Cutlass pull handles

[Oldsdank81]

Hello friends. I’ve recently swapped my upper door panels for the proper manual window crank panels. It’s the style with the fixed pull handle. Both sides are beginning to separate from the board.
I doubt I’m the only one who have had this issue.

just looking to remedy the situation. Whichever is the best way to affix them back to the panel.

I appreciate any and all help.

Thanks

 

[565bbchevy]

You could try larger diameter screws or pull the panel and install some thicker metal and re drill to factory size

 

[Oldsdank81]

You could try larger diameter screws or pull the panel and install some thicker metal and re drill to factory size

Forgive my ignorance but by thicker
Metal what do you Mean?

I believe these came from an 87/88 olds.Does the door itself have separate locations for these specific panels to bolt to or will they work all the same on an 81?

 

[565bbchevy]

Forgive my ignorance but by thicker
Metal what do you Mean?

I believe these came from an 87/88 olds.Does the door itself have separate locations for these specific panels to bolt to or will they work all the same on an 81?

Some handles are drill directly into sheet metal plates that are mounted to the door, do your handles have holes for screws to go through them?

 

[Oldsdank81]

Some handles are drill directly into sheet metal plates that are mounted to the door, do your handles have holes for screws to go through them?

Yes the handles have two screw holes at the top and the bottom. I pulled them from a junkyard car and didn’t notice any metal plates

 

[Injectedcutty]

Yes the handles have two screw holes at the top and the bottom. I pulled them from a junkyard car and didn’t notice any metal plates

The metal plates mentioned are attached to the door itself, not the door panel. What 565 suggested was adding a piece of flat bar to the backside of the door panel and screwing to them.

 

[565bbchevy]

You need the handles to screw directly into the actual door or the factory sheet metal plates (circled) which are often used for handle or strap mounting and they get stripped or hogged out over time, so what I was saying if that is the case you can replace those with thicker pieces of metal and re drill where the mount holes are.
If the handle mounts to the door frame itself you could add some metal in those spots also.