Shaved Handles...what did You Do?

i have pondered this alot and all i can come up with is electric or VERY cheap like a wire hanging out a cab corner that you pull(so im not the brightest)
And its finally come down to this....I need a way to open the doors from the outside! and havent got a clue what to do So i decided to ask all of YOU what you did what would they have done in say the 60's or 50's and dont say not shave them because they came that way.

i miss door handles

 

I have a wire hanger at the bottom of my door. Almost invisible.

 

Great question.

My buddy used a solenoid and a reed switch. The switch was hidden under the trim and he had a magnet on his key chain. It was really slick.

I am hoping to do something a bit simpler, so Im looking forward to the responses.

 

First off what kind and year of car is it? The way I did my cars years ago if they had vent windows was to simply take the vent lock off the vent window and push the vent open when I wanted to get in and reach in and use the inside door handle to open the door. There are all kinds of door solenoid kits available to open them by using a hidden switch. My old truck was done the old way that I mentioned earlier.
Later,
Dick

 

Another old way was a switch mounted right under to rocker panel. You just placed your toe under the rocker and lifted it activating the switch.

Frank

 

Yeah man. Electric solenoid. Hide the switch under the running board.

The reed switch Idea is awesome.

 

Solenoids, pull wires, bicycle brake cable whatever you want to use or spend on to open the doors it's up to you. You should learn about your particular latches...they best way is by removing them and exploring how they work. Find the part that makes the door open and hook something up. Disable the mechanism that locks them. Switch to aftermarket (bearclaw latches) If you have the ability and money. they operate with almost no effort so any old cheap solenoid will pop them. some original latches need alot of force to operate and some won't even work with solenoids at all. Solenoids with a remote control to open them is the best.

 

ive used power locks out of 80s caddys they work ok but summit sells a kit for about 100.00 that works better and has every thing you need to do it

 

I had a buddy that used those chrome smoothy door lock knobs that are on all the ford cars from the 90s, he mounted it up near the very corner of the window, just barely poking out of the top of the door, and uses it just like a regular door handle. I picked some up at the salvage and am going to use them on my 59 olds, and lose the solenoids!

 

Also if you are going to use solenoids, you have to replace the rod from the inside door handle to the mechanism with braided wire. It's just too hard for the solenoid to push the mechanism and the spring on the inner door handle at the same time.

 

here is the kit I have cost around 100 bucks. Just pudh button on your key chain

 

ive used trunk popers out of newer cars got them in the junk yards for lil of nothing. then wired them up to a hidden switch

 

The more I think about it that reed switch idea is freaking rad. I am definitely stealing that when I build a custom.

 

choke cable in the fenderwell

 

Select a cool looking smooth door handle from another car/truck and put it on.

2 birds, one stone. Cool & unique modification, and doesn't lock you out.

As outlined above, remote poppers and safety pulls take time to install. Putting a different door handle on has got to be a similar level of work if the handle is chosen right.

good luck

 

I've got a solenoid hooked up, plus a manual cable that goes into the engine compartment. You would have to know where it was to locate it...

The solenoid is currently only wired to a switch in the trunk (Kept the key latch for that) but I am planning on adding a remote to it.

 

what would you guys recommend for my 50 shoebox? I'm in the same boat, P.O. shaved door and trunk. I want something I can use so I can have the doors and vent window locked. Not familer with the bearclaw latches..and wouldnt know a good popper kit from a bad one..

 

Traditional with vitage parts, 1957-6x? caddy trunk solenoids,
some light duty switch like from a glove box mounted in the door jamb that you use your comb to activate. and or a key operated swich in the fender well

a safety cable inside the front fenders or rears if suicide

If your hood is going to have an inside lock, make sure you put remote jumpers some place if you forgo the cables.

that reed switch and magnet is pretty cool, had one of those for a kill switch on a 80's buick.

the remotes are nice

 

My experance has been with electric solenoid you must put a remote cable somewhere as the solenoid will fail sooner or later. sometime both at they same time.

My car has dissabled vents, but then I rairly roll the windows up, very little rain here.

I had a buddy have his door open at speed when the rock he ran over hit the switch under the rocker. Might want to shield it with something if you go that route.

My favorite was a guy that had a slot cut just below his beltline molding in his door. To open it he would bring out a card (like a motel room key), slide it in and his door would open. Wow, trick to have a card reader I thought, later I found out it was just a micro switch the card would push, any credit card would open it.

 

in australia, you have to have a mechanical visible way to open the door so in a accident were you may loose the battery emergency services can still get in, i have flush small round push buttons that i made with the same contour as the door.
the reed switch sound easy to steal, i would hook up some other reed switches nearby to a alarm so unless you get it on the right spot the alarm is activated, that way if a theif spots you with your magnet and tries the same he will have to know exactly were to put the magnet and not just feel around with a magnet till he finds the switch.

 

I cut the latch off the door and welded onto the body. Took the 'pin' off the body and put on the door. Then the stock handle off the inside and mounted it in the cab corners. A quick 'elbow jab' to hit the handle pops them open from the inside. Outside I have slightly domed pushbuttons on the back of the cab. They are baaaaaaaaaarely noticeable. '61 Apache.

 

I'd like to see pics of that.

I have a spal kit and it is junk.
I have had both doors fail at the same time. (not the remote and not the battery)
Wish I had never shaved the doors and this is on the OTM.

They sure look cool, but you don't, when your stuck outside. :|

 

I'll run outside and take a few.

 

That sucks man. I never finished the install for my thunderbird. was gonna hook up a safety cable. I found a viper alarm for 20 bux and got some hand me down mooneyes solenoids that are weak and cheap. They never failed though. I only got stuck out once when my ground had corrosion. I just broke my vent window drive pin by pushing it really hard(easy to replace) I have done a few other cars with various differnet methods and parts....never had problmes.

 

Why don't you do this.Very simple,shave the door handles,and if you have non-crank vent windows,pop the pin that holds the latch in.When you want to get in your car or truck,just swing the vent window open.

This way,if your battery goes dead,you can still get into it.

 

I admit it's a little ghetto, but this is exactly how my 54 210 is done.

 

I like the push button under the rocker idea but me and electricity dont go well together...

o' yea its on a 55' chevy pickup

 

awe hell thats the easy part of this project of yours, if you can get the rest working this would be a piece of cake for you. dont rush and use the right stuff,

http://www.ado13.com/techs/relay.htm

 

The deal I did was on a 57 Chevy pick up and all I did was to take the vent lock off. Fail safe!
Later,
Dick

 

I've used hood release cables mounted in the inner front fenders before and electric I prefer the hood releases very cheap way to go and i have found them to be more reliable. Just my $0.02