Shaved Door Handles

The doors are next on the things left to do on the 4105 Cadillac and the 41 door latches, handles and hardware were not in good condition or missing parts. After trying to fix the original latches (that did not work) I decided to install after market latches.

 After doing some research I found made in the USA Bear Claw door latches at Dakota Digital and bought a pair. I need 2 pair but only got one to make sure they would work in the space in the 41 doors.

 The drivers door was marked and cut out where the old latch was.

 The bare claw latch was tried in the cutout opening, and found that the glass channel was in the way.  The latch couldn't be removed with the window channel in the way, after the edge of the door was welded back into place.

 The window channel was cut and a section removes where I could get a welder in.

 I drilled and tapped the holes where the spot welds were at the bottom of the channel then made a tab with a drilled and tapped hole on one side and to be welded to the upper channel on the other so it could be removed later to get access to the new latch.

 With the removable channel in place the latch was fit and cut where necessary and a template made for the new sheet metal.

 The new sheet metal was cut out and bent on my small sheet metal brake with holes drilled to fit the latch.

 The new piece was ground to fit the opening then welded in place.

 The new latch covered the old door handle hole so it could not be used and it was welded closed along with the key lock opening.

 This is the new latch assembly welded in and ground with the door post bolt opening cut.

 The door post was drilled and tapped for the new 7/16 thread latch bolt

 The passenger side door went pretty much the same way as the driver side with a few changes, as I now had some "learning curve"' with the window channel being altered and the new latch being notched to fit back further into the door.

 I found that the door post bolts, or latch bolts, needed to be adjusted to fit the new latches and made a small channel with drilled & tapped square nuts and over sized bolt holes.

 With the rear door hinge removed I could get to the front post latch bolt to install the adjustable nut & channel.

 The adjustable nut was installed then a new sheet metal piece cut to fit where the post had been cut out.

 The new latches had to be installed with the release lever on the bottom and would need two holes one for the inside handle and one for the new electric solenoid cable that I had decided to use instead of an outside handle. A tab was cut & drilled then welded to the existing release lever.

 The new adjustable post latch bolt in place with the new sheet metal welded in.

 The new passenger side door latch installed with a little more clean up required.

 The right rear door had been removed to get access to the post and I cut & fit the new latch and sheet metal while it was on the cart.

 It was easier to weld and finish.

 A new sheet metal cover was fabricated with the adjustable post bolt welded to it then installed.

This is the electric door release kit I purchased for four doors with remote entry, solenoids, mounting hardware,  door poppers and wiring.

 I found push buttons the were the same size as the old door handle holes and would fit flush with the outside of the car door then fit thick washers to them to be welded to the inside of the door.

 The thick washers were welded to the inside of the door hole that is a little larger to allow the button to be flush mounted.

 Button & washer assembly installed (view inside the door).

 To install the solenoids nuts had to be welded to the mounting holes as there was not enough room to get my hands where they could reach the back of them.

 The solenoids, release cables and wiring was straight forward and fairly easy by following the directions and finding a good mounting place.
The below picture shows the new flush mounted release buttons in place instead of door handles.

 I think the buttons look better than the handles.