LFD's 4dr Tahoe Build

[68GMC454]

great work as usual.. looks great...

[Rokcrln]

We decided to go with PT Cruiser door handles but it is a little more work than just bolting them up. The PT's are a flat mount and out trucks are not so the PT handles have a gap that needs to be dealt with. I first made a hammer form so I could make stand offs that were all the same for all 5 doors but they dint sit right. The handles are angled up hill and don't look right. So I will cut out some larger blanks for the hammer form so they stand off about 7/8" at the top and will be flush at the bottom. Here are a few pics to show what I have tried to give you an idea of were I am going with this.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[LEEVON]

Wow those look great.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

We decided to go with PT Cruiser door handles...

Er, eh... interesting choice.

From a design perspective, I'm curious how you see the integration of the ovoid shape of the PT handles, buttons, and your standoffs with the generally "square" lines of the truck. It's not a typical combination.

/2 cents
//or less

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by XXL

Er, eh... interesting choice.

From a design perspective, I'm curious how you see the integration of the ovoid shape of the PT handles, buttons, and your standoffs with the generally "square" lines of the truck. It's not a typical combination.

/2 cents
//or less

Well I see these trucks as having some striate lines but still mainly being a very curvy truck.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

Here is the second go round, they are now just about were they should be but I am not a 100% sold.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[woodwright]

Yeah I'm not so sure about the P.T. handles either. I'm all for making things custom, but I think it looks cool when you can make it look like it came that way. IMHO, the amount of standoff that you have to make them sit right, doesn't look right. You do awesome work though.

[vk_chevy]

good job on figuring out how to mount the handles, however,

if it was me, I'd go with truck handle, the PT handle is kind of bulbous on the standoff and seems to stick out too far

[VA72C10]

I would also vote for either the truck handles or a custom flush option. I admire your work to get the PT handles to sit right, but think that it takes away from the truck.

it's your truck and the rest of your modifications have been spot on so maybe this will work with a little massaging.

[XXL]

BTW, 2 points I failed to make in my previous post, that I should have...

Originally Posted by VA72C10

I admire your work...


it's your truck...

Keep up the awesome metalwork whatever you decide to do.

[Frizzle Fry]

Well, I was gonna keep my opinion to myself on this but I have to tell you that those handles, while cool for something, are just not right for these Burbs/Tahoes/Blazers/Trucks IMHO. They are so curvy and have a bit of a feminine look (for lack of a better term). Not that I have any problem with the feminine form ...it just doesn't quite work with the square doors and windows. They would probably look great on a 55-59. The stock handles have more of a machined look/feel and I don't think there's a better option out there. If you are bent on changing the handles I have noticed the Acura MDX handles. They are more straight-lined and simple, but will need some creative engineering to use the stock latches (but we all know you're capable).

[Rokcrln]

I agree with all of you. They just do not work well, if they sat right with out the stand off I was willing to go that direction but not any more. When my wife got home last night I broke the news to her that she just cost me another 10 hours of shop time! 5 to figure how to make them work and 5 to go back to STOCK plus $150 for a set of handles that may never get used although they might look good on the 51 F1 I have to do Time now to patch the doors (why didn't I stop at one) finish the body and get on to other areas.

Thanks for your input guys and F.F. next time don't wait so Long to pipe in!


Kevin
LFD Inc.

[toomanytoyz]

The stand off was what killed them for me also, It is Going to be a Challenge to Find just the Right Look for this Build................

But then I Think Challenge should be Your Middle Name.............

Rick

[MrBeast]

Kevin, my .02 would be stick with the stock handles, add electric locks to them so you only need the keys on the front 2 doors, and call it good. I have always loved the look and feel of the latches on our trucks, for me it is one of the most gratifying things about em. Just the feel you get from opening and closing the door that is, it doesn't feel like a modern piece of junk, it feels like a quality built coach.

If you want to do somthing that will be a good mod imo, take the back gate out of a 73-87 burb, and the rear window frame and stitch them into yours, then reskin the gate with a 67-72 tailgate, that way you can have an electric back window, now that would be trick IMO. And the best part is on nice days you could roll the back glass and the rest of the windows down and have fresh air running through the cab.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

Kevin, my .02 would be stick with the stock handles, add electric locks to them so you only need the keys on the front 2 doors, and call it good. I have always loved the look and feel of the latches on our trucks, for me it is one of the most gratifying things about em. Just the feel you get from opening and closing the door that is, it doesn't feel like a modern piece of junk, it feels like a quality built coach.
If you want to do somthing that will be a good mod imo, take the back gate out of a 73-87 burb, and the rear window frame and stitch them into yours, then reskin the gate with a 67-72 tailgate, that way you can have an electric back window, now that would be trick IMO. And the best part is on nice days you could roll the back glass and the rest of the windows down and have fresh air running through the cab.

I know just what you are talking about. Nothing like that feel of cold metal.

I have a few ideas rolling around in my empty space.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

If you want to do somthing that will be a good mod imo, take the back gate out of a 73-87 burb, and the rear window frame and stitch them into yours, then reskin the gate with a 67-72 tailgate, that way you can have an electric back window, now that would be trick IMO. And the best part is on nice days you could roll the back glass and the rest of the windows down and have fresh air running through the cab.

Now this would be cool! That way you could get the wider tailgate of the pickup and the pickup taillights, in the same relationship to each other as in a pickup(as opposed to how Hart_Rod did his). I'm also assuming there would be more viewable area in the back window too, without the window frame....definitely more viewable area than the barn doors. I like the way Frizzle did his liftgate, but in my '03 Suburban with the liftgate I do miss being able to sit on the tailgate.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

Now this would be cool! That way you could get the wider tailgate of the pickup and the pickup taillights, in the same relationship to each other as in a pickup(as opposed to how Hart_Rod did his). I'm also assuming there would be more viewable area in the back window too, without the window frame....definitely more viewable area than the barn doors. I like the way Frizzle did his liftgate, but in my '03 Suburban with the liftgate I do miss being able to sit on the tailgate.

WOO slow down their a minute. I just said I was working on something and it will not be that. The reason a truck gate won't fit is because the rear of a Burb is the same width on the out side but the opening is several inches smaller. If you try and widen it out far enough I am afraid you would loose allot of the rear corners of the top and really make it look off. I will not be going in this direction at all.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

It was all just a real bad dream!



Kevin
LFD Inc.

[tdave00]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

WOO slow down their a minute. I just said I was working on something and it will not be that. The reason a truck gate won't fit is because the rear of a Burb is the same width on the out side but the opening is several inches smaller. If you try and widen it out far enough I am afraid you would loose allot of the rear corners of the top and really make it look off. I will not be going in this direction at all.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Awwe c'mon. Slap a tailgate in there! Or at least cutout the CHEVROLET section from a gate and make it work in the rear .

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

a Burb is the same width on the out side but the opening is several inches smaller.

Actually they are narrower externally and even more narrow on the inside. The C H E V R O L E T section from a truck gate would be cool though.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by tdave00

Awwe c'mon. Slap a tailgate in there! Or at least cutout the CHEVROLET section from a gate and make it work in the rear .

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Actually they are narrower externally and even more narrow on the inside. The C H E V R O L E T section from a truck gate would be cool though.

SHHHHHH! I am thinking more along the lines of C H E V / R O L E T OR C H E V R / O L E T depends how the split works out best but don't tell anyone ok

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I tried to stop you in your other thread, does that count?

[VA72C10]

Looks like a good deal of work but definitely looks a lot better recessed like that.

[hgs_notes]

Why wouldn't a narrowed tailgate work? It's got to be an easier mod than say cutting a longbed to a shortbed, or adding a 4th door, or making a tahoe from a burb, or a 67 hood from a 72, or any other of the many jobs you've done before.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Why wouldn't a narrowed tailgate work? It's got to be an easier mod than say cutting a longbed to a shortbed, or adding a 4th door, or making a tahoe from a burb, or a 67 hood from a 72, or any other of the many jobs you've done before.

Never said it would not work it's just not a mod I want. As you can see from EB's lunch break something that looks like it may not work, can if you look at it differently. I thought about doing sort of what he did but never thought to extend the inset area all the way through the handle area.

Kevin
LFD Inc.