VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Installing inside door and window handles?

Now that I have the Hampton door panels and garnish moldings installed on my '34, I am ready to install the handles. With the sponge spacers and the door panel thickness, it looks like it will be a very tight fit. I'm curious what method some of you have used to get them on & secured with the clips.

Try putting the clips on the handles first and them push them on.

You may not be able to "push them on". Position the handles in place with the clips installed. Then while holding them firm in place with one hand use a rubber hammer and with a swift and solid blow the handle should go on.

Hampton Coach puts way too much padding in their door panels which makes the handles very difficult to install. Because of the thickness of the door panel, once the handles are installed and turned they will leave either a depression or a mark on the door panel upholstery.

I was thinking that should work too, but then hope you never need to take them off!

Thanks for all three replies. I was able to install all six handles/cranks with your suggestions of installing the clips first then using a rubber mallet.

But the two roll up window handles were a real pain. I could not get the new clips on tight. On a hunch, I put on the original clips I had fortunately saved and they went on easily.

So my suggestion to anyone reading this would be to save the original clips if they are still good versus using new ones. Their slight off size made a big difference in installation.