First broken thing on my new car

[peridotian]

I have owned a 78 911 SC for less than a week and my daughter (who is NOT a delicate flower!) did not realize that the pass door was locked and snapped the inside door handle in two. The cable is inside the door somewhere. Where can I buy a replacement handle, and how difficult is this to fix?
Thanks,

[GettinHeadStuds]

Buy the handle on pelican...get the aluminum ones...they are stronger.

Yes very easy to fix. The way the doors come apart is...well... ery german.......but you shouldn't have any problem if you keep note of what came off of where.

My tip: If something isn't budging or coming off, look for a screw somewhere, don't start yanking.

Enjoy!

[juanbenae]

get a bently on the sc, it gives step by step processes for many (even as minor as you describe) tasks. i have found that the bently and wyanes 101 projects are a great tandem of resources. there credit my account for another sell of a 101.

the hardest part there will be getting the door panel off, but the bently tells where every last fastener hides.

how long did you ground her for? send her to bed w/o supper?

[JP911]

You shouldn't need to pull apart the door panel to replace the handle, unless the metal arm that actuates the mechanism somehow fell into the door. The handle is on a basic hinge held on with a small circlip. A metal arm then clips into the handle, and is also attached inside the door to the latch mechanism. It's pretty simple once you look at it.

[gchappel]

It is a common problem, so don't be tooooo hard on your daughter. Get 2 of them, you might as well replace the drivers side while you are at it, and the 2nd one is much easier than the first. There is a small c- clip that will drive you crazy, otherwise this is an easy repair- will be good bonding time with your car. Get the metal/ AL ones, then you won't have to do it again.
Been there, done that
Gary

[peridotian]

Thanks all for the quick responses. I have every circlip plier known to man here at work.

[peridotian]

Just purchased from some place with a bird name:
renn alum door hadle set
101 ways to lighten your wallet
bentley service manual

[gar]

You won't be able to get at the circlips with pliers -- just use a small flathead screwdriver.

Also, have a drill with lots of bits handy, as I had to drill out the holes on my handles where the post threads through, as they were not large enough.

[geof33]

Get some billet ones... The plastic ones are junk... The easiest way to do the job is to remove the handle assembly, all you need to do for this is to take off the upper panel trim (two screws) and remove the four allen bolts (5mm or 6mm) and do the job. It's very straight forward. Don't loose the little plastic "keepers" for the little metal rod. Also, it can be a tight squeeze to get the rod back in the keeper anfter your done.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by peridotian
Just purchased from some place with a bird name:
renn alum door hadle set
101 ways to lighten your wallet
bentley service manual

LOL!

[Jdub]

Remove the upper door trim: two screws, one each end. Unclip door handle from rod via plastic holding piece. Open the door pocket and unscrew the single screw to door pull. Unscrew four allen bolts and remove door pull.

Remove uppermost circlip. Push pin down, remove lower circlip. Slide pin out. Remove rust from hinges and lightly grease. Test fit new handle to hinges and use pliars to move for a nice snug fit.

Now loosen the lock nut on the rod from the door. This lets you remove any slack you used to have before the door handle would actuate. Put back together reversing instructions above and rotate the 90degree rod item from the door until you can just clip it into the new handle with the handle barely out of resting position.

All done! Have a beer!

Now, what you REALLY ought to do is strip the door panel and lube those regulators, esp. if you have electric windows. I can now strip a door panel in less than seven minutes: it is a BREEZE. Instructions here or at the Rennlist site.

John

[Paulporsche]

Be careful of those white plastic "keepers" on the end of the rod that Geof33 referred to. They wear out fairly easily. And they tend to come off the end of the rod and roll under the shelving units and wood you have stacked in your garage. Ask me how I know. Anyway, they are cheap and available @ the dealer.

[peridotian]

Will it be difficult to fish the cable end out of the door innards?

[jester911]

You really shouldn't have to open the door panel. I changed my handles on both doors. You need to remove the door pocket from under the door handle.

Then the pin that the handle rotates on has the circlips.
Take off the circlip at the top and the pivot pin will pull down.
You will see how the handle attaches to the arm.

Just disconnect the arm and install the new handle in the reverse.

Ten minute job, really.