Mk2 Handles

If anyone is considering taking on a project in similar fashion to robricc (sleds), Firefox (buttons) and Webroach (front panels), I would like to suggest replica handles in the original pattern.

Although I still have a reasonable amount of remaining stock, it is decreasing steadily as people break them. People are continuing to break them in the same way - wrench on the handle as hard as you can when the unit sticks in the sled (yeah, right) without investigating what the problem is first. As a piece of general advice - if it comes to a choice between risking a broken handle pulling out a jammed unit, or having to dismantle the entire dashboard to release the sled and unit, Dismantle the Dash.

Although a great deal of other unit casing material (cases, lids, sleds, front panels, buttons, hinges, springs, screws) is here in stock in sufficient quantity, this one is not. It is the most difficult one to reproduce, and although panels, buttons and sleds are underway, there is no directed effort for the handles. I know Webroach is producing them, but it is as a limited by-product of the panel effort, and is likely to be difficult (and costly) to deliver handles separately from the panel.

I would say that at the current rate of consumption, it is likely that original handles will disappear by the end of this year (2005) at the latest.

... sound of everyone rushing to email "broken handle" sob stories to Rob now commences..

Perhaps photo evidence might be a prerequisite for a handle "parts" order.. ?

Cheers

On a side note, does anyone have a fix for the handle "rattle" ?

New springs.

Or mod the mounting position of the old springs.

To be honest, I have always found that simply tightening the main hinge screw slightly on both sides sorts this out by making it pivot a little more stiffly. The screws themselves gradually tend to unscrew themselves over time.

Be aware that the bottom two screws on each side loosen at the same rate as the main one, so if you discover that the top hinge screws are already loose, do them all up at the same time, or locktight the lot of them (blue/non-permanent loctite). You will need jeweller's screwdrivers, size 0 and 1. Don't use the size 1 on the bottom screws (which are smaller) as you will damage them.

If all the lower screws come out, then the handle is no longer supported correctly and will twist unevenly around the pivots. This will cause the handle to break, eventually.

Quote:
I know Webroach is producing them, but it is as a limited by-product of the panel effort, and is likely to be difficult (and costly) to deliver handles separately from the panel.

Very true Rob. Also of note is that the handles we are producing, while appearing to be perfectly compatible with the stock fascia, would not look right at all.

Once we're up and running smoothly with the fascia / handle kits, if nobody else is doing anything with handles, Brandon and I can take a look at it again and see if we can figure out a cost effective way to produce them seperately. The biggest problem facing us (we wanted to be able to offer them alone from the start) is the geometry; it makes it difficult (in the extreme) to "nest" and cut out without a lot of wasted stock. Maybe we can look into casting...

But by all means, if anyone else would be interested in taking this on, go for it. And if we can be of any help, let us know.