Door handle question

[Terry Lange]

Of the 5 outside door handles on my '59 Comet Olds, the 4 side door handles are stock '59-'60 GM handles with the oval push button and no key cylinder. The rear door handle is different in design, and has a round push button, and the lock cylinder as part of the push button. Does anyone have any idea what year and make of vehicle this may have come from? I am looking to get a replacement, as the chrome on the one I have is pitted.

 

[Mike Stevens]

door handle

Terry,
Look inside the door handle for any numbers or identifying marks. Post whatever you find. Numbers, logo or ? First try looking around the inside of the button area. Then try the handle itself. I would almost bet this handle is an older GM product.
Mike

 

[Terry Lange]

Mike, I guess I should have mentioned that PCS member Len Langlois had already established that this is a GM handle, based on the code stamped on the lock cylinder shaft. Other than that, the only other stampings anywhere on the handle are the letter "R" on the part that connects to the rod inside the door, and the letter "B" stamped on the inside of where the trailing edge of the handle screws to the door.

I will likely just end up going down to Desert Valley Auto Parts and look at a bunch of pre-59 GM products until I find something identical to this. I'll probably wait another week until its 115 degrees before I bother with that!

 

[Russ Austin]

A good chrome shop can strip, solder the pits & rechrome the handle for you.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

It looks like a 1955 _ 1956 Cadillac front door, however, it could be from one of a number of cars from that era. I would need some additional pictures to know for certain. Many times, there is a casting number on the inside of the handle, and I might be able to cross reference that to the part number. It might also be common to some other cars of those years going back no more than 10 years. GM would provide the coach builders with parts recommendations of parts that were still fully inventoried. Compare the button location with a regular door handle to see which side of the door the handle is from.. or, if the rear door is hinged on the right, then it is a right hand door handle. Left hinge would have a left door handle. I get door handles re-chromed for approximately $75 each. The lock button is stainless steel, so all it will need is a few minutes of polishing. Also, while you have it apart, you can have the lock re keyed to the ignition to have one common key,

 

[Terry Lange]

Paul, there is no casting # on the inside of the handle. Here are a few more pics. I guess rechroming is an option, but Desert Valley Auto Parts sells clean outside door handles for $25 each. I got the other 4 from them for $5 each, due to a miscommunication. They thought I was talking about inside door handles, while I had the guy in the yard remove 4 outside ones. Once they were all sitting on the counter, they realized we were talking about two different things.

 

[Martyn Donaldson]

It is a '57 and '58 GM handle

 

[Daniel Scully]

Handle

The 63 Flexett I had looked the same for the rear handle and it was a 58 Buick handle.

 

[Terry Lange]

Daniel, you were right on. I went to Desert Valley Auto Parts yesterday. This handle is off a '58 Olds, Buick or Cadillac. Chev and Pontiac of that year had the oval button with a separate key cylinder.