Thread: Classic door handle alignment

Originally Posted by Phil 850

While I have the doors apart to fix quarter vents and panel dents, I would like to ensure that the external door handle aligns correctly with the outer door skin.
Here is my current drivers door.
DEA757CD-BAC4-48B2-947F-BBD162875BB1.jpg
There are a few issues.
1. It is not parallel longitudinally to the door.
2. It is not flush with the recess in the door skin.
3. It is not flush with the raised sections of the door skin.
4. It sits out more at the top than the bottom.
5. It also has a significant amount of travel before it starts to release the door lock. The passenger door has no free travel but alignment is no better.

I can modify the arms of the door lock that attach the handle to make the handle alignment correct, but, what should the handle align with ? (I assume it should be item 2).

Does anyone have a definitive answer?

Regards
Phil

On my POS it's flush with #3 on the driver's door and flush with #2 on the passenger side.

#5 is the same on mine.......driver's door gets used more often.

#1 is the same as yours on the driver side, #4 is ok on mine both sides.

The design styling of the doors strongly suggests the handles should be flush with the indent.

You might be able to improve #5 by adjusting the pin position on the door frame...........I think I did that many moons ago.

David L

Its been 30 years since I had my '79 and had the #5 issue, and made the door both hard to open and close cleanly.

I pulled the lock apart and it was worn.
Didn't have access to any welding equipment to build up the worn arm sections and then shape it to suit, so put it together again and checked prices of new locks ... and gave up due to seriously silly prices.