how difficult is it to shave door handles on a 'bird, and how much does it cost for the kit/parts/etc?

 

parts run about $129 for the whole system, prices vary from place to place, im not sure how hard they are to put in, remember when gettin them, be safe andget 50lbs poppers...never want to be underpowered

hope it helps
mike

 

Redraif has the VPA kit on her car (Summit VIA-80158DP, $119); I have the 10 channel kit for my 87 TA (Summit VIA-81160, $149.95; you also need VIA-80358 ($25.99) for the poppers with this kit) but haven't installed it yet. The solenoids in the kits are 15lbs, which is more than adequate...it takes very little pull to work an F-body door latch. The poppers themselves I'm not sure of the rating on, but they don't need to be that strong...just enough to pop the door open so you can get your hand in there. You don't want your door smacking the car beside it!

The installation is pretty straightforward. Instructions for shaving the handles themselves are here:

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...191601&page=15

 

what did you do for a radio antenna and how is raif set up for filling the gas tank? I noticed you removed/smoothed over those items as well

 

Right now there isn't an antenna, though it seems to pick up radio signals just fine. We're planning to add a street rod-type electronic antenna (about $35), which will mount under the dash...we just haven't done it yet.

The gas filler is now in the wheelwell, accessed through the door on the drivers side. We cut off the original neck, brazed it to a piece of flex exhaust tubing, and inserted it through a holesawed hole in the wheelwell. The filler was reconnected with HD gas hose from Napa.

 

i had 30lbs poppers on a 84 blazer and they opened ok, but for a camaro/firebird with those heavy doors id go for 50lbs

 

Shaved door handles just looks wrong. Like someone with no arms...just not quite right. But the filled in antena and gas filler area, those are nice mods, makes the car look smoother.

 

keep in mind that you won't be running your car at the track with shaved door handles, NHRA rules specify that all cars must have exterior door handles...just incase you didn't know that

 

put magnents on the stock ones. stick em on bfore ya run, than peel them off at the burn out pit :lala:

 

None of the cars we're talking about are purpose-built drag cars; we have run Redriaf's at a couple tracks, and no one ever said anything. It just depends on the tech inspector more than anything else. Id do flush door handles on a car that will be raced a lot.

If thirdgens had decent looking (flush) doorhandles, I'd probably leave them on, but they don't. They have the same ugly, cheap door handles as nearly every other GM car in the 80s. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think any car looks much better without all the extra crap like antennas, door handles, gas filler doors, bodyside molding, etc. They obscure the original design too much.