door handles - nice winter job

[AlanT]

When I got my 4A it had been fitted with two left-hand door-handles.

 

They worked, kind of. I got really puzzled after the rebuild trying to get them back right until I rumbled what had gone on.

 

So I bought some used right-hand handles from USA ebay on the basis that they would not be as worn-out as UK ones,

 

These have been re-plated by my local expert who tells me that of all the zinc-magnesium alloy parts he has tried to re-plate Triumph parts in general and these handles in particular work very well.

He wont even try Vauxhall parts!

 

Here is how they came back,

 

I'll be posting photos to show reassembly of these.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11224085935/

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2013 by AlanT

[RogerH]

Hi Alan,

they look really neat.

As you know the left / right difference is the moulding on the back. These are marked NS and OS.

 

Roger

[peejay4A]

How was I able to swap mine left for right so as to expose the less pitted surface upwards? You have me doubting now but they both work fine. Maybe I didn't and dreamed it?

[RogerH]

Hi Pete,

the handles are the same. You simply swap over the back plate. This puts the actuating arm at the right angle.

 

Roger

[AlanT]

The third handle is usable but not as good as the other two. But I am not good enough to photograph the imperfection.

 

Also a photo of ALL the parts that go to make up one handle

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11224191233/

 

AND

 

the next photo shows the only three parts that are handed.

 

If I have it correct the left hand side is the left hand handle!!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11224190623/

Edited December 13, 2013 by AlanT

[AlanT]

I give up attaching images on here.

You will have to mess with the Flickr slide-show instead.

 

I HAVE NOW FOUND A BETTER WAY TO DO THESE PICTURES.

Edited December 13, 2013 by AlanT

[seanlen]

Alan, Nice job on the plating could you tell me who you use as I have some parts to do.

 

Sean

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

When I got my 4A it had been fitted with two left-hand door-handles.

 

They worked, kind of. I got really puzzled after the rebuild trying to get them back right until I rumbled what had gone on.

 

So I bought some used right-hand handles from USA ebay on the basis that they would not be as worn-out as UK ones,

 

These have been re-plated by my local expert who tells me that of all the zinc-magnesium alloy parts he has tried to re-plate Triumph parts in general and these handles in particular work very well.

He wont even try Vauxhall parts!

 

Here is how they came back,

 

I'll be posting photos to show reassembly of these.

 

 

 

 

 

Alan, I'd tell your plater he has just done sort of Vauxhall parts as the TR4 door handle is the same as Bedford TK truck.....and Aston Martin of course.

 

Coat please

Peter W

[AlanT]

Its the big rear lights from PA Crestas that explode on him.

 

I use Doug Heath in Baldock. Great bloke but v.busy now, So no go for rush jobs. 4-6 weeks.

This does not bother me. I just collect something and leave something else.

 

You must draw around the part or sketch it or some such and add your name/phone and bag this with the part.

 

If defects show up after stripping you can take it back and weld/fix and then go back.

[AlanT]

Of course if you just buy up handles you dont expect them to come with matching keys. To get a key at all is a bit of luck.

 

So when I bought one to replace the left-hand one I at present have on the drivers door it came as a surprise to find that my key opened it!

 

This seemed a bit to lucky and I actually posted on here an asked if all the cars had the same keys.

I found out today that the correct key number is stamped on the barrel.

The correct key for my new handle is nearly the same but the number is two higher.

 

Check the photo and you will see what a tiny effect this has. You can just see about 0.25mm of brass ward projecting from the barrel. Even brand new this means that lots of keys will operate the lock. Of course this is widely known.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11242697903/

 

About 15 minutes later I had adjusted this barrel to work with my normal key as shown in the next photo.

 

I did this without removing the ward from the barrel. Try to avoid this if you are messing with these. Each ward is positioned by its own tiny coil spring less than 1mm in diameter.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11242584165/

 

You wont always get lucky like this of course. My other two handles are nowhere near the same. But I got a key with them.

 

Actually these brass wards can wear circumferential grooves in the handle which means that the barrel will turn even if locked.

 

Two things happen when the barrel is in the locked position.

 

1. the "plunger" can retreat back into the long slot in the barrel. This means it does not push on the paddle, on the part of the lock thats on the door-frame, when you press the button in.

 

2. the lever that pokes through the back-plate on the handle moves another lever on the lock via the "springy-coupler".

 

So there are two separate mechanisms that frustate entry. Note I didn't say "prevent"!

 

I can remember that the GPO Morris Minor vans had obviously failed some "lock test" and been fitted with ordinary Yale type barrels as used on front-doors. This operated on the bar from the interior door-handle judging by the position used. Couldn't have the Queens mail being tampered with could we.

 

Perhaps we should all do the same.

 

They had rubber wings too, so Post-men were obviously expected to hit things.

Edited December 13, 2013 by AlanT

[AlanT]

The waterproof grease for these arrived:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354129916/

 

These parts go together first:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354171324/

 

Note the return-spring on the stub of the button but not yet in its final place

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354131896/

 

Return-spring pushed home and the second stage parts:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354170014/

 

All together, note how you can do this and then put into the handle:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354130746/

 

Finished pair:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11354222173/

 

And finally the slide-show which has a few different shots in it:

 

 

 

The last few shots are a newly arrived, unrestored handle, with a big pit in it.

If this turns out OK I'll post some photos of the restoration. Someone has also had a DA sander on it.

Edited December 13, 2013 by AlanT

[AlanT]

This is a pair of repro-handles:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11389428186/

 

Note that these are NEW and look OK.

 

BUT

 

The little lever that oreates the real door lock is missing.

The key will disable the button but the spring pull thing has no where to connect.

 

If you put up with this then you can put a left-hand handle on a right-hand door.

This is how mine is at present but NOT for much longer.

[AlanT]

Now have a new proper RH handle on the drivers door.

 

I've been making do with a left-hand.

 

If you lengthen the "springy-thingy" you can get a handle to work on the WRONG side.

I did this with a little folded metal "stop".

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11519988615/

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/11519988055/

[AlanT]

I just found out that the key number is engraved into the foot of the handle.

 

This might help if you can't read the number on the barrel.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90670218@N04/14257170193/

 

Thiw won't help if the barrel has ben changed for something else of course.