911 door asymmetry.... reason ?

[lonestarvendors]

I have had my 71 911 for 5 months and I just realized that there is the angled door handle on the passenger door which is absent on the driver door. Reason? I assume it is the racing heritage, but does anyone know the actual rationale? Sorry if this has been asked and answered but my search online came up empty.

[Canada Kev]

Pics?

[MBAtarga]

Do you have an RS style door card installed but only driver side?

[jac1976]

He is likely talking about the stock configuration. The drivers side door has an armrest without the diagonally oriented handle extending up to the door cap.

[jac1976]

And I also believe it is racing heritage, possibly not to impede driver access to ignition and controls. Right hand drive models have the same setup, albeit reversed with the handle bein on the left side of the car.

[Trackrash]

I would imagine that the passenger would like to have a grab bar. The driver does not need one.

[Otter74]

It's there so that the passenger has something to hold onto. You can see this on other, typically European, older cars also - e.g. my BMW 320iS had door panels like this.

[lonestarvendors]

I thought as much. thanks for your input.

[Quickstep192]

I added a handle similar to this one on the drivers side so I’d have something to grab to pull the door shut. Mine is made of spring steel so it lays flat when not in use and bows out when I need it.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_056SH01/Rubber-Handle.html

[RSBob]

On my 73, I added a black leather strap connected to the front arm rest bolt, under the arm rest to give me something to help close the door other than grabbing the doors map pockets and destroying them or the window frame. Worked great and virtually invisible.

[frankc]

Some discussion on this topic in this thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-used-parts-sale-wanted/1009409-fs-repro-lwb-armrest-correct-texture.html