I am debating weather or not to shave the inside door handles on my 51 Chevy. I can see how it would be cool, but I can also see how it would be a pain. The outside is already shaved and I am getting ready to start interior projects. Any thoughs on that one?
Bad idea, I had a friend who got locked in his car this way. Had to call a friend, pop the hood form the inside, and have his friend give him a jump to get out. Maybe its just me, but it's not very cool to be trapped inside your car.
You would have to figure out the cable tension situation when the door was opening and closing, don't want to break anything. But in theory if you did it right it would be slick. If you had both levers (one for each door) on the the left side of the steering wheel, the p***enger would have to beg you to get out... Or just do one on each side just in front of the door under the dash. Could even use the original levers and stuff.
Right now I'm trying to figure out a way to shave my door handles without using the electrical stuff. Hidden levers or depressing some mechanical ****ons somewhere to release the door. It would sort of work like what I described above. If anyone has done anything like that, post it.
Lotta people use bicycle brake cables to do the deed. If you don't wanna run cables thru the door jambs, put the latch in the body and the striker on the door. You can rig up a padlock or similar to "lock" the levers/pulls if you're concerned about locking your car in a "questionable" neighborhood. Can't remember which HAMBer did it but there was a post a year or two back about using 1/4 inch plexi for the vent windows and using a keyed cam-style cabinet lock thru the vent window. Just unlock/open the vent window, and reach inside and use the interior door latch release.
I used bicycle cables on my old car. I ran one up under front fender as an emergency release. I have seen them in the wheelwells too. it would be cool to have a grille tooth be a secret release, or a ****on inside the gas filler.....
my 50 caddy had choke cables run to below the rocker for a saftey release along with the solenoids in the door. the trucnk got a cable inside the tail light gas door for it along with solenoid. comes in real handy when you stop for gas leave the key and remote in the car then shut the door and cant get back in.
If your using the bike cables it is easy to hook up a bicycle brake level and hide it under the car. That way there is a mount and a way to hold the other end of the cable. You can also use freestyle type brake adaptors to rig a bike cable to 2 cables, that way you have a inside and outside emergency quick release.
Here in the fine state of Jersey, inspection reqiures mechanical inside door releases. Inspections are for sissies. LOL. Do it!
on my truck the latch was in the door frame and thst striker was on my doors with no handles at all just a horn ****on under the dash for the p***enger... ive had to crawl out the window a couple times...
I did a 41 chev with bear claw latches. took the stock inside door lock ****on and hooked to the latch release for a inside emergency release.
just becuase you didnt put your handles back on the inside of the door makes it shaved. just kidding...I couldnt resist. cool idea...just make it mechanical on the inside...if you get into a jam and need to get out...say a fire...you dont want to BBQ yourself.
They are pretty strong. I had them in my old car for years with no problems. Besides there must be some pretty strong guys out there into cycling that dont break them.
thats good. i would really like to shave the handles, but i'm not too hot on the idea of solenoids and their lack of reliability and cost. i wont matter to much for a while, but if i ever put side gl*** in it i will have to have some way to get in.
Depends if your car is chopped or not. If you can get out through the window in an emergency, then shaved is cool. If one can't get out through the window, and your power is out, would your p***enger know where to find the backup release to open their door?
My car isnt chopped and my wife and I could get out thru the window, but I have some BIG friends. So far I really like the bicycle brake lever under the dash.
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