The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Bear claws and pull down handles

In 1952 door handles changed to push button, except for mine. I have a 52 with pull down handles from factory. I wanted bear claws but I couldn’t find any information for pull down handles. Chuck and Houston had good info on push button, so I used some of their ideas and improvised the rest.
The outside handle shaft was cut to 1.25” long, the end was squared and tapped to take a 2.5” arm. A 3” back plate was made to attach to the door handle screw, a stopper for the arm was attached to the back plate and because the door handle is a ball and socket a centering plate was attached to the stopper, a return spring was attached from the arm to the top of the back plate. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00190.jpg
A pulley is placed at the front of the door just above the top hinge to route the cable around the window channel. (Be prepared to lose a lot of skin getting the nut on the back) In hind sight drilling a ½” asset hole on the front pillar and a plug would have been much easier.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00209.jpg
Because the bear claws release was so touchy the inside door handle assembly was modified by cutting 1.5” off the end and attaching a free play piece Which also makes the power door locks work. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00148.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00143.jpg
The free play piece allows the inside handle to move its full range till it hits the jamb nut and opens the bear claw. The cable is attached about half way down the inside handle arm to the pulley and then to the outside handle arm, the return spring on the inside handle keeps the cable tight. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00211.jpg
A power door lock solenoid is attached to a plate and placed inside at the front of the door above the lower hinge. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00197.jpg
A old chock cable was ran from the solenoid to a dog leg piece that was cut in at the inside handle http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00198.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00201.jpg The solenoid moves the dog leg down in front the inside assembly blocking it movement and locking the door inside and out.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00212.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/DSC00216.jpg
All photos and more.
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/
Jeff

WOW..... Thanks Barney,....that information is very helpful.

Has any one looked at or used the set-up offered by
Rocky Hinge Inc. ( Rocky Hinge not sure how to post a link here ?), I spoke to one of the guys at the shop Sat 3/1/08, by telephone, he seemed completely confident that he had what I needed for my 49.
Just curious if Barney or any of you have used there stuff. I hate to invest more in trial and error.
Barney, your impressions / review of there latch systems catalog on line would be of value given your experience.

Expressing 'Thanks', falls short of how impressed I am with the information shared here @ Stovebolt.
I hope to be able to pay it forward.

I really need to figure out how to better search this site for finding information faster.
Am I the only person who gets distracted by All the great tip's?

If there is a complete kit available for purchase, just for this 49 door I am still interested.

I will continue to post what I learn.

Bill
(still a rookie)

[email protected]

Thank you, for helping me with posting the link

Bill
still a rookie

Thanks, would you want to sell me a set up ready to install ?.?
I am a carpenter with no welding experience and currently swamped.
I am calling around to find a shop near me here to do the work, as I am swamped with jobs for clients.
Your friend Regardless

Geppetto: I think you might want to stay with the factory latches for now. Building the operators isn’t that hard as know one but you will see the welding and a grinder is your best friend. Pulling in the bear claws and making them look good is a lot harder. Look at Houston and Chuck’s site. http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=6&uid=2902753& http://www.chuckthetruck.com/
My pics http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/?action=view&current=DSC00183.jpg http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o142/dapapa_photos/Doors/?action=view&current=DSC00187.jpg
I don’t want to rain on your parade but welding is a main part of fabricating. You should get a small mig and play around with it till you’re conferrable. You will probably need to do other welding like cab corners, door bottoms, it won’t go to waste. Got some pics of your truck? Jeff

Barney: You are right about all including the Mig. I appreciate your encouragement and generous sharing of all, the people in this site are awesome.
I enjoy ( no,..I love) working on my truck. How ever some times 'life and or family', plus being my own company - tap's me on the shoulder and reminds me that it's time to prioritize (perhaps, I am enjoying reading the 'stovebolt' forums 'a little to much'?) and hire out some of the 'fun' and get back to being a carpenter.
My 49 goes to work everyday (carpenter/contractor) and has since 77. If she is not running well, then I am not performing well either. So I do what it takes to get fixed.
Some of these reproduction parts out there are not what they were in 94 and 97 when I last went thru changing latch's - electrical - engine-trans- seals-gaskets etc.
My hope was that 'certainly there must be other guys/trucks that created a market for the solutions.

Perhaps even better is finding the people on stovebolt who encourage and remind us of why we love our truck's.

Any way,.. your advise IS well appreciated. I will continue to post any thing new that I learn about 'doors', no doupt
others will as well.
Now I just need to find a set of 'original 49 latch's that work.
Your Friend, G