I have been thinking about having my car stripped to metal and new panels inserted (ie. fenders, doors, qtrs) where needed and repainted. I don't wnat my car to be real crazy looking, but I want it to have some touches to it that people look at and wonder how that was done.

That being said, how hard do you think it would be to put door handles from a 4th gen car on a third gen, so that that they are flush with the door like the newer ones? I don't know if the size is right on the handle, or if it would require some extensive modification of the door. I just think that it would be a neat little touch to seperate the car from others out there. Let me know what you think.

Matt

 

I remember something about a guy grafting different styled door handles on his thirdgen.

They looked like they were out of a car like a Dodge Intrepid. I can't remember exactly. They did look real good though. I wonder what happened with that project.

 

I think that was deadbird that done the flush mount door handles,not for sure.

 

hmmm... Woodlands huh... I thought that bridge looked familar.


~castrol

 

hey thats what I was gonna do. I hate how the 3rd gen door handles stick out from the body. I think atcually doing a 4th gen handle would be very easy. The hard part is just cutting it out and putting it on. (which is atcually quite easy) Making the door handle work would be easy. I'm either gonna put 4th gen handles...or if I find another one thats nicer then I'll put those instead.

 

From my observance (which is questionable at best..), 4th gen outer skins are fiberglass or some sort of plastic (didn't pay that much attn when I was getting the seats) which would make it really difficult to weld to a 3rdgen door panel and I'd (personally) be somewhat leery of glueing the pieces parts together. 4th gen handles are just as boring (my opinion) as the 3rgen handles except they are flush and, the door locks are still surface mounted (GM to cheap to make an intergrated doorhandle for an f-body.. never )

Super you are correct.. it's my car.

Sonar.. due to many things right now (mostly all involving my $$).. my car is on the back burner and might be for awhile. The other reason.. I'm just kind of sick of the car right now.

 

deadbird-

I am not sure what you were talking about...completely. The only thing I am trying to do is take the handle and mount it to my door...having it recessed so it is flush. You are correct about the locks, but they are recessed into the door, so they are basically flush with the door also. I plan on having my locks shaved, so that won't matter.

Are the dimensions of the two handles 3rd vs 4th gen the same? That is one of my main concerns right now. Thanks for the responses so far.

Matt

 

deadbird-

I am not sure what you were talking about...completely. The only thing I am trying to do is take the handle and mount it to my door...having it recessed so it is flush. You are correct about the locks, but they are recessed into the door, so they are basically flush with the door also. I plan on having my locks shaved, so that won't matter.

Are the dimensions of the two handles 3rd vs 4th gen the same? That is one of my main concerns right now. Thanks for the responses so far.

Matt

 

The handles will not just simply swap over is what I was trying to get at (obviously I didn't do that real well tho.. heh).

The fact that the handles are flush on a 4th gen means the doorskin had to be recessed to where you could get you fingers under it to lift (roughly at least an inch recess).
The recess on a 3rdgen car where the handle actually mounts to is somewhere close to ½" (if that) and then some deeper where you reach to lift on the handle.

What I was getting at by the welding/glueing is, unless you have the tools/time/patience (or I guess lots of bondo..) to make your own recess/mounting area to accept a new doorhandle, it's easier to use part of an existing door skin that holds the handle you want to use. somewhat like this..

http://www.deadbird.org/a/k11.jpg

(I cut the handle & doorskin off the door of an Intrepid so I would have the exact mounting hole for the handle instead of trying to make something simlar by hand.. I don't have the tools and... I'm just not that damm good)

Plastic/fiberglassisn't exactly a weldable material though so you would have to cut your door and then make some form of recess to the dimentions of a 4thgen doorhandle opening then weld it in. With making this recess also, you have to relize that part of the door bracing is directly above the OEM handle. I had to cut on mine sime to my handles to go in. Another area to watch is depth. 3rdgen doors, while "bulky" are really quite thin compared to alot of cars and the glass rides closer than you think to the outer skin. The handles I'm using, i had to cut the original lever point that goes to the latch & make an offset metal piece to clear the glass while it's in any position beyond completely up or down.

Dimentions, as far as width, they seem close but height, not really similar. Mount location shape is mowhere simlir though A 3rdgen is somewhat oval shape

http://www.deadbird.org/a/l03.jpg

as to where a 4thgen is basically a recessed square.

No matter what handle you use, there will have to be some form of fab work that you'll need to do to get it to mount to the door properly and/or look right

 

I can't believe I remembered it was off of an intrepid

I own an intrepid, but dang.. how did I remember.. hmm

Anyway Deadbird, something will happen and you will get excited about the project again. Just you wait. I went through the same periods as you. Its just a phase..

Those door handles look great though. Smoothes out the body nicely, and I bet those things don't rattle like the stock bitch 3rd gen ones do

 

I'm atcually thinking about putting the 92-95 Civic door handles. Their the ones that you have to pull forward (toward the front of the car) to open the door. i kinda like how that is.

 

deadbird-

Thanks, that clears everything up now. I just misunderstood what you were saying in your first post.

Those are the details I was looking for. I was not sure what to expect as far as the fabrication goes, but I knew that something would have to be done for them to fit. I appreciate your help.

Matt

 

You might look around to some different cars that have metal door panels... cut them out and weld them in...

John

 

IROCET.. n/p.. I'm rather unclear at times (well.. most of the time) anyways.

Sonar.. apparently you haven't burnt all your greymatter up just yet .

Most of my slump is cashish.. which is depleating rapidly thanks to certain people & the fine folks at the courthouse who feel I shouldn't have any..

Thanks to my bestist best friends at Discover tho.. I did recieve these when I got home a little while ago..