shaved handles?

[andy_wh2000]

I was just wondering who has gone and actually shaved their handles. I'm going to be doing this soon and want to know the right way of doing it. we all know our plastic panels suck big monkey balls to work on so I just want to here from experienced people that have done it already.

[Anonymous]

knew a couple guys that did it on thier own, turned out to be nothing but trouble. had to "hot wire" them just to get in at the end of it all. I think they trashed it and went back to normal doors.

[TurboSL1]

where are you from?


I got a guy in Kissimmee who might do it for ya.

(all they do is custom work on cars)

[andy_wh2000]

I'm in California. I work at a body shop but my boss mostly does customs with trucks and metal. so working with plastic isnt too familiar for them. I did see JW's blue sc2 on qksltwo.com and a friend of mine said he was on here. It looked like he did a good job. does anyone know how to contact him?

[detroitbass]

I can tell you right now, 99% of body shops will NOT do it. It's plastic, not the kind of car you shave stuff on.

[andy_wh2000]

well I guess I'll just have to get a junk panel from a pick n pull to try it out myself. I have some major body work plans and I'm motivated to follow through. just thought I'd pick some other people's minds for help and ideas.

[detroitbass]

The problem is, no matter what you use to fill the hole, it isn't the same material of the door panel. When people shave their handles, it is a metal door be filled by a piece of metal. Whatever you use to fill it is going to expand and contract in the weather at different rates then the door panel itself and adventually crack.

[slowion2]

there is a polymer based body filler that I think dj xao on here used on his L which worked fine, that might be something to look into. it is very expensive though

[Sir Charles]

Have someone weld a plate in to fill the holes.

[slowion2]

Have someone weld a plate in to fill the holes.

on a plastic car [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_question.gif[/img]

[Sir Charles]

There is plactic welding out there, its a recent thing. It's were they use this plastic bonding stuff where they basically weld it in place. Like plastic repairs. They might even sell do it your self kits on-line.

[SonicION]

sounds like some sort of epoxy. JBweld or the like. nothing new. but you still have the problem of different materials. besides thermal expansion, you've also got the fact that the plastic and metal will take paint differently. primer will help, but it's usually just not going to look right.
what you could do, since you mentioned testing on a scrap panel... just get the scrap panel, and cut out a piece from it to fill the hole, then use the jb weld or whatever. at least that would be a little more natural.

[Anonymous]

There is plactic welding out there, its a recent thing. It's were they use this plastic bonding stuff where they basically weld it in place. Like plastic repairs. They might even sell do it your self kits on-line.

I've heard of this, but never seen anyone use it, any of the materials to do it, or any finished products.

[SkittleOnChromeVer2.0]

My handles have been shaved for the past 3 1/2 years...(the rears)

I have NO idea how they did it, but...it was $100 a handle (at the time) and they haven't cracked once...

[andy_wh2000]

[quote="SkittleOnChromeVer2.0"]My handles have been shaved for the past 3 1/2 years...(the rears)

I have NO idea how they did it, but...it was $100 a handle (at the time) and they haven't cracked once...

you think you could find out for me. and I was thinking the same thing about cutting a piece from another panel and bonding it on. perhaps I could even use a heat gun or a hot rod to melt the pieces together. nothin better than using the same material to keep things uniform.