Looking for a set of door handles for a 1970 GS. Hoping to find an NOS, or very mint condition GM set. Thank you for any help that anyone can give. Thanks.
Just make sure you buy a set with the correct angle that meets the door skin and door handle thickness. There are so many different NOS handles out there and many of them have a different thickness then the originals. When I looked for a set of handles for my 71 car I opted for a nice set of original 70-72 handles that were re-plated. Just something you might want to think about. Duane
Thank you Duane, I know nothing about the door skin and handle thickness. It would be an option to replate mine, since they are original; it is just the lead time that is so long for chrome plating these days.
You can probably find a set of re-chromed ones on here. You could always send yours out to get plated later or someone could use yours as cores. Duane
Yep southwest stuff is usually better. Some of these were acquired loose, others so long ago don't remember origin. Several different versions exist, according to other sources.
Hey newmexguy....How much, would a really nice pair of Outer Door Handles, cost me, if you were willing to part with them.? I am restoring my 70 Stage-1 Convertible. I could use a set to have Re-chromed. I want them to look Show Quality when Finished. I have been trying to get this car restored since 1983. I have had to, rely on others to help me get it, to thus point. Adam Martin is scheduled, to Finish it for me this Summer...I Hope. Thanks, Jim Jaeger Semper Fi
Yep that is the issue i have with these, some were acquired loose, some came off Different A series cars at different times, and weren't marked when removed. So can't say, this set is GSX , or SS Chevelle, etc. Did try an excellent pair, once, from the '69 Electra coupe I had numerous parts from, on my Chevelle, and they fit perfectly.
newmexguy Almost all of the GM door handles will fit into any door, what is different is the angle where the door handle mounts to the door skins. GM changed this angle to match the door skin angle, in order to “keep” the top of the handle level with the ground. If you pick up a door handle and look at the rearward facing surface, where it sits against the door skin, you will see that “mating surface” will be straight up & down on some, angled on others, and drastically angled on some of them. That is the basic differences on the handles, and there are differences on the buttons. The 70-72 Buick A-body buttons have a rod that comes out of the back of the button and then turns down. You need to use that style button only. If you use one with a straight rod, when you push the button all the way in it sometimes goes over top of the “paddle” it pushes against to open the door, and will jamb everything up. At that point trying to get the door open becomes a huge issue, especially if the door panels are on the car. Somewhere on this board I posted pics of some different door handles showing the different “mating” angles. Once you figure out which handles fit which model car, and get the appropriate buttons, you should get decent money for nice clean used door handle sets. Maybe someone could send you a no good pitted 70-72 Skylark door handle so you could use that as a reference. The 68-69 Skylark/GS handles are also different then their 70-72 brothers. How this helps. Duane
Excellent information Duane! Everything you just stated I spent months fighting. Passenger side door, wrong rod on the wrong handle with a bad angle and I even did some paint damage along the way.
Yeah, Well how I figured it out was pretty bad, it was on the first 70 Stage 1 4-speed car I was restoring. The car had a Standard interior and at the time the door panels were not reproduced. After putting on the new door handles and closing the door everything jammed. I don’t remember how we got everything apart but do remember it was horrendous, especially with making sure we did not destroy that door panel. For a while there I was considering shattering the window to get room to pry everything apart inside the door. This is also an example of why I tell people to NEVER throw anything out until the car is done. I kept, and looked at the old door handles to see what the differences were between them and the new ones. Once I knew that I could understand what was happening inside the doors. Duane PS, If I get time I will post a few pics of the 68-69 and 70-72 Skylark/GS door handles so you can see what I am talking about. I think I kept some originals as reference.
OK, I found some old pics I took. The 1st pic is of a 69 Skylark/GS set looking at the handles from the rear. You can see how angled the door skin mating surface is. The 2nd pic is from a 70-72 Skylark/GS door handle set. The door skin mating surface is basically vertical on these. The 3rd pic shows the same 70-72 Skylark/GS set and although it's hard to see, they do have the bent pins in the buttons. The last pic is from a 70-72 Chevy El Camino. The housing looks to have the same angle as the 68-69 Skylark/GS handles, and shows the bent door button rod very well. There are also other handles out there with angles between the 2 types posted above, so if you are looking for 68-69 Skylark/GS door handles you need to be careful to get the ones with the correct angles. One last thing, there are numbers cast into the handles on the inside. Often they are hard to read, and sometimes a number or 2 might be missing. I do not think those casting numbers were anything you could order, but if the guys started listing those numbers off known "correct" door handles it would be helpful with creating a database to help everyone get what they need. Hope this helps. Duane
Great advice Duane about to not get rid of anything til your car is built. This is so true. Bit me a couple times but I learned. Sometimes you learn those reproduction parts or parts you bought used are not what you thought they would be.
NOS outside door handles ending in #224 #225 fit many GM cars in the 60's 70's I was shocked to see they fit my 70 estate wagon . Bill
Years ago I got tired of seeing some parts and threw away a entire box full of handles. I had taken them off cars for years. They really were not worth anything at the time and I just wanted some stuff gone. Go figure I now could use a good set lol. I think about all the cars I have parted out over the years and how much stuff I could use now. Just can't keep it all unless you have a lot of extra space to put the stuff away.
Ryan, When I sold/closed my shop I gave the majority of my extra parts, including a bunch of used California chrome pieces to Ritchie. I didn’t have the storage room anymore and figured he could blend my stuff in with his. It’s funny but I have gone back to him many times to get some parts I gave him, including an original 70 GS grill I bought at the Nationals for $25.00 that only needed painted. That part is in the X-Camino now. Maybe if some of you guys need to make room you could give your extra pieces to a buddy. It might help. We have all thrown out parts we would like to have back. Duane
Yep, remember as a kid, tossing a Pontiac 400, along with a Chev 283, and a Buick 350 for scrap, because we were poor, had no space, wanted them gone, and needed money.
