Just curious. What kind of solenoids did they use? Where did they hide the opening switch? Did all "real" customs have shaved handles? -tbandit
They used starter solenoids. A six volt solenoid would give a lot of power in a 12 volt car, to pull even stubborn door latches. Yeah, all serious customs had shaved handles.
The guys I hung around with all put the ****ons under the stainless windshield trim. Just push on the trim and the door opened. I knew of a few guys that hung the ****on under the rocker panel and used a toe to push up on it. Kept it well hidden
VW starter solenoids in the early 60s, but I think most of the early cars were open. Non locking vent windows worked. Don't remember electric doors til the 60s.......OLDBEET
A fella I work with 'splained that they used to do it with solenoids from washing machines(?) All I ever heard of was leaving the vent window unlocked.
I have a friend who's dad had a custom/hot roded early '50s Chevy in the early '60s when he was in the Air Force in California. He had shaved handles on it. He mentioned something about a "reed switch"? I think it was some sort of magnet setup. He would p*** a magnet over one part of the door and it would pop open. Anyone heard of anything like that?? He mentioned something about the ladies being impressed .
A/fx thats kinda weird becuae my next door neighboor was in the air force and told me of a friend in the air force who did a magnet set up like that back in the 1960's...
My brother-in-law had shaved door handles on his 57 ford in the late 50's. He and other hot rodders bought 12 volt solenoids from a guy stationed at the local air force base. They were rather small in size, but had a lot of pull. I don't know what they were used for in the service, but the guy made money selling them.
Those could have been trigger solenoids for machine guns. We have them on tanks for the coax guns, very stout.
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