
  #10  
tyty49's Avatar
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From: Willmar, MN
Car: 91 Maro & 97 Ram & 05 Roadstar
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 2.73
'd go with black or a nice shave would be nice???
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 01:15 PM
  #11  
Stevo's Avatar
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From: Northern, VA
Car: Pair of 92 Z28s
Originally posted by IROCZTWENTYGR8
Black is the ultimate when it comes to trim or offsetting any color. Keep them black like they were stock IMO.
agreed cept on most muscle cars they were chrome, which looked good
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 06:46 PM
  #12  
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From: surrey b.c. canada
Car: 89 Iroc
Engine: lb9
Transmission: wc t-5
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.08 posi
go with black
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 06:50 PM
  #13  
IROCZTWENTYGR8's Avatar
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From: In a mint Third Gen!
Car: Red 87 IROC-Z28 T-Top
Engine: 5.7 Tuned Port Injection
Transmission: 700R4 Auto
Axle/Gears: BW 9-Bolt 3.27
Originally posted by Firebird 383
Ummm, but his came stock with chrome...


My '83 came with chrome handles as well. I think it makes the car look newer to swap them to black. You can get a set of brand new black handles really cheap on eBay.
Yes, I meant to say like most were stock, should have been more clear. (since 90% or more were black) The chrome might have been rare, but the black just looks better.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 08:14 PM
  #14  
scott's85T/A's Avatar
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From: Gray Tenn.
Are you'r door locks chrome too, I would vote black but be sure the locks match the handles. Paint them if you must. O.K.
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 08:35 PM
  #15  
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Black....

Falls right in there with things that shouldn't be chrome like fender stripes or whatever they are called.....
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Old Feb 12, 2004 | 08:48 PM
  #16  
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you might get sued, if some one burns there hand
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Old Feb 13, 2004 | 11:47 AM
  #17  
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Body color if you have a color thats dark but if not, than go with Black
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Old Feb 13, 2004 | 02:34 PM
  #18  
my84firebird's Avatar
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From: florida
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: modded 5.0
Transmission: modded 700r4
Originally posted by NEEDforSPEED
you might get sued, if some one burns there hand


well thanks for the replies guys, I'm definitely getting black ones.
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Old Feb 13, 2004 | 06:22 PM
  #19  
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From: United States
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Personally, were I to change the doorhandles, it would be nice to obtain some steel ones painted to match the car.

But I imagine that would be quite a bit of trouble.
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Old Aug 1, 2005 | 03:02 AM
  #20  
HisDivineShadow's Avatar
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From: Finland
Car: 1991 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI (L98)
Transmission: TH-700r4
Hmm, I was thinking of making my locks(not the handles) chromed, the black paint is in really bad shape, heck my whole cars exterior needs a good touchup and I am thinking I should send it to a professional.
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Old Aug 1, 2005 | 08:17 AM
  #21  
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From: Readsboro, VT
Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
Has anybody actually seen a brand new thirdgen with chrome door handles, or are we all just assuming that they were stock? I'm more inclined to believe that the couple out there with chrome handles had them swapped in by previous owners. I find it odd that some of these older cars, which didn't even have chrome window trim, would have chrome door handles. Anybody have an RPO code?

I'm not trying to start a fight or anything, but I'm genuinely curious as to whether this was indeed a factory option or not.
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 03:54 PM
  #22  
speedmachine's Avatar
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From: Toronto,Ontario
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 346 LS6
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Hybrid 8.8 3.73
Hi

Chrome handles dont balance the car, it just doesnt work. You got to paint the handle and the key lock black.

Speedmachine
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 06:32 PM
  #23  
Rabbitt's Avatar
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From: Boscobel, Wisconsin
Car: 1987 Iroc-Z
Engine: 355
Transmission: 700r4 w/ about 7500 miles on rebuild
can you get 4th gen handles in chrome? i wonder how it would look on a black car...
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Old Aug 14, 2005 | 08:27 PM
  #24  
ejm's Avatar
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From: Wayne, Nj
Car: 83 Black T- top Firebird
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 5 speed
My 83 Firebird that my Dad bought brand new had chrome handles stock. They became pitted though so I replaced them with cheap black ones.

By the way it was a v-6 if that helps you find the option and I couldn't find the RPO codes to tell you.

Last edited by ejm; Aug 14, 2005 at 08:30 PM.
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