Door Hinge Pins From 1937 LaSalle & Fixing Drooping Door Handle

[carlhungness]

      Anything I need to know about removing the door hinge pins from my '37 LaSalle? The hinge pins themselves seem to be in surprisingly good condition as there is no up and down play. I need to remove the doors for painting.
      My passenger side door handle sits at a beautiful 90 degree angle while the driver's side handle is drooping badly and seeking advice on restoration. I haven't ever taken apart a door handle and know there is a four sided shaft. Am wondering if the shaft or its attendant mating part wears.
     

[Steve Passmore]

Yes, handle parts do wear. I have welded up and re-shaped many.  Door pins are hard because you have to drive them out upwards. Protect your bodywork with some this wood sheet and really beat on them. You might be lucky

[carlhungness]

The doors swing easily and the pins sure do not appear to be worn which is very surprising to me. I'll start the punch work and hope for the best.
Thanks,
Carl H

[z3skybolt]

Carl,

The exterior door handle on my 40 LaSalle also drooped badly.  The problem was a small coiled spring within the mechanism that returns the handle to level.  I purchased new springs from "Chevys of the 40s" or something like that which did not fit.

Bob Hoffman sold me a box of various door springs for cars of the 30s 40s and 50s.  There were maybe 100 springs in the box.  One fit my LaSalle and solved the problem. If that is your issue and you cannot find a proper spring elsewhere...let me know. I believe that I have one extra.

Bob

[carlhungness]

Thanks so much, I'll get it apart and look at the shaft and springs.