Wanted Tailgate Handle
- Thread starter Delancy
- Start date
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Darn! I wish I were closer...
Chris,
Do you know which style handle it is? One is bolted together ( the two main pieces, with the spring between ) and the other is pressed pinned together. The bolted ones are wider and the tailgate is enlarged at that spot, in order to let the bolts pass. Not sure about what years each is.
Do you know which style handle it is? One is bolted together ( the two main pieces, with the spring between ) and the other is pressed pinned together. The bolted ones are wider and the tailgate is enlarged at that spot, in order to let the bolts pass. Not sure about what years each is.
Sorry, no, I meant closer to being able to reproduce. All my efforts have ended in frustration.
- Thread starter
- #6
They look the same from that side, Robbie needs to look at the back side where they hinge. I guess you could cut the tailgate out some to let a bolted handle pass through. These things have been mix matched through the years, no telling by year anymore. Most of the handles have pits in the chrome, is that acceptable. I took mine apart and had it rechromed, but that's a big delay. The pinned ones can't be taken apart. I can help if non perfect is ok.
PM the address where you want it and I'll send the pinned one. it will fit either style tailgate.
- Thread starter
- #10
Thanks, Ron.
I wonder if this is on John's ( slocruisers) to do list of replacement parts? He has already solved the elusive side mirrors problem.
Then how do you make them?
CNC mill with a big much of stainless
$ $ $
If you make a thousand, it is cheap per unit
Because it could be treated as two pieces, the "handle" half of it could be redone since it sounds like it is the one that breaks.
Yes, but I think most of them are pinned together, so you would have to drill out the press-pin and then go to bolts...
If you make a thousand, it is cheap per unit
I believe I read somewhere that something like only 1000 of these 55’s are still running around in some form of driving condition. If that’s true what are the chances I could get every owner to give me $100 for a new rear handle?
If someone can get a 100 pcs commitment I’ll make them.
I'd love to have a brand new and hopefully improved metal handle. I had mine rechromed, but someday it will break too. I'm afraid the only way we'll get an order of a hundred, would be to sell to one of the big shops, SOR, etc.
What's your thoughts on material? Thanks for even thinking about this.
What's your thoughts on material? Thanks for even thinking about this.
No way to put enough margin for big shops like SOR, it would be $1000.00 retail plus their ridiculous shipping/ handling fee if they had them for sale.
For the volume you would likely see it would be best to just bite the bullet, build fixtures and CNC them from aluminum then send them out for plating. Guessing you could build them for around $350 to $450 EA polished & chrome plated and assembled once you got to 100 plus and if you wanted to sell them I’m guessing you would want to put something on top of that but at just 10% profit the part is more $$ than most will spend and a loser for the guy building them.
The biggest issue with these projects is the majority of the guys that own the 55’s are not looking at high dollar restorations and these parts are not easy or cheap to reproduce in low volume, I would bet less than ten guys would be up for buying them pushing the price beyond reasonable after trying to amortize the fixtures for ten PCS but like I said if you guys get 100 committed I’ll find a way to get them made.
