interior door handles

[87mefull]

Can you easily replace the leather door handles on a 87 2 door? The driverside one is barely on the metal strip and I didn't know if you had to replace the whole door panel or not.

[Paul_]

are you talking the pull strap? thats not permanently attaced to the panel. there aer two nuts that attach it to the panel. the problem is finding one in your color thats not thrashed

[87mefull]

Yep its the pull strap on the door. Im guessing they are probably NOS by now.

[Grand Marquis GT]

What color?

[85MercPark]

I fixed one of mine with some glue from the Advance Auto. It was one of those apply, let dry, and stick together glues. Worked well and still holding together.
FYI

[87mefull]

I have a light grey interior. I plan to put up some pics in the next week or so you guys can have a better idea of what the interior looks like. I was thinking about super glue too, but I usually have pull hard on the handle to slam my door shut all the way. I think the door is sagging a little bit from age.

[85MercPark]

defiantely not Super Glue. I will try to get the name of the stuff I used,

[87lxcoupe]

Good luck finding one NOS! I've been looking for one in dark blue, for my driver's side, for 4 years now. And I mean REALLY looking! Junkyards, swap meets, Ebay, CVN, obsolete Ford parts vendors etc. I'm almost to the point where I'm thinking about buying a parts car, in decent shape, just so I have hard-to-get parts readily available. Hope you have an easier time finding one in grey.

[boXman]

I sent you one, right? It was the wrong length tho?

[nitroracer]

Custom door panels could be neat... My driver side handle is shot too.


Yea, I know this thread is ancient. :-P

[87lxcoupe]

I sent you one, right? It was the wrong length tho?

Yep. Good memory. The Merc one was longer than my Vic's. I've never heard anybody ever mention this difference before. I was thinking, after I sent it back to ya, that I could've just pulled the Mercury one apart and used just the vinyl part. All I would've had to do was take one end off of mine, cut the material on the Mercury one to fit mine, and just slip it over my handle. Put the end back on and viola! Make sense?

[boXman]

lol, yea. I still have it I think...if you're still interested.

[86GmLsCoupe]

I guess as a last resort you could make a new one. It just seems like a metal strap covered with vinyl/padding (Mine are breaking down so I can see metal). I forget how it's attatched, rivets?? I only remember trying to pry one of the caps off to see once maybe 10 yrs ago.

[87lxcoupe]

lol, yea. I still have it I think...if you're still interested.

Yeah, see if you can dig it out. Didn't I send you the funds through PayPal the first time? I don't even remember, to tell the truth. Let me know (price, payment method, etc). Maybe I can finally solve this never-ending problem! Thanks -Greg

[87lxcoupe]

I forget how it's attatched, rivets?? I only remember trying to pry one of the caps off to see once maybe 10 yrs ago.

The ends have threaded posts that stick through the door panel. On the other side of the panel there are retaining nuts (looks like they are made of tin), that screw onto the posts and tighten everything down. I think they are 7/16 or 1/2 hex. Funny you mentioned trying to pry off one of the end caps. I actually started to try that before I got my factory shop manual. General Motors cars used to have that, no? Just pry off the caps to get to the bolt or nut.
The thing that REALLY sucks, is that everytime you have to take the door panel off, you need new door panel "clips". Mine are always mutilated so badly, that I can't reuse them. Ended up special ordering 8 bags (10 or 12 per bag) through the dealer. I think I've gone through 4-5 bags so far!