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Replacing Door Handles Gen1 ‘81 Brat

Featured Replies

Went to open my door, and the door handle just moved freely like it wasn’t connected to anything. Found out the little rod had broken it’s nut off of the bottom and the mechanism kind of fell apart. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the rod back into the little hole. I see how it works. I have the doorhandle in my hand and the rod in my hand but I can not physically position my hand into the spot I need to to drop the plastic piece into the hole it needs to go into. Something else needs to come apart or something else needs to go together in a specific way for this to work. And I don’t know what that is. Does the window need to come out? Does the latch need to be disconnected? Has anyone replace their doorhandles and can tell me how to disassemble/reassemble this part? I am at my wits end. My shredded hand thanks you.

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  • Author

Per the description below, I need to remove the front door glass. How the heck do I do that???

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Patience. It’ll be better soon. 
 

From my memory you can get it without removing the glass. Keep your crank handy.

But if you just can’t and do want it remove the glass it’s not that hard. Rather than fumble through instructions just use your 10mm socket and find the mounting spots. Then lift the glass and as I recall tipping it back up/nose down seems to ease the clearance needed. 
 

Many of us have done it and we are no more a mechanic than you. 

  • Author
22 hours ago, moosens said:

Patience. It’ll be better soon. 
 

From my memory you can get it without removing the glass. Keep your crank handy.

But if you just can’t and do want it remove the glass it’s not that hard. Rather than fumble through instructions just use your 10mm socket and find the mounting spots. Then lift the glass and as I recall tipping it back up/nose down seems to ease the clearance needed. 
 

Many of us have done it and we are no more a mechanic than you. 

Thank you my friend! This is my plan! I appreciate your response. Thank you

  • Author

Can I lower the regulator without the glass attached? Will it undo anything or unalign anything?

  • Author
19 hours ago, moosens said:

It’s ok you’ll be fine. Nothing falls apart. 

Thank you! This job is stressing me out. I pull engines, I don’t do window regulators.... and headliners/weatherstripping. *shudder*

Spring hooks can be handy here. Long needle nose or duckbill pliers and a rubber band to help keep pliers closed while you free up a hand. 
 

Just foggy memories but getting that plastic retainer hooked up right that’s where the spring hook used to really help. 

  • 1 month later...
  • Author

I forgot to update this post, but about 3 weeks ago I removed the bolts holding the glass and rocked it out of place and was able to thread the nut onto the rod and got the door back together. THANK YOU EVERYONE for your help! What a thing!

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