Okay, this is an oddball question. I'm looking at some mid-50s Ford door handles and window crank handles for my '32 Ford. As I learned from various internet sources. apparently Ford switched from square shanks to the 16-spline form starting in '49. So, has anyone ever found a converter (see attached picture of my rough mockup) or a straight forward way to make such a conversion work? I do know that I'll have a challenge to make the handle fit flush against the escutcheon and interior trim. I also know I hate those modern billet handles with the clever converter disks! Any insights would be appreciated.
Ever take a look at '55-59 Mopar interior handles? They also used a square shank, and a spring clip to hold them on so you wouldn't have to change anything. Of course, you will need the 'special tool' to remove them but those still turn up on eBay....
I can't answer you conversion question, but I can say that '49 Ford handles and escutcheons (they are spring loaded) fit just fine on a '32 Ford. I've had them on my sedan for over a decade. They were very popular "back in the day". I pick more up at the swap meets all the time. Usually find them in the $1 box.
Wouldnt it be easier to just modify or replace the whole pin in the holder? Or even find a 50's or newer one you can cut down and maybe weld on so that it will bolt to the door. Its gunna look wierd sticking out that far.
Crazy -- those look pretty cool. Do you know if they are 1/4", 5/16" or 3/8" square? thanks for the suggestion.
Somebody used to make those in different lengths. Seems like I remember a 1/2", a 1", and a 2" version. Might have been sold by JC Whitney back in the day.
I haven't actually measured them yet, but by my 'calibrated eyeball' they look the same as the reproduction handles on my avatar ('47 Ford). Like you, I want something a bit more 'custom' for my '47 but the available non-stock handles are too modern looking. This was a happy coincidence; I bought a '56 Desoto and a couple of the handles were loose in the car. I took a quick look side-by-side with one of the '47 handles I replaced because it broke and it sure looked like the mopar handles would work. One reason I didn't try one for fit at the time is I didn't have the special tool needed to remove the handle (and it's a weird one). Give me a few days, and I'll dig both out and measure them, maybe even post a few pics. They are pretty nice handles, all I've seen have chrome metal knobs (instead of the plastic that Ford and GM usually used), and come in multiple styles depending on the year/make. The downside is there's pretty much zero reproductions out there, so you'll have to hunt up a good used set and they probably won't be real cheap if they're nice. I was confident enough about the fit that I bought a set off eBay for my avatar..... but they're not on yet.... LOL
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