Door handles etc after paint? Monochrome?

[crisco]

Hey guys, I just got the bodywork and paint finished on my 87 suburban, and need some advice on the bolt ons. Door handles, tailgate lock thing, etc.
Here's the link to the thread with pics of the bodywork, obviously my pitted factory handles will look terrible.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=399069
I already bought new black door mirrors, and won't have any chrome trim on the sides. The only chrome I left is the bumpers, and grill trim.

What can be done to the factory handles? Can I sand blast them and have them powder coated? I wouldn't mind having them re-chromed if it's not expensive.

I found re-pops for 19.99 each but after buying numerous parts from LMC and Classic Industries for my 71 blazer, 87 1 ton flatbed, and this 87 suburban I am less than thrilled with quality and fitment and would rather stick to OEM.

[BLE 'BURBAN]

Go find some decent handles in a yard and the estuncheon on the tailgate you can get from LMC. Take them in and have them powdercoated in a "HAMMERTONE BLACK" finish. It's a textured finish that will help to hide fingerprints plus it'll help to compliment the looks of the Burb as well.

[crisco]

Did you have to sandblast the chrome off?

[BLE 'BURBAN]

Originally Posted by crisco

Did you have to sandblast the chrome off?

No I just disassembled them then dropped them off at the shop 2 weeks later they called and said they were ready to be picked up. Had to wait for them to dechrome them and for the color to come around in their rotation. Here's a link to when I had it done......... powder coated handles

[Pop's C-10]

I seen on here i beleave where a guy sanded tha raised ribs down make them look like polished alum.. that make be tha route you can go & jus paint them..

[LOW1TON]

I sanded the rib detail off the top and bottom of my door handles then had them powder coated a satin black the turned out nice hopefully you can see the detail in the pictures.

[BLE 'BURBAN]

Originally Posted by LOW1TON

I sanded the rib detail off the top and bottom of my door handles then had them powder coated a satin black the turned out nice hopefully you can see the detail in the pictures.

NICE!!! Wish I'd thought of that!!

[crisco]

So I ended up ordering new handles.
Long story short they turned into a nightmare. The looked awesome out of the box, quality was good, but mounting them turned into a 2 day affair for numerous reasons.

The little clip that holds the rod from the door handle in the latch itself is something I want replace the pineapples with in Little Nicky. Hitler would enjoy 5000 of them every day.

I ended up pulling everything out of/off the door aside from the window and regulator parts.
Doing this with little light and without help I wouldn't recommend. I ended up looping some string through the latch, and pulling the string up through the hole in the door where the thumb button is to get the jesus clip on right over the rod.

I am ranting now it was so frustrating, but mainly because I had to do it multiple times.

I got the drivers door handle on, worked great.

Went on to the drivers rear, didn't work as well. I tested everything then, (remember it was getting dark and I was in a hurry so I didn't 100% check the drivers door) and noticed once I locked the latch it no longer worked.

Checked the drivers door, yup same thing.

So I checked the other door handles I had on the table, new vs old.
They weren't the same.

Here is a pic of the handles once I pulled them off. Old VS new.



The spot where the rod goes isn't orientated right on the new handles. When I bolted it up to the door, it created tension on the door latch, preventing it from unlocking.

Here is another one



It was a simple problem, I ground down the tab on the back of the button to lower this "tab" to the right spot. It was just AMAZINGLY frustrating considering I just had it painted and the door handles were the last thing to go on. Everything else worked out perfect.

[Pop's C-10]

i love that..very slick..

[motornut]

cool trick nice work

[BLE 'BURBAN]

Could've used a small punch and swapped over the the guts on them.

[crisco]

Originally Posted by BLE 'BURBAN

Could've used a small punch and swapped over the the guts on them.

I thought about that.
The new handles aren't too strong where the roll pin is pressed through, it's already bent on all of them from the factory, I didn't want to chance breaking one.


I am probably going to grind the ribs off the old ones and have them powdercoated and put them back on, I just didn't have the time right now. I am moving across the country and needed the truck finished.

[pat386]

The clip you mentioned that holds the rod is such a pain in the ass!!
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[78 Chevyrado]

When I redid my truck, I used new door handles too. the chrome and general finish looked a lot better tha an NOS set, but the plastic button was total crap. After a couple of months the actual button collapsed and broke to bits. Everything else seemed to work fine, so I just swapped the buttons from my OLD handles into the new chrome handle and its worked like a charm ever since. I did have to do some fitting to get the old button to fit in the hole of the new handle, but that just means theyre tight, and they look right.

So IMO If you get new handles, put some old original buttons in them first.