JPS Project

[Djs44]

Interior door handles - the handle depth is considerably less than the distance   from the face of the door card to the interior door that the handle bolts to. Is the handle spaced off the door ?? 

[Fridge]

I can't remember, but I believe so.

I should know. Doh!

[Rudi K]

Yes, quite a few spacers/washers are involved.

Getting the door handle rods adjusted to the correct length so that the door opening and locking mechanisms work properly from the inside is quite an art. As is juggling the handle frame to fit back into the door card. Much experimentation may be required with the spacers and alignment of the handle bolts before tightening up.

Other suggestions - tackle the doors one at a time and make sure that you can open and close the door nicely from the outside before configuring the interior mechanism. Don't get stuck inside the car!

[Djs44]

6 minutes ago, Rudi K said:

Yes, quite a few spacers/washers are involved.

Getting the door handle rods adjusted to the correct length so that the door opening and locking mechanisms work properly from the inside is quite an art. As is juggling the handle frame to fit back into the door card. Much experimentation may be required with the spacers and alignment of the handle bolts before tightening up.

Other suggestions - tackle the doors one at a time and make sure that you can open and close the door nicely from the outside before configuring the interior mechanism. Don't get stuck inside the car!

Thanks Rudi - especially the comment about one door at a time - now the sunroof has gone, I don't have that for emergency access/exit  !! 

 

 

[Fridge]

Are you referring to the door handles ie. grab handles or the door latches? Which is what appears @Rudi Kis responding with.

From memory, the grab handles have a spacer of about 8-10mm depth which fits over the base before inserting the bolt through the door card, with penny washer and locking nut behind.

The latches, as Rudi states, take time to fit and adjust, but aren't too difficult really.

[Djs44]

2 hours ago, Fridge said:

Are you referring to the door handles ie. grab handles or the door latches? Which is what appears @Rudi Kis responding with.

From memory, the grab handles have a spacer of about 8-10mm depth which fits over the base before inserting the bolt through the door card, with penny washer and locking nut behind.

The latches, as Rudi states, take time to fit and adjust, but aren't too difficult really.

David 

It's the actual handles - the external ones are already fitted but I need to fit the internal ones 

[Fridge]

Yes, that's what I thought you meant.

You need spacers beneath the handles then. They raise them up from the door card. Otherwise they'll be buried in the trim, and you won't be able to get your hands behind them easily.

 

[Fridge]

Look at what I've found!

I think these are the type of spacers used underneath the door interior grab handles to stand them off to allow for the door card trim thickness. Perhaps others can confirm. I have forgotten the detail sadly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193391036716?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=d8x8NfGqSQq&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=fMVaw4kzQcS&var=493588595877&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Djs44]

On 22/03/2023 at 13:19, Fridge said:

Look at what I've found!

I think these are the type of spacers used underneath the door interior grab handles to stand them off to allow for the door card trim thickness. Perhaps others can confirm. I have forgotten the detail sadly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193391036716?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=d8x8NfGqSQq&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=fMVaw4kzQcS&var=493588595877&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Excellent , thanks David 

I was thinking about the trims - the door cards have big holes in them , so bolting the handles up with long spacers and then washers at the back of the holes seems a bit , well, wrong . 

Is there anything wrong with bolting a piece of wood ,the same size as the handle and of the required thickness( around 10mm )  to the door and then using self-tappers to secure the handle to the wood - seems like this would be more stable ? Am I missing something ? 

 

 

 

[Fridge]

It sounds like your door cards are worn. Would that be a correct assumption? They take a battering over the years, and may require some fibreglass work before trimming.

Mine were OK. I think the spacer rested on the outer side to create a standoff so that the handle sat more proud. The penny washer being attached at the rear with a nut.

As you say, anything that creates that effect may work, as long as it doesn't interfere with the trimming. Though my advice would be to make sure the cause can't be corrected first.

------------------------------------

I've just looked at some photos of my door cards which I'll email you as I can no longer post here.

First of all, this standoff collar is only on the bottom of the handle to raise it up from the thick scrim used to form the arm rest.

The top bolt goes through an almost vertical slot to allow adjustment.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Fridge

[Bibs]

49 minutes ago, Fridge said:

as I can no longer post here

You can link to externally posted images or get more room on here for pics as a Full Forum Member if that helps

[Fridge]

3 minutes ago, Bibs said:

You can link to externally posted images or get more room on here for pics as a Full Forum Member if that helps

Thanks Bibs, I sometime link to photos of my restoration or whatever on my Instagram page, but a lot of the extensive detailed photos aren't in the public domain.

Since the pandemic I have had to take on carer duties, with the consequence of a vastly reduced income. All expenses have therefore been cut to the bone, and my own restoration slowed as a consequence. So I'm afraid TLF membership was a victim of those measures. 

[Rudi K]

2 hours ago, Djs44 said:

Am I missing something ?

Do you have the two U-shaped collar surrounds that should fill the gap between each interior handle and the door card? These should be slipped and clicked into place to give a neat fit between the handle and the card once the handle has been aligned properly. The last step is to tighten up the screws under the handle flap.

You should be able to see the two U-shaped collars in the photo below. Sadly not shown separately in the manufacturer's parts diagram.

(Must try to do something about the scuffing!)

[Djs44]

Thanks for the replies 

I have new handles and u shaped collars  these are the door bits - holes are rather large 

 

Anyway , collected the leather today having had some mods done on the first iteration . 

Did a dummy fit and looks ok 

[Djs44]

Fitted the rear vents  and also the headlight motors - I've new rose joints on the links but not fitted yet 

Woke up at 3 o'clock this am worrying about how the handbrake cables are routed .... is it always this much fun rebuilding old cars  

[Djs44]

Meanwhile , the next project ( after the XJ-S) lurks in the  background 😆

[Djs44]

Also the steering wheel and gear knob have been recovered by Paul Darby , top man and serial Lotus owner and should have them next week . 

PS - I know the arm rest should be the yellow trim but that all went pear shaped when the company |I'd asked about remaking the trim took  - " Just a sliver " off what was basically a perfect armrest . Now , I don't know about you , but to me a "sliver " isn't 3 inches by 1 inch .... I cried when I got it back - the bit that was left has been used to repair the damaged seat trim . Every cloud .  

[JonSE]

On 20/03/2023 at 12:20, Rudi K said:

Yes, quite a few spacers/washers are involved.

Getting the door handle rods adjusted to the correct length so that the door opening and locking mechanisms work properly from the inside is quite an art. As is juggling the handle frame to fit back into the door card. Much experimentation may be required with the spacers and alignment of the handle bolts before tightening up.

Other suggestions - tackle the doors one at a time and make sure that you can open and close the door nicely from the outside before configuring the interior mechanism. Don't get stuck inside the car!

It’s worth running a back up cable direct from the striker that you can grab down the bottom of the door card to pull if the anti snap joint fails, I’d also be tempted to hide one for the boot mechanism and feed it down by the exhaust somewhere.

I have form for getting trapped inside my own cars 😁

[Fridge]

I think you need to begin using LATCH for the opening lever and HANDLE as GRAB HANDLE.

People are confusing the grab handle with the door latch. The latch is not a handle.

[Djs44]

23 minutes ago, JonSE said:

It’s worth running a back up cable direct from the striker that you can grab down the bottom of the door card to pull if the anti snap joint fails, I’d also be tempted to hide one for the boot mechanism and feed it down by the exhaust somewhere.

I have form for getting trapped inside my own cars 😁

You need to get out more 😂

[drdoom]

3 hours ago, Fridge said:

I think you need to begin using LATCH for the opening lever and HANDLE as GRAB HANDLE.

People are confusing the grab handle with the door latch. The latch is not a handle.

Perhaps door pull ?

[Djs44]

9 hours ago, Fridge said:

I think you need to begin using LATCH for the opening lever and HANDLE as GRAB HANDLE.

People are confusing the grab handle with the door latch. The latch is not a handle.

 

[Fridge]

Have you checked what the Lotus Parts List calls that item? Though SJ Sportcars generally uses the same nomenclature.

Did you receive my email with photos of the door cards?

Edited March 25, 2023 by Fridge

[Djs44]

20 minutes ago, Fridge said:

Have you checked what the Lotus Parts List calls that item? Though SJ Sportcars generally uses the same nomenclature.

Did you receive my email with photos of the door cards?

David - I posted a pic of the part above , must have crossed with your post . Thank you , I did get the pictures and they've helped me - I know what I'll do now .

 

Thanks again 

[Burg57]

https://www.yorkshirefabric.com/collections/upholstery/products/sand-8-wale-corduroy

You could try this Derek, better than a black armrest, or recover the whole interior in this stuff! (OK, maybe a bit late for that!)