a Cobra with door handles.

[Aussie Mike]

A friend of mine was over on the week end giving me a hand with the sanding. One comment that he made was "Why don't you put door handles on the outside?" To which I replied "That's sacrelidge!!!" and beat him to death with my sanding block.

So has any one put door handles on the outside?

I'm also working out how I'm going to do the door release on the inside. I've decided to run a stainless steel cable accross the door pocket with a leather cover over it. Push down on the cable and the latch pops. I've seen a few cars with interior door handles donated from regular production cars. What other door release setups are around and what are the pros and cons?

Cheers

[Ron61]

Mike,

Yes there has been a Cobra done with door handles on it and if I am not wrong it was Back In Black's. I may be wrong about that but I have seen a picture here on the club with one that had door handles on the outside.

Ron

[cobrashoch]

My car has them. The reason I have them is I can lock my car up when I have the hard top on, with the plexiglas side curtains installed. The curtains can only be removed from the inside of the car. Someday I plan on adding air/heat to that car to make it a touch more usible when the weather goes to extremes. I'm too old to care if its sacrilege.
Yub-i-dy, yub-i-dy, THATS ALL FOLKS!!!!!!

cobrashock

[Blake Olson]

Check out the "original style" door latches that Finishline sells. See them on just about 95% of the cars.

blake

[Aussie Mike]

Hi Ron, Don't take offence. I'm all for doing things a bit different.

Securing my car when I walk away from it has always concerned me. I figure a good electronic imobiliser and a hidden kill switch will deter the less determined thieves.

Got any pictures of the door handles?


Hi Blake, Unfortunately the original style catches won't pass muster down here. They have to be a burst proof design to be legal.

Cheers

[RallySnake]

You could try my tecnique,

I used Cadillic trunk release solenoids to pull the release cable for my doors. I installed a small alarm system with a remote key fob with the door unlock feature. I just push the button as I walk up to the car and the door pops open. The second channel opens the passenger door. I also have small handles inside the car from an Opel GT to get out.

Paul

[petek]

I wonder if you could make older Corvette handles work. I seem to remember that they had some that were flush in the upper part of the door.

[cwmcobra]

I'm building a West Coast replica and yes, it has inside and outside door handles. It also has very positive latches. I'll try to take some pictures and upload if you are interested.

Cheers,

Chuck

[Pete C]

Mike, Door handles, no door handles? This just could replace the BB, sb debate. Ok, here goes....that's just plain wrong!

Cheers, Pete

PS unless you also add fins, that is!

[STEPHEN BROHOLM]

Mike the Pilgrim Sumo replica comes standard with door handles. I think they use alot of Ford Cortina parts in some of their kits. They even sell a kit that runs with the four cylinder running gear!
P.S. The kit originates from the U.K.

[STEPHEN BROHOLM]

Try www.pilgrimcars.com

[cwmcobra]

Let's see if I can get this to post.....

[A Snake]

Hey Mike,

If you're using the English latches as it sounds like, you're on the right track with a pullcord. Original cars used a leather thong running from the latch knob to a point on the door hinge.

I can't say whether or not the English latches are burst proof or not. Mine never popped open on their own and I never had occasion to kick my way out of the car. They always felt pretty secure and made a solid, satisfying "chunk" when they closed.

Al

[kobrabob]

If you can get your hands on a couple of old refrigerators, like the one in the old "I Love Lucy" shows, I bet the handles on those old fridges would look good on a Cobra.

You could probably get a locksmith to install some locks on them.

Cobras were not meant for outside door handles. Along that line, why not a keyless entry system with an electric door opener.

Bob

HEE HEE HEE

[aumoore]

Door Handles on a Cobra? What next single undercar exhaust with a polished fart tube under the left rear? Instead of a 427 badge on the side having a VETEC badge? Neon lights under the body? NUSPEED stickerzzzz ?

Nothing says replica like chrome door handles.

Then again it is YOUR car not mine so do what you want just do not ask me to like it.

[Back in Black]

I like the system overall.. it has a very positive and nice snick on closure...but the spring in the driver's side latch is weak, (it's brand new, car has only 200 miles so far) and will need replacement therefore. Maybe it's a design flaw, maybe just a bad spring. Either way it should be a snap to replace.

[Aussie Mike]

Don't get me wrong guys, I have no plan of fitting external door handles. I'm just curious as to what others have done. I'm also curious about the different ways people have done their inside door handles.

I can see how the external handles would be useful though if you had a hardtop and wanted to be able to lock the car up secure.

I checked out the Sumo Cobra. The handles didn't look to bad but I think a handle that blended in with the body and was painted body colour would look best.

Cheers

[ac andy]

Hey Mike, im using VY SS Commodore front interior door handles on mine. They are very solid to hold, satin chrome finish and only $28.50ea brand new from Holden. If I could work out how to load pictures onto this site i would show you what they look like!

[OZVENOM]

Mike there is a very simple way to make your door latches work thanks to craig you use xd- xf falcon latches and simply put a small stainless lever on it it works a treat and looks fine or you can paint it the colour of your upholstery so no one can see it makes it real hard to open the door if you cant find the latch.
mike the simple ideas are nearly allways the best it took my 3 years before some one showed me this one . thanks Craig you finally got 1 back on me .
ps mike if you need a pic email me .
Scott

[cobra427mnsi]

OZVENOM and Others

A picture is worth a thousand words. Could you please post a pic.

Paul

Ps it is easy to post pics if they are not too big. (40K) To get them that size, I import them into a drawing program such as Corel Paint, then you export them as a .JPG . at this point the program asks you if you want to compress them. There is a slide that you can click on and drag until the image gets to the desired size. Voila!! a pic that is less than 40K.

Paul