Interior Door Handle Orientation

[ol Curt]

Well, if they were at the 7:00 position you would be pushing down to open and pull up to lock...correct?

Damn, why do I get caught up in trying to solve these little items. I think seeing one recently in a dvd of Bridges of Madison County got me started thinking this way!

[aerotruk63]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

Well, if they were at the 7:00 position you would be pushing down to open and pull up to lock...correct?

Damn, why do I get caught up in trying to solve these little items. I think seeing one recently in a dvd of Bridges of Madison County got me started thinking this way!

Then what time of day would it be in the locked position and at what time of day would the door latch release? Never thought there'd be a test did you.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by oem4me

Both my 65 Suburban and 66 C-10 have the handles horizontal/forward. These two trucks are about as un-messed with as you are going to find, so I think they came this way.

from memory, i think all my dad's 64-66 trucks were the same as yours...my '66 has them the same way, however i had to switch the driver's door handle because it was facing horizontal/rearward...like someone else mentioned, i guess you just put them however fits your needs/likes the best....on a funny note, my wife always gets confused opening the doors

[64fleetside]

I wonder if it was a factory difference-all the 64-66 pickups I've messed with have had them @2:00 position(one was my 78K survivor), my burb had them horizontal. Pickups all from St Louis plant, burb from Fremont.

[losthope]

Originally Posted by markeb01

The door handle is pulled to the rear to open and forward to lock.

So markeb01 your saying yours is like this:

Originally Posted by losthope

On my 65 and 66 they were/are both in the horizontal position and pull up to open and push down to lock.
.

And mine is like this:



If so that would make sense ,and yes the mechanical device's to lock and open are diffrent, and why on 60-63 the door handle face's down and on 64-66 it face's forward, if on my 66 i had it like your 60-63 it would be akward to open and lock the door and most likely akward for you if you had it the 64-66 way! This might be another diffrence between the years if you confirm the way you open and lock yours?

[darkhorse970]

Originally Posted by Corts60

Unless your going for concourse, I would say do what is comfortable and most attractive to you.

I personally keep my door handle facing at 3 o'clock, for no particular reason, so you have to push it down to open the door. It cracks me up whenever anyone else is in there because they always pull it up to try and get out.

The window regulator I also have facing at 3 o'clock when the window is fully closed that way it doesn't get in the way of my knee leaning against the door while driving.

I agree and do the same thing with mine. Just looks better to me.

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by 64fleetside

I wonder if it was a factory difference-all the 64-66 pickups I've messed with have had them @2:00 position(one was my 78K survivor), my burb had them horizontal. Pickups all from St Louis plant, burb from Fremont.

You may be on to something... like the plant-specific firewall color issue. I would like to see more factory literature/images to see if that stuff is consistent. Seems to me the early trucks (60-63) had the handles down and slightly rearward (clocking changes per side), and the later model literature shows the same.. which would be different from my Fremont trucks, unless coincidentally, they both have been moved to the exact same incorrect position. Hmmm, not likely. ...We are not done with this yet.

[markeb01]

Yes your marked up photo shows how my truck handle operates. Pull back to open, forward to lock. I think this is the answer to the different handle orientation. 60-63 is probably one way and the 64-66 is opposite. I'm always amazed to find there is something new to learn on here.

Originally Posted by losthope

So markeb01 your saying yours is like this:





If so that would make sense ,and yes the mechanical device's to lock and open are diffrent, and why on 60-63 the door handle face's down and on 64-66 it face's forward, if on my 66 i had it like your 60-63 it would be akward to open and lock the door and most likely akward for you if you had it the 64-66 way! This might be another diffrence between the years if you confirm the way you open and lock yours?

[aerotruk63]

Originally Posted by oem4me

We are not done with this yet.

Let's remember that these are artist renderings, from what I've seen of GM illustrations they borrow from the past, therefore the interior drawing of the 64-66 might just be an upgrade from the previous 60-63 years and not necessarily representing what was going out the production plant door .

[kieth]

Originally Posted by markeb01

I’ve often wondered if there was a fundamental change in the linkage between 63 and 64. All the 60-63’s I’ve even seen have the window winder handle pointing essentially straight down with the door handle angling slightly to the rear. The door handle is pulled to the rear to open and forward to lock.

I’ve seen photos of 64-66 model door handles pointing straight forward. If the locking mechanism works the same way as the 60-63, this would seem awkward to operate since the handle would have to be pushed downward to open the door, and upward to lock. I've never been in a 64-66 so I don't know which direction the handle moves to open the door.

66's you have to rotate the door handle counter clockwise to open the door. Mine are at 2 o'clock

the window crank is pointed forward but I am going to move it because my knee keeps hitting it. Kieth

[b2948kevin]

Wow, I think I learned 2 things -

1. My handles are "Custom-Oriented" (2:30 position)
2. There's a locking option from the inside. I never knew that you could push the handle to lock from inside.

[losthope]

Originally Posted by b2948kevin

Wow, I think I learned 2 things -

1. My handles are "Custom-Oriented" (2:30 position)
2. There's a locking option from the inside. I never knew that you could push the handle to lock from inside.

most older classic's are this way if they dont have the push/pull rod at the top of the door, and some of the older cars only passenger door locks with handle.....you lean over and lock the passenger door with handle then get out and lock drivers door with key!

door locking 101

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Go Go Gadget Door!
I think they look better this way.

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

Then what time of day would it be in the locked position and at what time of day would the door latch release? Never thought there'd be a test did you.

Well, at 5AM it would be in the locked position

After that, I am not sure! I can tell you I will be experimenting a bit.