Should I shave my door handles? Lets see some 67-72 trucks with shaved door handles

[BigMike]

Okay guys, need some advice. I really like the styling of our trucks door handles. But, I wanted to do something else to the truck to make it different. I like the looks of a nice cleanly shaved truck, looks simple. I know all of the issues with electrical gremlins and have always worked in back up opening plans in case of a dead battery or dead solenoid.

I have done dozens of shaved doors with keyless remote opening, LOVE to trip people out popping the door open. I built a tricked out PT Cruiser for my buddy, made it into a 4 door panel and shaved off all the chrome & handles. When I borrow it I love popping the doors open when at stores, I always get awesome comments.

What do you guys think, shave or no?

Before:


All Steel:


After:

[screaminchevypickup]

Just depends on your taste.. I personally like the handles. Here's one I'm doing for a customer that everything is shaved!
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[turp mcspray]

I vote no to shaving the handles!

[dmw319]

sorry but i think that looks ridiculous. just my opinion though

[garykirby25]

Originally Posted by dmw319

sorry but i think that looks ridiculous. just my opinion though

Wow a simple no would do, its hard to say that the blue and yellow truck look Ridiculous. It's your truck, do what makes you happy!

[dmw319]

Originally Posted by garykirby25

Wow a simple no would do, its hard to say that the blue and yellow truck look Ridiculous. It's your truck, do what makes you happy!

I was more referring to the PT Cruiser. yuck!

[Andy4639]

I love the clean look but for a truck u drive on a regular basis I wouldn't do it. Just to much to go wrong with them and be locked out of your own truck unless you add the fail safes. My 2 cents worth anyway.

[garykirby25]

Originally Posted by dmw319

sorry but i think that looks ridiculous. just my opinion though

Wow a simple no would do, its hard to say that the blue and yellow truck look Ridiculous. It's your truck, do what makes you happy!

[74baggedbug]

Bought the truck already shaved and painted...
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[bbadfred]

No problems so far with the remotes,plus I have a couple of fail safes. Direct wired button and electric window toggle switch also.

[ffk]

im going to shave my doors..can u post a pic of location of door popper..

[LONGHAIR]

When I first saw the pic under the text, I thought maybe you were going to put the PT Cruiser handles on the truck.
Shaving door handles is strictly an opinion thing. I have done it to dozens of vehicles, some it suits better than others. In general I like it.
In all of the ones I have done there have been very few problems. One actuator burned up in the trunk of a 67 Impala an a guy with an Astro van locked his keys inside. He shut the door with the engine running! That by-passed the spare remote from working. He had also gone against the recommendation to add the fail-safe switch, thinking it not secure enough. Needless to say, when he had it towed to the shop, I installed one....after breaking into it

BTW, I like the PT Panel, what did you use to replace the glass? Pics of the inside of the doors?

[hatred]

I bought my truck with the handles shaved and dont like em. Will probably buy new doors or trade mine plus cash (from me) for better ones.
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[bbadfred]

Originally Posted by ffk

im going to shave my doors..can u post a pic of location of door popper..

No poppers on mine the doors pop open enough to clear the latch.

[bugmasta]

Do not shave. Had a custom car with shaved handles and it was a pain in the ass. For a driver, I would rather have the reliability of a handle. Just wait till you have a dead battery and let me know how that works out for ya.
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[Hubscrub]

Negative, but its yours
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[bbadfred]

Originally Posted by bugmasta

Do not shave. Had a custom car with shaved handles and it was a pain in the ass. For a driver, I would rather have the reliability of a handle. Just wait till you have a dead battery and let me know how that works out for ya.
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I thought if the dead battery thing before I did mine! but if you have a dead battery you have to get jumped anyway or have a service call ( I have road service for 75 bucks a year for all my vehicles including cars, motorhome and motorcycles) so that solves the dead batttery problem?

[STPrider]

That was my reasoning too! Now if you had a car/truck that needed to be open before you can open the hood, it's a completely different story.

Originally Posted by bbadfred

I thought if the dead battery thing before I did mine! but if you have a dead battery you have to get jumped anyway or have a service call ( I have road service for 75 bucks a year for all my vehicles including cars, motorhome and motorcycles) so that solves the dead batttery problem?

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by STPrider

spend some time thinking of a good place to put the emergency button, where it's not visible even if you know where to look.

Originally Posted by STPrider

That was my reasoning too! Now if you had a car/truck that needed to be open before you can open the hood, it's a completely different story.

There are solutions to both problems.

Make the emergency button a "keyed stitch". In all of the kits that I have done, the emergency button was just supplying a ground to the system to open the door. This is easy with a simple key type switch from an auto parts store.

The "hood opening" situation is easily solved with-out by-passing the interior release. You just need a "remote" hot terminal running from the battery to the inner fenderwell or the splash panel in front of it. You can get "bulkhead" type fittings to do this from Jeg's or Summit. Then you can jump the battery with-out raising the hood.

[STPrider]

I have shaved handles on my truck, and it is my daily driver. I would definitely recommend getting a good kit, or bear claw latches. The PO shaved the handles, and the truck was unfinished when I got it. I have had some problems with cables snapping, etc and right now I'm running light chain, and it's holding up well so far. Haven't had a disaster yet! Also, spend some time thinking of a good place to put the emergency button, where it's not visible even if you know where to look. I love my shaved doors and they do draw a bunch of attention, but I probably would not install them on a daily driver.

[BigMike]

Thanks for all the comments...well, except I could have done without the one from dmw319, but we all have the rights to our opinions. The PT is not my cup of tea either, but a friend wanted something different so I built him something different.

I think I've decided to keep the handles. I have owned several daily drivers that I shaved the handles on. The first couple I had issues with only because I did it on the cheap in the early 80's before all of the cool technology. The PT (sorry to dmw319 for having to mention the dreaded Chrysler product again) had all the cool goodies that I put in for him. I built a little control box that housed the brain and all of the relays and fuses that slid under the pass seat. All HD solenoids and poppers and it has worked for the last 3 or 4 years without a problem. I used a hood latch cable and ran it up under the front bumper to the door latch for an emergency/no power back up. You literally cannot see it and would only know it was there only after I pointed it out.

So anyways, thanks again for your input, except dmw319...lol. I have always liked the styling of the C10 door handles, simple and clean. I just liked the idea of tripping out people at stores, it always starts a conversation. But I guess once I get it painted, if I ever can, that will be good enough for me.

[71STPSDE]

If you want the clean look and don't want to shave it. I think this is your best option, although expensive, is these. There are done by Kindig It Design in SLC, UT.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by 71STPSDE

If you want the clean look and don't want to shave it. I think this is your best option, although expensive, is these. There are done by Kindig It Design in SLC, UT.

Attachment 1111405

They build some amazing stuff, thanks for sharing!

[big_al_71]

Not my taste with shaved door handles. however my brother and my best bud both had their handles shaved in their respective rides..they look ok on THEIR vehicles..

[Square_78]

I used to have shaved handles on my old truck. It was cool at first but then became a giant pain in the ass. The first time you get locked out or have a dead battery and can't get in you will never want shaved handles again. I agree with STPrider that on a full custom truck sure why not, but on a daily driver I wouldn't do it. These days when I see one of our classic trucks with shaved handles, it looks like something is missing.
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