How To Install Door Poppers

Shaved door handles take been a popular modification on community well-nigh as long as customs have been popular. Removing the outer handles and welding upwardly the holes always adds a lot of impact, fifty-fifty on a balmy custom. The simplicity of shaving the handles is besides an attractive feature; near everyone can achieve the basics with a few common store tools.

If you have a more modern ride, mid-fifties and later, shaving the handles is pretty elementary. The latches are mostly rod actuated, with remote outer handles. This means the outer handle is non directly tied to the latch. The solenoid can then exist tied to the outer handle actuator, on the latch, and the job is washed. Older cars all the same, are a trivial different. Nearly early-50'due south and older cars used door handles that are tied directly to the latch via a foursquare rod, that when turned, twisted the rod and opened the latch. An constructive design, but using this mode of latch when shaving the outer handles can create a problem; where does the solenoid cable get?

While it is possible to adhere the cable to the latch at the same point the interior handle rod mounts, this often leads to binding and excessive wear on the solenoid, somewhen causing a failure. There is nonetheless a better solution. Using a section of the original outer handle foursquare rod and a bit of flake sheet metallic, the latch can be modified to accept the solenoid cable, leaving the inner handle as is.

To demonstrate the process, we modified a fix of latches on our 1947 Plymouth business coupe projection. Using a ready of solenoids from Autoloc, there is plenty of power on tap to operate the latches and the inner handles don't bind up.

ane. The stock door handles and latches were unbolted from the door.

ii. The inner handles were removed then the latch can come out of the door.

iii. The latches, although dirty, are still in good working order, they merely need a little modification for the shaved handles.

4. We put the stock door handle in a vise and cut off the end. If the stock handles are non bachelor or in the "to be sold on EBay" pile, foursquare stock tin can be purchased at your local metal shop.

5. We only needed a short section of stock. We cannibalized 1 handle for both sides. If the slice is as well long, information technology will put more stress on the latch and solenoid.

half-dozen. The square stock fits right in the hole.

7. Using a dice-grinder, we cleaned and added a bevel to the square peg, on each border, for the weld.

8. We created a short lever using some fleck 16-ga steel. The longer this piece is the ameliorate leverage information technology volition have, simply for our application, it had to be short. Thankfully, the AutoLoc solenoids are quite powerful. The small screw in the cease of the peg was used to concord the 2 pieces together for welding, it is not necessary.

9. Clamped in a pair of vise grips, the lever was welded to the peg. It is very important that these welds concur, then use a good welder.

10. We smoothed the welds and exam fit the new lever in the latch. Notice the shape of the lever goes around the mounting hole, which was on purpose.

11. We welded the peg to the latch from the backside. You must be conscientious non to weld the rotating assembly to the outer latch bracket; that would be bad.

12. Before the latch tin be used, the lock must be removed. The minor cover next to the leap contains the locking mechanism.

13. The 3 tabs shown hither and one on the side concord the cover on. We were able to bend two, simply had to grind off the other ii.

14. The cover was removed exposing the mechanism. The comprehend is withal needed, so don't toss it.

15. These parts brand upwardly the locking mechanism. They can exist tossed out.

16. The comprehend was reinstalled and welded on where the tabs were cut.

17. The coil spring shown here is of import, information technology puts tension on the latch, which keeps the door closed.

18. The cable was looped through the lever and locked down with a ferrule. Some people only crimp these in the middle, only the correct way is to crimp both sides.

19. The latch was reinstalled using the stock hardware. The latch will require adjustment to go everything opening and shutting smoothly.

20. The placement of the solenoid dictated the need for this piece. To continue the cable from rubbing the steel, breaking, or binding, we used a piece of backstrap and the metal-lined sleeve (came with the kit) to change the direction of the cable.

21. The solenoid was mounted depression on the door. While it is shown on the outside of the door, it will eventually movement to the within once all the adjustments are made.

Sources:

AutoLoc

http://www.autoloc.com/

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Jefferson Bryant
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Red Dirt Rodz
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A life-long gearhead, Street Tech Magazine founder and editor Jefferson Bryant spends more time in the shop than anywhere else. His career began in the auto audio industry every bit a shop manager, somewhen working his way into a position at Rockford Fosgate as a production designer. In 2003, he began writing tech articles for magazines, and has been working every bit an automotive journalist ever since. His work has been featured in Car Craft, Hot Rod, Rod & Custom, Truckin', Mopar Muscle, and many more than. Jefferson has likewise written 5 books and produced countless videos. Jefferson operates Red Dirt Rodz, his personal garage studio, where all of his magazine articles and tech videos are produced. You lot tin can follow Jefferson on Facebook (Jefferson Bryant), Twitter (71Buickfreak), and YouTube (RedDirtRodz).