[peterosefirepit]

I am trying to put my ex. door handles back on and I am having trouble making them flush with the door contour. The bottom,closer to the body line, is bottoming out leaving,if not causing, a large gap on the top of the handle.
Is there a trick to this install, Do i place some washers between the backing plate and the door skin, or between the plate and the handle body. ..?
Thanks

 

[sprintgtc]

How's the fit without any hardware? You should be able to set them in place and they should fit flush. If they don't, you have a bodywork issue. If they do fit well, you probably have a hardware issue. It might help to use some washers to keep the nuts from bottoming, but the backing plates should be flush against the body. And don't overtighten as you can dimple the doorskin.

 

[peterosefirepit]

Thanks for the insite. They do fit flush with the body, and yes you are right, when I tighten them down, they distort the door skin. They seem to be 'camming' themselves out of position,pulling the bottom flush and opening the top up. I noticed the old rusted brackets had a felt runner living between the body and the bracket, I tried using some open cell foam apx the same thickness but it made it worse. Do I put the washers between the handle and bracket, shimming until I get a good fit?
Thanks

 

[sprintgtc]

You could use washers but then you would be concentrating the handle's opening forces to a small area of sheetmetal. The bracket is designed to spread the load out somewhat. I would try new brackets from Centerline or the like. I'm guessing yours are distorted in some way.

 

[peterosefirepit]

They are from centerline. OK I guess I will just crack a beer and start welding!
Thanks

 

[scottalfa]

Are black rubber gaskets supposed to be on the outside? I have never used them, but some suppliers sell these. What was stock?

 

[sprintgtc]

Scott: I know they are available, but no GTV I've had came with gaskets. (including a late '74 with original paint) My guess is they were not used by the factory.

Pete: I'm with you, modify the brackets to fit your car.

 

[peterosefirepit]

I am using them, but I have no idea if they are stock. I have not seen too many with them in place. I will post photos once I figure out the fit issue.

 

[sprintgtc]

I've seen guys really struggle to make those gaskets work. You might want to see how the handles fit without them. Also, if you are worried about originality, check w/ Papajam, he will know. I'm fairly certain Alfa never used them.

 

[daveydog]

My 1974 GTV has the outer door handle gaskets or I should say what's left of them. Centerline has replacement ones.

 

[peterosefirepit]

We know they are from centerline, and I just found out they are not stock.It seems they were developed to help the cause and form a seal between two otherwise poorly intigrated components. There thickness and flimsy cross section seems to make the install a pain the the ***. The question is what are the tricks to making this install correctly. I think this is just a matter of trial and error on the part of the installer. I am going to place an ad in the paper and see if someone can clean my gutters first then take a crack at getting my door handles to fit second- I hope whoever this person is has a ride home.

 

[rozzo]

I've just had the same hassle fitting door handles and ended up denting the door skin after my £1800 paint job. I used the gaskets and applied a thin layer of silicon to the back as extra precaution. The trick is to get the the small lip thats on the top part of the handle to hook behind the panel before you tighten it up. If there is too much filler there you wont get it to hook round and the top will pop out. You may have to grind the lip down slightly.

 

[peterosefirepit]

Yes That is the word on the street and its not as easy as it sounds. a few microns of filler, some primer , paint and next thing you know, you have a car thats 3/32" bigger all the way around. Even if you are not heavy handed with the body work, those notches we designed for the thinnest of top coats alfa could spare. This car had original paint and I swear it never got any thicker then a blond c*** hair or 'BCH' for those of you in the ' trade'. Now I find out that the handle itself is off and has been repaired somehow. believe it or not, some master of pot metal had actually preformed a weld on it! and it looks ...ok! thats not to say its perfect, cause it aint. the heat tweeked the whole thing and its off, so I am waiting for a set from cheech333 on the BB. Other then that, The rest of the car is getting the serious treatment at Santos and Jorge at AJ's- windshields, headliner,interior,new dash, 16 switches ,and he will throw in the gutter cleaning for free cause I got a coupon.

 

[peterosefirepit]

I have also given up on the gaskets and Michigan.

 

[peterosefirepit]

update

well I got the door thing straightened out, and the interior is almost done.
the dash is great considering what he had to work with, at least its not a cap, although I have seen a few great jobs done with them.
tomorrow its the front and rear glass, then Im left with the cleanup job of reinstalling all that dainty stainless trim. cant say Im looking forward to that, but it should be on the road in a week. Start to finish this entire project took 4 months, although I didnt tackle the engine bay or the underbody, this was not a restoration, rather a high quality face lift. Lets just hope the wax dont melt before the lights go out.

 

[peterosefirepit]

killer blu

I took the first spin around the hood today , in fact its the first time I have even driven the car since I got it in June! Now just a little of this and a bit of that and its done, at least done enough to drive. I must say I am a Lemans blue believer! something about it makes me smile... sure its not as tuff' as good ol murder red (with a white nose) but I've grown up alittle and it matches my daughters eyes.
I am looking from some blinkers to mount in the front , any Ideas?

 

[peterosefirepit]

good to go

Anthony installed the new/old Rotas,pre hub-centric with a 10mm spacer and everything clears. IAP springs and thats it.

 

[AlfistiSA]

Hi Gents

Those rubber gasket around the door handles were originally installed for the German market, the UK suppliers usually have them in stock.

I bought 3 sets for my 105 cars & would not even contemplate restoring a 105 car without them - they stop the water going down between the handle & the aperture.

Secondly I use a medium density sheet of rubber, (with a woven webbing insert in it - think thin exhaust hangar material), cut to shape to fit between the "C" shaped tin bracket which secures the handle to the inside of the door - this rubber sheet spreads the load of the bracket & I've never had one dimple the door panel & the new paint. The original sponge foam was designed to stop squeaks, by soaking up water & rusting out the door skin just under the handle - it can't sqeak if there is no metal left for metal to metal contact.....

I apply loads of tectyl / waxoyl to the inside of the door, some prior to the rubber mat & the rest afterwards, making sure I cover the rubber mat well, to make doubly sure against corrosion. Electro-plating the "C" shaped bracket also helps.

Of course new door handles help matters somewhat, but if your originals are in good condition, there should be no issues.

Pete - stunning colour choice, well done for swimming against the herd !!

Ciao
Greig
Sunny South Africa
Some 750's
Some 101's
Some 105's
Some others

 

[peterosefirepit]

really no choice,other then the white stripe /clover. which gives the car a lower longer look. Lemans blue was the original color, although this particular 'batch' has a touch more violet. I am going to try the gaskets one more time today, but as stated before, the lip to clip is super tight to begin with and the gasket thickness really makes the fit a job for Job.

 

[italcarguy]

the car looks better and better every time i see it. i can't wait till the next time!