Shaved door handles

[PapaBear101]

:pimp: Can anyone here tell me if they have had there door handles shaved off? I like the look but don't know how big of a pain it might be? Does anyone know?

[King Asoka]

i think its an awsome look, I know i would do it if i could afford it!

[Naich]

sound_xtreme has shaved handles...a few others do too, but they aren't regular posters on the site. They are a great mod. I might wind up doing this when I get my SC/T wing put on and get a new paint job.

[koruptid]

i would get mine shaved but since my alero is my everyday driver im worried about in the winter when my door freezes shut and im not left with a handle to pull on :(

[Aleromaster]

Originally posted by koruptid@Dec 11 2003, 05:05 PM
i would get mine shaved but since my alero is my everyday driver im worried about in the winter when my door freezes shut and im not left with a handle to pull on :(
i wouln't want to pull to hard on those handles as they are only plastic. I've broken a few in the past on previous car so at that point your realy screwed. Now I only pull on the top of the door when they freeze.

[Naich]

yeah dood, don't pull on the handle... hold it open with one hand and pull at the top of the door.

[koruptid]

maybe i should have rephrased that... i dont just go out there and yank the hell out of my handles :) im just sayin i dunno if it would be a practical mod for me considering the climate

[aLeRogrL21]

I've never seen those...what do they look like?

[koruptid]

:D like a door without handles

[justinusaf]

Would love to shave em. Cant afford it right now though.

[aLeRogrL21]

think your funny huh^^^^^i'm serious I've never seen that.

[johny_boy32]

lol...smart ass...lol.

[havik]

google search for shaved door handles (http://www.google.ca/search?q=shaved+door+handles&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&meta=)

[noextreme04]

i just got done doing that to a friends probe. its not the easiest job and it takes quite a while to get the perfect match on the door. The only problem is that if the doors are frozen and you have a motor that pops open the door that motor could blow. we already had one short out so now we put a kill switch on this one. The look is deffinately worth it though.

[99blackalero]

thats one of the things im doing to my ride in the spring among other goodies

[AleroSS]

Shaved handles is a very cool look, i have been researching it for the last year+ and am having it done this winter within the next month or two... if you have any questions let me know, and if I dont have the answers to them, i'll know where to lead you. Also, if the solenoids are installed properly (when installin the popper kit) you should have no problem with freezing up, plus I have an excellent backup system - please pm me with it, as I dont want just anybody knowing where my car's weakspot is.) Also, if you arent sure how it would look on your car, send me/Post a pic of your car (or a comparable looking car) and using my new found photoshop skills, I'll do up a chop for you. Lemme know if any of you guys have any questions, cuz I know that it was hard trying to find out as much as I did in the last year, and I wasnt willing to do something like this without knowing a good deal about poppers, and their reliability/mechanics...

a few things you may want to consider/look into:

- local safety laws/legalities in your area regarding shaved handles on the outside of the car (in my area I believe it is allowed as long as you have a inner door handle, however this changes depending on your area)
- once you have the doors shaved it is EXTREMELY difficult if not impossible to have the handles put back in if you were to sell the car, etc. Therefore, plan on purchasing two new doors/door panels from a wrecker if you plan to sell it (as most people may not see shaved handles as a selling feature)
- make sure whoever is doing it welds in metal to fill the gap, and doesnt just fill the hole with bondo - IT WILL CRACK in no time...
- Make sure to take your locks/disable your locks (unless you leave your lock hole unshaved - though not many people leave their lock in)
- even if a Solenoid (aka Popper) does fail/seize up, there is always the option of crawling thru the trunk or using the other door (likely the two wont seize up at the same time)
- Be sure to get a PROFESSIONAL to install your kit, or at least someone who is familiar with popper kits, and knows what they are doing - especially if you live in a colder area
- Plan to have a couple of backup systems so that if your battery dies, you will still have a way to boost your battery, even though most times with a dead battery, the battery will contain enough juice to pop the doors... ( but PM me for my backup plan...)

[alerosport.com]

it really does look nice! would do it also if i had the extra cash laying around

[noextreme04]

if you do it yourself it really doesnt cost to much. Thats if you have access to free paint, primer, and the fun toys. I think it ran my friend 250 or 300 to do his car. If my digital camera ever comes back in stock i will get a pic of it and post his probe online.

[r53silver91s]

I like the way it looks also but I would only do it if my car was for show and that was it.

[Silentalero]

alero ss pretty much layd the groundwork but also incase the remote dies there would be an emergency remotly mounted popper button to pop them open.

Also make sure your solonoids are strong enough to push your door out becasue in cold weather if your doors are frozen shut and you have a weak popper your screwed, or climing in through the trunk

[sound_xtreme]

i would get mine shaved but since my alero is my everyday driver im worried about in the winter when my door freezes shut and im not left with a handle to pull on

Mine is an everyday driver. it cracks the ice the first time you hit the button. proly easier than if you had handles.

[sound_xtreme]

here's a crappy pic of my car.

[Swat]

If your happen to run across having your door frozen, could you not just pour a bucket of warm water over the frame and melt what's frozen?....Unless for some reason it's frozen from the inside!

[misslindseysue]

Heh, can't tell you how many times I've done that ^^ with my car. That's what happens when you wash it and don't wipe down the door molding good.

[johny_boy32]

OK I will add a ?....how much did your shaved handles run you sound?

[AleroSS]

I would not suggest doing this yourself, mainly because these solenoids, and their operation/alignment and mounting must be flawless... If you dont know what you are doing, dont be surprised if you run into problems later on. And as far as shaving yourself, I would rather have a body shop do mine, because it is a difficult process to look perfect (and I mean inspection perfect) I would not want to look down the side profile of my car and see a ding/dent or any impression from where the work was done. You can get the work done pretty cheap compared to the prices I've heard quoted - I live in Canada, and I'm having it done for under 400 CDN. If you want the labour/paint cost to go down, you could always have them only paint from the trim/body line and upwards... BTW I have spent the last year coming up with a fool proof backup plan system that should be able to prevent/get you out of any sort of glitch/failure/seize/freeze up that you may encounter, I would recommend getting in touch with me before having your handles shaved. Also, if you are skeptical about the poppers, have them installed while your handles are still on the car (and you have the option of deactivating your door handles once you do that) That way, if you ever find that they seize up on you, or you dont like the way they work, all you have inversted in is the price of a kit (which you can sell) and the shop install labor price. I am going down this route b/c I dont have enough cash right now to have the poppers installed AND the shaving done, and I dont want my car on my driveway right now with the handles on and operational, since a few months ago my car had been broken into by the thieves prying under the door handle and messing around with the rods inside to gain entry. This way if they do pry under the handles now and hit the right rod to unlock the door, they wont be able to use my (de-activated) door handle to open the door once its unlocked.... Trust me I've looked at this procedure from all angles, and I would like to think I have it all mapped out. If ANYONE has any questions or concerns, by all means, post your questions and I'll try my best to answer them. BTW - would you be shaving all four doors on your car or just the front two? The reason I ask, is because most popper kits (the better ones atleast) come with a 7 channel control unit, and if you plan on using any sort of remote starter/trunk release/alarm, you MAY run into issues depending on how many other remote items/features you have - though there are channel expanders for some units, so that is also an option for some people.

Later
Landon,

[bdyman]

ok, i have done them many of time wirerd up the popers never had any prob`s with tme at all
like sound said the popers are way strong
think about it for a minute.....35lb poper openin a door....ya no prob
as far as "bondo crakin" if that ever happens then the body man should put his tools down and quit fixin cars
a well preped area and ready for bondo will never ever crack
welding has strong points and down sides too warpin rusting
now the way i do my handles is i use a product by duramix that bonds metal to metal and fights rust ya jusy have to know what ur doin that`s all
now that`s my 2 cents

[johny_boy32]

so how much are we looking at for the kit?

[sound_xtreme]

i got my kit for 50 bucks through F.B.I cause i know people. but you can probably get one for around 100 bucks.

Poppers are the EASY part. welding a plate is the hard part. bondo/bondo glass/kevlar mix(my personal fav) isnt too bad either, sand and prep it real good(Prepsol - dupont i think).

expect to spend a lot of time sanding and maybe redoing parts if you have never done this. and the welding part you have to be REAL carful not to warp your doors.

if you have more ?'s you can find me on AIM, YIM, and MSN a lot.

[AleroSS]

True, I know that the bondo "shouldnt" crack, but I have heard of body shops offering ridiculously lower prices to have doors shaved, simply because they dont weld a plate in and just glass or bondo in the hole, and without the proper support, Ive heard that cracking will be a likely problem. Just for clarification the kit sold by FBI mini ( http://www.fbimini.com/products_detail.php?item_no=dp102 - currently on sale for $59.99 USD) does not come with a Kickout springs or a control unit and remotes, so those of you planning to install poppers and dont have an aftermarket keyless entry/remote starter/alarm system, may have to look into buying one. I am not sure what the capabilities are of the factory keyless entry, but Im sure someone would be able to fill us in on that one. FYI Most popper kits that do come with a control unit and remote(s) normally have a 7 channel unit, which will be more than enough channels for most people to also hook up their starter, etc... I cant stress it enough - DO YOU RESEARCH, there is a lot to know about the lil intricacies of poppers and install options and body work etc..., I spent quite a while talking to people about kits, install options, Good/Well Priced bodyshops etc before i went ahead with it (appointment booked for Dec 19th :) ) Im sure Sound as well as myself would be more than happy to answer any questions. Post them or pm me with your questions.

Landon

[sound_xtreme]

i got mine with everything for 50 but i use the stock remote and wires. it can be done with or without an aftermarket one.

i still have the remote kit and would sell really cheap if someone wants it.

[boarder211]

So Landon... have you found someone in town to do it yet? I like the idea about ppl not being able to break in... and seeing sound_xtreme's car, it actually looks quite nice on a four door. Not that I'd have money enough to get the handles shaved/car painted right off the hop, but in the future... :)

[AleroSS]

Yeah it looks like I found someone else to do it who actually has even more experience with kits than the last guy, so thats always a plus :) I actually got the call from the shop that turned me down, and made a call right afterwards and had my next appt. booked five minutes later... and all for the same "friendly pricing" that the first place (my buddy who owns/runs a shop) was going to do it for = :thumbsup: Lemme know if you do decide to go ahead with it, I am not sure about any extra issues that one may have to worry about when doin it on a 4 door, but Im sure you and I could brainstorm and work out a wicked plan, and get you some mean deals too ! Lemme know - later

[sound_xtreme]

i dint put poppers in the rear doors, i may some day but it is really easy to just reach in since the handles are up front.

[AleroSS]

Hey Sound, how many channels are available from the stock remote and unit? What features does the stock unit offer, and what did you have (ie: does the stock unit offer remote start or just keyless entry and trunk pop)

Also, if you have any underbodies on your car, and the stock system is anything like the unit I have, Im going to be using my panic feature button on my remote to trigger my underbodies (using an extra relay or two) meaning that I will be able to use my panic button to turn on the underbodies. The reason for using the panic button was because I ran outta channels with my aftermarket unit - but heres the neat part. The panic feature on most cars is equipped/programmed with a timer, and normally lasts around 2 min, so I can trigger my underbodies, and never have to worry about it draining my battery, even when the buttons get pushed in my pocket (not that that happens lots...). Therefore, you not only have remote underbodies, but a fail-safe on your underbodies to prevent you from forgetting to turn them off... I thought it was pretty neat, though I havent had it done yet. Car goes in the shop on Friday the 19th of Dec, so i will keep you updated as to how it all turns out...
:thumbsup:

[sound_xtreme]

just keyless entry, trunk, and panic. lock button becomes useless unless you want to pop all doors at once. hit the unlock button once for drivers side, twice for drivers and passengers.

you have to read the book and turn off the auto-un/lock feature also. otherwise when you turn on/off the car it will open your doors.

panic button could proly be done but it would proly be a pain to figure out.

i also have an emergency lock under the car mounted in the rail(where most install their neons). I had to use a couple relays to cut power off from the stock wires and essentially hot wire it to the battery.(if you dont use relays nothing happens and stuff starts smoking (and i think you'll blow a fuse).

oh yea, one more thing. if you use the stock wiring, you'll have to put a bigger fuse in. it'll blow the small stock rating the first time.

I also have an emrgency jumper cable(2 ga power wire) just in case my battery was to completely die. most poppers will work with very low voltage tho.

[bdyman]

True, I know that the bondo "shouldnt" crack, but I have heard of body shops offering ridiculously lower prices to have doors shaved, simply because they dont weld a plate in and just glass or bondo in the hole, and without the proper support, Ive heard that cracking will be a likely problem.
^^^ huh???? if a body man is just fillin in the hole with bondo or glass there`s no way the filler would just be ozin and ozin no way to fill a hole that way
weldin can be a bad thing too rustin behind the panel warping the panel
iam speakin from experience here nno matter how good a welder you are it will warp
happened to me and allot of people, the duramix product is freakin great, anybody here that does body work and has used a duramix product knows what iam talkin about
the stuff is basiclly liquid welding and it won`t rust!!!
through my boss he is a jobber for autoloc, and he gets the poper kits for 20 bucks!!
come next spring when iam doin mine i will post pics and show ya guys the dura mix product and silent`s car as well
any custom work takes time to do it right iam curious how much this body shop is charing you to do this????
is ur ride a 4 or 2 door
allot of labor allot of paint labor
what kind of paint system do they use???
oh one more thing do not constanly bug the shop trust me we don`t like that when a customer is buggin the hell out of us "when is my car goin to be done"
we hate that...lol....
any more questions let me know

[johny_boy32]

Hey Aleross...how much is it gonna run you then?

[AleroSS]

Well basically - it's kinda hard to say. I had two insurance claims from this year, the first being a VERY minor rear ending, and the second is from when those bastard theives broke in (see pic below). Basically, I took it to the shop, and had them look at what autopac (the car insurance place for us manitobans) had alloted in the claim for shop labour and supplies, and see if they could work in some of the Shaving/painting process into my claim. Basically they said that they would be able to fix the lil scratch and dent on my back bumper (from the first claim), fix & paint my pass. door (from where the beak-in occured), pull a dent out on my drivers door, and do the shaving and painting for a mere $150 more than my $200 deductible. All in all I will be paying $350 for a job that Ive heard quoted for MUCH higher. This is one of the best shops around for body work. I know that they are using PPG paints, but I just emailed them to get the other specs that you asked about, as I cant remember from when they took me on a walkthru of their shop(though I believe their booth is a down draft booth - but then again, im not sure what that translates into as Im not up on my painting process knowledge...). BTW my car is a 2 door, so obviously, it would be cheaper than a four door, but I think that anyone can agree, that for the price I am paying, and for the quality of work I will be having done, most people couldnt argue that I'm getting one hell of a deal... And not to drag this post out, but it to sweeten the deal, this business is another one of those businesses that I COMPLETELY trust, and I dont say that about businesses quite often. I think the peace of mind of having a quality shop which you have a good repor always makes things much easier, and less stressful, wouldnt you guys agree?

[AleroSS]

Sorry - pardon the two feet of salt on the car, and the other 3 inches of dirt on the car, lol, its been way too cold to wash the car lately... :P

[AleroSS]

Oh and the parts guy just emailed me back about the body shop, and basically had this to say

" don't know all the specifics, but I do know Brian uses Global/PPG paints, and has a downdraft booth (the both is actually brand new ) The booth is sweet, it has this huge fan that cycles the air. Apparantly it costs $50 every time he turns it on

No website yet, we're working on that.

If you want to know more, give him a call @ (204)878-4321"

[sound_xtreme]

Um, i didnt warp my doors one bit.

[allRnothin]

My doors had no warpage either. They are wired to my factory remote.. unlock pops the driver door and lock pops the passenger door. As for a bigger fuse this is true, normal if 15 i think im using a 20 and it works fine. just dont get do big of a fuse.

[bdyman]

and that`s fine great even!! like i said if ya know what ur doin just great
everyone has there one way of doin things ppg is a great system real easy to use i love it!1 and have been usin it for the past 10 yrs
down draft booths are awesome to paint in would like to see pics close up please of this guys work

[AleroSS]

so in your experience, this sounds like theyre using some decent equipment right? (it sounded that way, but i dont know much about paint - aside from erotic finger pain....errr, ahhhh, yeah nevermind :P lol) And I will for sure post pics once i get it done so you guys can see the workmanship

[bdyman]

yes they are