jasonzzz_petey
Supercharged VT Calais
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
- Messages
- 24
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- Age
- 32
- Location
- adelaide
- Members Ride
- Supercharged VT Calais
Hi guys
So today I will show you how to get chrome door handles on your VT/VX. Its not that hard really. Also I didnt waste $200+ dollars buying the ones of ebay that just have the handle Chromed, and that you still have to paint anyway. Pay more money for less chrome? Crazy
I got these fully Chromed handles I got off ebay for $80. (link below)
Holden Commodore VT VX VY VZ WH WK Chrome Door Handles | eBay
I was thinking about leaving the whole thing chrome, but I thought, Nah too much chrome.
Oh and before I got too far I will explain how I got that far.
You will need for this
1. Set of chrome handles =)
2. Very small flat blade screw driver & normal screw driver (Hint its to remove door trims)
3. A 10mm socket with the extension part
4. And finally an Angle grinder - (Not joking will make sense later)
Firstly remove the door trims, (there's a post on how to do this already i'm sure) KEEP Windows up also, I didnt put mine down but it may make it hard!
Then peel back the plastic that is covering the spot where the handle is. Like this
Now you can see the 2 10mm Nuts holding the old handle in place. You must unscrew these (Pic is of the drivers door and has the keyhole thingy)
After unscrewing the 2 Nuts, you can pull the backing plate out of its place.
You will also now need to disconnect the metal rod that connects to the handle to make the door open. The rod is held in place by a clip, so you unclip this and slide the metal rod out and let it hang there.
Now you can remove the door handle from the front, just try to open the door and it will pop right out.
Now for the Grinder =)
Now that part above was hitting the metal backing plate when i put the handle into the car, to I used my grinder on the "backing plate" in the spot that it was hitting, (Note if you don't remove this part your door handles will constantly be not closing, looking stupid. So grind them good) Now if you fit yours and they work perfectly without grinding, Lucky You. If you don't have a grinder tin snips would probably do, its prity thin metal.
Now Put your chrome handles in, Its pritty much the reverse of taking them out, (hint when i did the drivers I just left it hanging in the door, since its connected to some wires.)
After you have tightly bolted everything back up, and made sure that all your doors still OPEN, you should have something like this.
Yes that's a lot of chrome, TOO much chrome I though to myself, this is Why the Caprice only has the handle Chromed and not the whole assembly!
Now time for the painting =)
You will need
1. Paint that matches your cars paint. (Got mine from Autobarns they can match it)
2. Clear coat
3. Masking tape
4. Some Junk Mail
Step 1 mask the s**t out of the handles, and surrounding pannels, cover the Handel with tape (Cos we bit to stay chrome)
When it comes to painting I heard on some youtube video once these words of wisdom, "Painting is all about Preperation" so use lots of tape, and junk mail to avoid the dreaded overspray.
I used 4 "light" coats of paint, waiting 5 mins between each coat. Then 2 coats of clear coat. 10 mins between each coat. Light coats work Best
It also started spitting while i was painting $&^#@, luckily I made some little painting umbrellas, Out of Junk Mail! And that is why you shouldn't put a "No Junk" mail sign on your letterbox. You never know when you might need a painting umbrella.
And this is how it turned out
I think it turned out pritty good, Handles feel better opening than the old ones, and it looks pritty good, just like they have on the Caprice. But for much cheaper than you would pay to get genuine Caprice ones. Pritty much cant even tell that they aren't Caprice ones by looking at them.
Anyway that's all hope this helps anyone who had been thinking about doing the same thing =P
So today I will show you how to get chrome door handles on your VT/VX. Its not that hard really. Also I didnt waste $200+ dollars buying the ones of ebay that just have the handle Chromed, and that you still have to paint anyway. Pay more money for less chrome? Crazy
I got these fully Chromed handles I got off ebay for $80. (link below)
Holden Commodore VT VX VY VZ WH WK Chrome Door Handles | eBay
I was thinking about leaving the whole thing chrome, but I thought, Nah too much chrome.
Oh and before I got too far I will explain how I got that far.
You will need for this
1. Set of chrome handles =)
2. Very small flat blade screw driver & normal screw driver (Hint its to remove door trims)
3. A 10mm socket with the extension part
4. And finally an Angle grinder - (Not joking will make sense later)
Firstly remove the door trims, (there's a post on how to do this already i'm sure) KEEP Windows up also, I didnt put mine down but it may make it hard!
Then peel back the plastic that is covering the spot where the handle is. Like this
Now you can see the 2 10mm Nuts holding the old handle in place. You must unscrew these (Pic is of the drivers door and has the keyhole thingy)
After unscrewing the 2 Nuts, you can pull the backing plate out of its place.
You will also now need to disconnect the metal rod that connects to the handle to make the door open. The rod is held in place by a clip, so you unclip this and slide the metal rod out and let it hang there.
Now you can remove the door handle from the front, just try to open the door and it will pop right out.
Now for the Grinder =)
Now that part above was hitting the metal backing plate when i put the handle into the car, to I used my grinder on the "backing plate" in the spot that it was hitting, (Note if you don't remove this part your door handles will constantly be not closing, looking stupid. So grind them good) Now if you fit yours and they work perfectly without grinding, Lucky You. If you don't have a grinder tin snips would probably do, its prity thin metal.
Now Put your chrome handles in, Its pritty much the reverse of taking them out, (hint when i did the drivers I just left it hanging in the door, since its connected to some wires.)
After you have tightly bolted everything back up, and made sure that all your doors still OPEN, you should have something like this.
Yes that's a lot of chrome, TOO much chrome I though to myself, this is Why the Caprice only has the handle Chromed and not the whole assembly!
Now time for the painting =)
You will need
1. Paint that matches your cars paint. (Got mine from Autobarns they can match it)
2. Clear coat
3. Masking tape
4. Some Junk Mail
Step 1 mask the s**t out of the handles, and surrounding pannels, cover the Handel with tape (Cos we bit to stay chrome)
When it comes to painting I heard on some youtube video once these words of wisdom, "Painting is all about Preperation" so use lots of tape, and junk mail to avoid the dreaded overspray.
I used 4 "light" coats of paint, waiting 5 mins between each coat. Then 2 coats of clear coat. 10 mins between each coat. Light coats work Best
It also started spitting while i was painting $&^#@, luckily I made some little painting umbrellas, Out of Junk Mail! And that is why you shouldn't put a "No Junk" mail sign on your letterbox. You never know when you might need a painting umbrella.
And this is how it turned out
I think it turned out pritty good, Handles feel better opening than the old ones, and it looks pritty good, just like they have on the Caprice. But for much cheaper than you would pay to get genuine Caprice ones. Pritty much cant even tell that they aren't Caprice ones by looking at them.
Anyway that's all hope this helps anyone who had been thinking about doing the same thing =P
