How can i shave the door handles on my car for cheap?

Question

How can i shave the door handles on my car for cheap?

Answer 1

I Build custom cars for a living and have shaved MANY door handles, you must do it perfectly or it will look horrible.  The first step is to purchase a set of solinoids to operate the door handle that is now gone.  and a set of spring loaded door poppers.  make sure you are cabable of very manual tasks before you even attempt it, this is the correct way

1: remove door panel with window rolled up, remove the window and lock buttons from the door panel and install on the connector in the door

2: pull the outside door handle and watch what happens, take note of what moves where.

3: take a screwdriver and close the latch on the door (it takes 2 clicks) then using your hand (not the handle) move the latching system you were just looking at to confirm you know how it works (open and close a few times until you are positive what needs to be pulled to operate the latch, lock, unlock, etc)

4: Location of your solenoid: the solenoid used should be approximately a 40lb solenoid depending on the size and weight of the door.  The solenoid needs to be located somewhere in a straight line of the arm that needs to be pulled to operate the latch.  (make sure it will not obstruct the window movement)  once this location is found drill holes into the steel you are mounting to a bolt it in (the piece of mounting steel must not flex more than a millimeter or 2 when you pull on it.)

5:  drill a hole into the mechanism in which you earilier found needs to be pulled to activat the latch and loop the cable included with the solenoids through and crimp it in a loop.  Close the latch like you did eariler (2 clicks) and pull the cable manually, make sure it unlatches.

6: loop the other end of the cable through the hole in the solenoid with VERY IMPORTANT: no less than 1/8 and no more than 1/4 inch of slack.  if there is tension on the solenoid it will not fire, it needs to get an 8th inch head start to jerk the cable.

7:  close the latch and give the solenoid power, make sure it open the latch.  ALSO VERY IMPORTANT the cable will strech and crimp, even if it says pre streched, dont trust it.  fire the solenoid REPEATEDLY, closing the latch and firing it,making sure it opens the latch every time.  I sit the and smoke 2 cigarettes (15 min or so) firing them over and over again, it must work relibly or you are locked out of your car.

8: once you are positive it will work every time, only then remove the outside door handle leaving long wires on the solenoid hanging out the door.

9:fun part:  We are assuming your car is metal not fiberglass:

  Grind all of the paint off of the door where the handle was, and out past that area 4 inches (clean dust).  Gather a piece of metal SAME GUAGE AND MAKEUP as the door skin, most scrap door skins and fenders would work.  Cut a template out of cardboard the same size and shape as the old handle indentation, so when sat in the handle indent it is flush.  Use this template to trace onto your metal for shape.  Cut the metal patch and grind it down to a fresh surface.  Find yourself a mig welder, turn it almost all the way down on power and the wirespeed at about half and start tack welding.  What i mean by tack welding is little welds in different areas around the patch.  if you weld in one spot too long it will warp the metal so go around the patch like this: ...       ...        ...       ...       ...      ...      ... etc, then fill in the spaces ...  ..  ...  ..  ...  ..  ...  ..

and eventially it'll look like: ......................................

all the way around then slowly fill in between the tack welds to make it like this:    __...__...__....__....___...__....__..._...

then: _________________________________

and it's welded. (grind the welds PERFECTLY flush and fill in any holes with more weld, then grind again until it is one piece of metal.)

10:  body work . . . take body filler of your choice (rage gold is mine) mix and spread over area, wait for it to harden fully and sand, first 80 grit, then 120, then 180, and finish it with 220.  

11: prime and paint (or bring to body shop)

12:go back inside the car and make sure the solenoid still works depending on your kit/preference the wiring will be different, if you're going cheap: ground out one side of the solenoid to the car frame (many ground automatically when you bolt them) take a temporary switch (like a horn or nitrous switch)  and run it from 40 amp fused power to the solenoid, one inside and one outside,  the switches much be able to handle a lot of power.  if you are going with a remote it will include wiring instructions.

13: install popers in a location where it will push the door open when unlatched

P.S.  This is off the record and i do not want to be held responsible if it doesnt work.  The CHEAP way to do it is to either go to the junkyard and find trunk pop solenoids or lock solenoids.  And the mega cheap way is to use the lock solenoids from your own doors as they are kind of useless with a pop system.  I  

Answer 2

just get a razor bladefrom the store and shave ur hairy door handles