Door Handle Modification

[winchster]

I've searched, if I missed it point me in the right direction and I'll just go from there. I found one thread but the answers weren't really definitive.

I have a '49 and I hate the turn down handles. Can I install the pushbutton handles from '52 up on my '49 doors?

I will be, most likely, putting in bear claw latches also.

Any and all feedback is wholeheartedly welcomed. Thanks.

[dwcsr]

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=77555

this should be very helpful

[winchster]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=77555

this should be very helpful

You are correct, that is very helpful. However it doesn't answer the question:

Can I use pushbutton door handles from '52 up on my '49 door?

[FiftyTwo]

Switching the outside handles isn't going to be very easy.

The doors are actually different. '47-'51 use a single hole to mount the outside door handle, while '52 on up use two holes.

The inside door latch is also different. '47-'51 the rod on the door handle trips the door latch when you turn it down, '52 on up the latch is tripped by pushing the button on the door handle. Two totally different ways of doing the same thing.

Lastly, the catch on the cab post is also different between '47-'51 and '52 on up.

With that said, anything can be accomplished with a little creative cutting and welding. You could just shave the door handles, install bear claw latches and some solenoids and be done.

Good Luck.

[winchster]

Maybe I should rephrase.

If I wanted to can I put ALL the hardware from '52 up door/cab on a '49 door/cab?

[FiftyTwo]

I'm not positive, but I think the doors are different enough that the inside latch isn't a bolt in swap. Your current doors also have the key lock which later doors don't have. My suggestion would be to get some used '51 on up latches and a handle and see what fits and what doesn't and go from there.

I know that you can put complete doors from later years onto earlier cabs, but you still need to change out the latch on the cab post.

Hope this helps.

[Big Port Jimmy 6]

No not easily the doors are different, The skins do not have the proper hole and the inside reinforcement and latches are different. Not saying that its not possible, just not probable. Find some 52 up doors, it just works and is scads easier. Jay

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by winchster

You are correct, that is very helpful. However it doesn't answer the question:

Can I use pushbutton door handles from '52 up on my '49 door?

To answer the question, No. the mechanism is not the same or in the same place or mounted the same.

[winchster]

Ok, so the answer is yes I can if I really want to.

Sorry about the whole thing I guess I should have just asked if the doors would fit, cause if the doors fit then the latch change will work.

I want pushbuttons with bear claw latches. So the latching mech's don't really matter to me. Now I just gotta figure out how to make the pushbuttons work. Sounds like I should probably just find doors and swap, but I don't want vent windows and I have brand new glass.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Originally Posted by winchster

I want pushbuttons with bear claw latches.

The bear claw latches is kind of an important detail.

You're going to be figuring out how to make the mechanism inside the door work regardless of what doors you use, and you're going to be changing the striker plate to match the bear claws.

I think with those assumptions you might as well just put '52 up pushbutton handles on your early doors. Changing to later doors only saves you drilling the holes to mount the handles and filling the lock hole on the passenger side.

[winchster]

Originally Posted by Steve@OldSub.com

The bear claw latches is kind of an important detail.

I said so in the original post. My main concern, and I obviously screwed this up, was are the doors physically the same except for the hardware.

Thanks for all the input guys, anybody got any details on how to make the pushbuttons work with bear claws?

[BlueJeep]

I'm working on doing bear claws in mine right now, but I'm trying to keep the turn down handles with them. If I can't make that work, I'll switch to the pushbutton style and do it with them. If you're capable of doing the fab for the bear claws, switching handles is no big deal. Search for bearclaws on this site and you'll come up with a couple different ways of doing it with pushbuttons...one was Houston54's. Handles are also the same through the TF series, so that opens up your search criteria a bit for used handles.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

Handles are also the same through the TF series

I think they are actually the same through '66 aren't they?

[1952ssr]

I understand your dalima, I had the same issue. I had originally bought a '52, and then found out the floor was gone. So I found a '51 cab w/doors that was in better shape except the door bottoms. I didn't like the turn down handles either so I switch doors but, they didn't fit the cab very well. So after much looking at both doors and what kinda time and effort changing the handles would take I'm leaving the turn down handles even if the bottoms aren't as good as the other doors. I think it could have been done but, it would have taken alot of time.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by Steve@OldSub.com

I think they are actually the same through '66 aren't they?

I know 52 to 59 are the same, to 66 looks the same but I have a different part number for them

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by winchster

I've searched, if I missed it point me in the right direction and I'll just go from there. I found one thread but the answers weren't really definitive.

I have a '49 and I hate the turn down handles. Can I install the pushbutton handles from '52 up on my '49 doors?

I will be, most likely, putting in bear claw latches also.

Any and all feedback is wholeheartedly welcomed. Thanks.

I know this is a real old post but since I know the answer now and this thread popped up in a search I thought I would share.

The answer is yes you can swap pushbutton door handles on to turn down handle doors. You just need to weld up the old handle mount holes, swap the reinforcement plate inside the door for the pushbutton type ( i found donor doors and cut these parts out), and drill new holes. I used Altman latches for '52-'54 and the latch plates for my '51. Works great. Pics in my build thread if you need more details.

[MARTINSR]

I am so torn on this for my truck, it's a 48 and I have had it for 44 years. I LOVE the twist handles, but the theme of the truck on this build is a Motorama truck from 1952 (GM shows where the Corvette was introduced) and I want the push button handles because that is where style was going and the twist handles were HISTORY at that time. But damn I want the twist, for my memories. I have NOS latches and handles, perfect NOS parts. But I have gotten NOS push button latches and planned to do it, but I am not sure if I can go through with it damn it.

Brian

[dsraven]

Brian,
how about you just set up 2 complete door sets, one with twisties and one with push buttons. no problem right? going to a show? swap in the push buttons. slipping through traffic near home-twisties. OR, put one style on the driver's side and the other style on the passenger's side. just show one side at a time. easy peasy. (hey, you're the one who had to chop the roof.....)
just kidding you, man. go with what YOU like.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Brian,
how about you just set up 2 complete door sets, one with twisties and one with push buttons. no problem right? going to a show? swap in the push buttons. slipping through traffic near home-twisties. OR, put one style on the driver's side and the other style on the passenger's side. just show one side at a time. easy peasy. (hey, you're the one who had to chop the roof.....)
just kidding you, man. go with what YOU like.

I am already bending the theme big time by leaving the split windshield. I plan on putting a car center strip which is much narrower to at least lean in the direction of the one piece windshield. It's really hard because I want to really follow the theme, that is what makes any build fun, and a better finished product.

Brian

[dsraven]

how about the seamless look where the 2 pieces of glass are bonded in the middle, or whatever they do nowadays when 2 pieces of glass meet and seal with no frame. the glass would also be glued into the opening I assume so that may negate the theme right there I guess.
never mind, brain babble.....

[MARTINSR]

Nope, that wouldn't work at all because it's been dated into the 1980's when people started doing it.

No, the only thing I can do outside of using the passenger car center moulding is to cut the whole windshield out and put a 54-55 in.

Brian

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Steve@OldSub.com

I think they are actually the same through '66 aren't they?

very old thread

RIP steve

[mongocanfly]

Martin, you made mention of using a 54-55 1pc windshield...I'm sure you know there's a difference in the cab sheetmetal around the windshield...pre54 has a little crown...post54 is smooth....nothing that couldn't be modded and overcome though...

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Martin, you made mention of using a 54-55 1pc windshield...I'm sure you know there's a difference in the cab sheetmetal around the windshield...pre54 has a little crown...post54 is smooth....nothing that couldn't be modded and overcome though...

Yeah, thanks, I know that. It would be a piece of cake compared to the other mods! Hell, I even thought of a chopped wrap around like a 55 2nd series or something like that, just to get that Motorama look but I have decided against going that far.

But honestly I don't think I can do it, then it wouldn't be "my truck" at all, you know what I mean?

Brian

[MARTINSR]

The whole "Theme" thing I believe makes for more fun if nothing else. My "Theme" is that Harley Earl (the manager of the design dept at GM at the time, he was responsible for many cars including the first Corvette.) brought his personal truck into the studio and let them have a little fun with it.

He did something very similar with his son Jerry Earl's 56 Corvette that he raced.

Stock 56 Corvette;



Jerry Earl's the "SR-2"


So I figure I can steal that idea and my truck is his and he let the design studio make the first "Cameo" with a Corvette 235, that's my story and I am sticking to it!

Brian