foreign made door handles
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh Pa
foreign made door handles
I am going to replace my driver's side door handle on my "77. My car is by no means show quality so I was considering buying the less expensive "foreign made" handle. Has anyone had any experience with these handles? I appreciate any advice on this. Thanks,
Doug
Doug
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Okeechobee Florida
Re: foreign made door handles (perk77)
i needed them too about a year ago and was told by almost everyone that they are crap...
last aug at Carlisle it was on my parts to buy list and i made it a mission to check out handles close up, hands on...
what i found was that most of the foreign handles were crap but i did find a set that wasnt...i bought them...
i put them on last august and they are great...cant tell the difference from the originals...
the problem is that i cant remember which ones they were! :rolleyes:
it seems to me that the really cheezy ones were made in China and these were made somewhere else...(not the USA)
one thing is for sure tho...all aftermarket handles are not made by the same folks and there IS a difference between them...
sorry i cant be of more help but i can tell you that not ALL aftermarket handles suck...but be careful...
[Modified by SIGNGUY, 4:44 PM 9/6/2003]
last aug at Carlisle it was on my parts to buy list and i made it a mission to check out handles close up, hands on...
what i found was that most of the foreign handles were crap but i did find a set that wasnt...i bought them...
i put them on last august and they are great...cant tell the difference from the originals...
the problem is that i cant remember which ones they were! :rolleyes:
it seems to me that the really cheezy ones were made in China and these were made somewhere else...(not the USA)
one thing is for sure tho...all aftermarket handles are not made by the same folks and there IS a difference between them...
sorry i cant be of more help but i can tell you that not ALL aftermarket handles suck...but be careful...
[Modified by SIGNGUY, 4:44 PM 9/6/2003]
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
From: Feenix Az
Re: foreign made door handles (SIGNGUY)
one thing is for sure tho...all aftermarket handles are not made by the same folks and there IS a difference between them...
I put mine on two years ago and they still work and look great. :cool: I am pretty sure they were from Ecklers.
Dane
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 0
From: GA
Re: foreign made door handles (perk77)
I know mine are aftermarket although like the others i'm not sure who made em but i believe i bought them from either Zip or Rick's.
Have had no problem with fit or finish in 2 yrs
Have had no problem with fit or finish in 2 yrs
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Re: foreign made door handles (perk77)
I would buy the originals from GM. Part numbers are 14011819 (left) and 14011820 (right) About 50 bucks each plus gaskets and nuts.
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/ (Supporting Vendor) :cool:
[Modified by Big Fish, 11:16 PM 9/6/2003]
[Modified by Big Fish, 11:18 PM 9/6/2003]
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/ (Supporting Vendor) :cool:
[Modified by Big Fish, 11:16 PM 9/6/2003]
[Modified by Big Fish, 11:18 PM 9/6/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,660
Likes: 3
From: South Central Louisiana
St. Jude Contributor
Re: foreign made door handles (Big Fish)
I bought my after markets from Ecklers. My 71 is no where near a "perfect" car either. Very satisfied considering what I saved verses originals.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Re: foreign made door handles (SIGNGUY)
I bought them for the paint job in 2000. But they were so ill-fitting I got nice originals from Gary Gruhala. The repros were just rinky-dink. And did not fit properly. I had experienced the same problem with interior trim parts earlier when I restored my 1979. I should have known better. I ended up re-dying all of my original trim pieces. You have seen the end result on my "former" 1979. That worked.
BTW here is a pic from a cruise our club had today. One of the last of the season. Frost will be here soon. The beige 1979 is my former car and the green 1967 is mine. But that red 1981 is a convertible conversion with a 454 BB. Really interesting car. Love it!
Edit-The pics will not come up. Sorry!
[Modified by paul67, 8:49 PM 9/7/2003]
[Modified by paul67, 9:07 PM 9/7/2003]
[Modified by paul67, 9:08 PM 9/7/2003]
BTW here is a pic from a cruise our club had today. One of the last of the season. Frost will be here soon. The beige 1979 is my former car and the green 1967 is mine. But that red 1981 is a convertible conversion with a 454 BB. Really interesting car. Love it!
Edit-The pics will not come up. Sorry!
[Modified by paul67, 8:49 PM 9/7/2003]
[Modified by paul67, 9:07 PM 9/7/2003]
[Modified by paul67, 9:08 PM 9/7/2003]
