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Floppy outside door handle on 38 60S ruining new paint - Help!

Started by Chris Bryant #19358, August 25, 2016, 03:37:39 PM

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Chris Bryant #19358

Dear members,

I have just painted my 60S and I knew the door handle was loose in the square hole in the latch mechanism. I bought new pins in the hope they would help. During final assembly at the garage, the boys showed me that the paint was being worn away under the handle. On these cars, no ferrule is used so I have find a way to repair the brass square-holed socket in the latch mechanism itself or build up the shaft of the handle and file to suit.

Has anyone any suggestions please?

Thanks,
Chris Bryant #19358

Bobby B

Chris,
Hi. They kinda all sag. You are correct. If I remember correctly, I built mine up with TIG/MIG and filed it down. The square gets elongated from use.
                                                                                                                                                     Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Chris Bryant #19358

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess that is what I will have to do, then. I guess I'll have to wrap the handle or insulate it some how to protect the new chrome and pot metal.

Cheers,

Chris

G Pennington

I am going thru the same thing on my '41.  The fitting in the latch mechanism looks OK but the corners of the flats on the door handle shank are rounded off, causing the slop.  Also, the tapered threaded pin holding the handle to the latch is worn.  I am going to try to fix it JB-welding some brass shim stock to the shank and filing that as required to fit.  (I have a MIG but don't trust myself to weld on it.)  Will post results in a few days.  Does anybody know a source for replacement tapered pins?
Gary Pennington
   1953 6267X Convertible
   1941 6267D Convertible (2 door)

Steve Passmore

Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

Chris Bryant #19358

Hi Gary and Steve,

Thanks for your replies. I too am a bit worried about welding on the shank, but as I have sold my Mig welder, I'll have to trust my esteemed body repair man. I am sure that if I wrap the handle in a water-soaked cloth it will be alright to do a bit of welding on it. I'll take that door latch out to let the cat see the dog so to speak.

Cheers,

Chris

suchan

When my '38 Buick had the same problem, it was suggested that I swap handles from driver to passenger side so that the opposite (relatively unworn) faces of the shank would be doing the work.
Southworth, Washington
CLC #28060
1937 LaSalle 5019 Sedan
Cars that got away:
1930 Ford Model A Roadster and AA Flatbed
(2) 1938 Buick Sedans
1942 Chev Blackout Coupe
1953 Ford F100
1955 Ford Victoria
1956 Sedan DeVille
1962 Peugeot 403
1965 Peugeot 404
1971 Eldorado Convertible

Steve Passmore

Quote from: Chris Bryant #19358 on August 27, 2016, 09:29:29 AM
Hi Gary and Steve,

Thanks for your replies. I too am a bit worried about welding on the shank, but as I have sold my Mig welder, I'll have to trust my esteemed body repair man. I am sure that if I wrap the handle in a water-soaked cloth it will be alright to do a bit of welding on it. I'll take that door latch out to let the cat see the dog so to speak.

Cheers,

Chris

I did mine on a 37 Buick years ago by having the die cast handle submerged in a pot of water when I welded the shank
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

harvey b

do you have the right handles where they were before,on my 37 i installed them wrong,it took me a bit to figure it out,when i put them back on where they were originally,they didnt rub anymore?,You might be able to grind a very small amount from the edge where it is hitting,it is mostly on the outer edge that rubs,they may have a lot of paint on there too,that wont help matters either.On my 37 i had the locking handle on the drivers door,it is supposed to go on the pass side,the rear ones they can be test fitted to see what one fits best?.  Good Luck  Harvey
Harvey Bowness

Bobby B

Quote from: Steve Passmore on August 27, 2016, 10:11:46 AM
I did mine on a 37 Buick years ago by having the die cast handle submerged in a pot of water when I welded the shank

Good Trick.... The TIG runs a lot cooler. Doesn't usually affect the chrome.
                                                                 Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

harry s

I had a that problem on the rear passenger side door handle on my '37. I measured the distance to correct then heated the stem and twisted it to correct the droop. I used a welder's fence solution which is a putty like material to isolate the heat from the chrome area. This solution was suggested by one of the old time keep em running guys. It worked fine but would probably not hold up if that door was used much.    Harry
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

Steve Passmore

The big problem with welding is not so much the chrome but the die-cast. The heat even from a Mig will start to soften the die cast where its cast onto the steel shaft. I have seen them become really loose there. Don't ask me how I know ::)
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

G Pennington

Has anybody tried brazing?  Less heat than welding, and seems to me that a small propane tourch would be more precise.  And probably easier to file and shape the braze material.  Just an idea.
Gary Pennington
   1953 6267X Convertible
   1941 6267D Convertible (2 door)

Chris Bryant #19358

Dear responders,

Thanks for your suggestions. The problem with swapping handles is that the 60S handles don't have locks in them. The locks are below the handles on the doors, making all handles indistinguishable. I like Steve's idea of using the pot of water. This is something I will have to do during the winter when I get the car back in my own shop. I have a spare pitted handle I could use to practice on first.

Cheers,

Chris

Steve Passmore

Quote from: G Pennington on August 28, 2016, 03:50:39 AM
Has anybody tried brazing?  Less heat than welding, and seems to me that a small propane tourch would be more precise.  And probably easier to file and shape the braze material.  Just an idea.

Easier to file maybe but not cooler than a Mig welder. Mig gives instant white heat then off till you pull that trigger again. Braze has to get at least cherry red which takes half a minute or so. By then its too late for the die-cast.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe