Topic: DIY Add on Lambo door pulls

[Gunnys GXP]

Ok, so I found myself with some free time this weekend (which is dangerous).  I've been trying to make life easier for my 7yr old son to operate the doors himelf but he's just not quite tall enough to close them once he is in the seat by grabbing the standard handle or arm rest.  He's had the door operations class with hands on training already cause I do bus duty.  Plus, I find lowering the door by the grip bar takes more force as the door gets lower.

The idea hit me a few weeks ago and I finaly got off work early and decided to stop by the parts yard up the road.  I knew what I wanted but had no idea what they donor would be so I had to walk around the yard till it jumped out at me. 





I knew I should have written it down, but the pulls are from the back doors of a 96 Chevy Lumina or Cavalier.  5 bucks for the set.

Clean and create a cardboard template.





Trace placement and cut out locations.  The foam behind this area melts quick to a sticky mess but makes for good flex support when it's cut out.





Prime and paint.




Insert and mount in with 2 to 2.5 inch metal screw and washer to final product.





Cutting the holes in the door panels cleanly and to the right size is the only hard part but the template made it very easy.  A smaller (dremel sized) cut-off tool would have made it a bit easier for me also but it's AWOL in the barn somewhere.
 

[Sly Bob]

Great thinking dad, and a nice clean install at that. 

[jonymac]

Nice idea - took some guts to cut into the door!  What did the screw and washer fasten into?  Do you find that you pull down to get the door into operating position, then use the stock armrest for the rest of the closure? Like the armrest gel pads - go with the color scheme well!

[Gunnys GXP]

Nice idea - took some guts to cut into the door!  What did the screw and washer fasten into?  Do you find that you pull down to get the door into operating position, then use the stock armrest for the rest of the closure? Like the armrest gel pads - go with the color scheme well!

Screw and washer go through the final 3/4 inch of foam and then into the sheetmetal of the door.  Where I have them placed, the sheetmetal edge to the inner door access area is right there so placing a thread clip to screw through is a snap.  If you were to go closer to the panel edge you could go with something like a plastic license plate screw plug also but there is a screw and window runner pulley behind there you have to avoid.

Use them to lower the door down to the bottom rest possition and then the handle to pull closed.