Another Build Thread - My '32

[J. Robinson]

Well, I'm still progressing, however slowly... My latest project is installing the exterior door handles - what a pain in the ass! My advice to anyone buying a fiberglass body, if you want stock exterior door handles, pay the extra $300 and get the body with them already installed! OK, I let my frugality and ignorance get the best of me. I looked at the door handles when I ordered the body and I couldn't understand why anybody would pay $300 for a pair of door handles that sell for $69 a pair from several different suppliers. Little did I know...

First, the $69 pair of handles is just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to those you need the lever/linkage assemblies for the inside - that's another $69 plus shipping. Then you need to fabricate some kind of reinforcement plate for inside the door. I used some large heavy duty stainless steel washers that I drilled and tapped. Then you will need to carefully hole-saw some strategically placed 3 1/2 inch holes on the inside so you can get your hand and the inner parts in place inside the door. At that point you will discover that the inside assemblies don't fit flat against the inside structure because the outside door skin and the inside structure are not parallel! After you figure out a way to overcome all of that you still need to cut and bend the linkage to fit. I have screwed around with this for 3 afternoons so far. I keep walking away from it so I won't take a large hammer to all the parts and relieve my frustration! At least now I understand why so many of the Deuce 3-windows I see have electric poppers and no handles.