The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs barn door handle

I just noticed the rear door has a pull down handle even though it's a 55 first series panel. I guess all barn door AD panels/burbs stayed with the twist handle even after the doors were push button.

If you mean " . . . even after the side doors were push button.", the answer is yes - for all Advance-Design years, 47-55, the rear doors had pull down handles.

And they are RARE handles to boot, no reproductions, and even though they LOOK the same as the pull-down side door handles, they won't swap. In an era when they used as many common parts throughout the line as possible, it's odd that they made an "odd ball" handle. Later model panels had the push button handles flipped 90 degrees.

I had mine restored by a chrome place that was good with repairing pot metal, but it still droops. This is mostly a case of the square peg on the handle rounding over with wear and the hole in the lock mechanism doing the same. The repair springs offered for the side door handles don't fix the barn door handle droop.

Also, I have two sets of rear-door handles, one from around 1948 and one from 1954. They have different internal stem-lengths (they have to be used with the escutcheon from their respective years).

Hello

I always wondered what the reason was for the barn door handle to droop. (Mine does)
Is there a correct way to fix the handle mechanism so it does not droop?

jorb

Guys, you CAN modify a front door pull down handle and use for the rear barn door handle. I've done it about 3 times. I ordered me a new side door handle and then modified it.

I have shared that info with bowtietim and he put it in an excel spreadsheet I think and sent it to Peggy for a Tech tip.

Anyone that needs the info send me a PM and I'll get it to you.
I think I actually posted it back sometime ago. You do have to use the correct bezel for the rear door handle. In short I think I cut off the stem 3/8" after grinding the flat sides back. Then redrilled the hole to hold the bezel assembly in place when you slide it on the handle stem.

NOTE... a common thing with the barn door handle is it will also dray and scratch the paint. I toook my new handle and but the end of the handle off with my small cut off wheel. I taped it up, cut it off, then where I cut it I sprayed it with some two coats of chrome paint. If you do it carefully you will not jag hte chrome edges and you can't see the back where you cut the handle off. I think I cut a good 1/4" off the end of mine. No fears of it ever scratching the paint and you can't tell what I did to it.

your mean "barn door AD panels/burbs stayed with the twist handle "
maybe

Coilover,you are correct !


Tim