Chrome to Black Door handles.

[Arctic]

I decided that the chrome door handles had to be changed to satin black to carry on with my black format on the NUK, the wheels had already been done with gloss black sparkle link below.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...d.php?t=305227

My plan was to have the door handles powder coated, so therefore i needed to source four chrome thumb rests which are part of the handle, the reason behind this was i already had two sets of the chrome handles but no thumb parts as most of the time they are removed without taking the door cards off and releasing the spring which in turn breaks the fixing pins.

My first port of call was Mick (mickyboy) whom as quite a few of our cars for spares so the like of me and other members can have spare parts to do our projects or mods as always he was very helpful and supplied me with two sets to match the the two sets of handles i already had.

My plan could now go forward, i received the thumb units from Mick took them with the handles to the same place as i had my wheel powered coated, i was very disappointed to be given the news that they could not powder coat them as they were chrome it would not take properly.

Therefore a plan B was needed, so i set about rubbing the chrome handles down to give them a good key to spray them black.

In fig 1 you can see that i have rubbed down a chrome handle and the photo shows its comparison next to an original chrome handle.
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I had also tried spraying a chrome handle before which you can see in fig 2
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Spraying right onto the chrome was not any good, it peeled off if i scratched it with my nail, so rubbing the handles down keying them should sort that out when i next sprayed them.

I proceed to do all the handle rubbing by hand and using a sander figs 3/4
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After a while i had finished doing them and the thumb parts. fig 5/6
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I gave the handles a coat of primer fig 7
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Also the thumb sections. fig 8
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I did the underside of both the handles & thumb sections about 30 minutes later, the primer being quick dry. figs 9/10
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I left these to dry a further three days with the intension of then spraying then satin black, once again i did the scrape my nail across the primer only to see it peel i contacted a chap i know at jewel paint, i explained what procedure i had done he told me right away it will not work you need Etch primer for chrome. Fig 11
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Once i had purchased the etch primer i set about rubbing the handles down again, and sprayed them with the etch primer. i did a set the same day as purchase the 10th and the next set on the 11th fig12
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After leaving them to dry i sprayed them with the satin black. fig 13
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These were then left for three days to harden off before fitting to my car, in that time Andy (trikey) contacted me saying he had read of my project changing the handle from chrome to black and would i like some thumb units, i jumped at the chance these were kindly posted out to me and by the time i was ready to fit the black handles to the car they had arrived.

So now i was in a very good place should i mark or damage the ones Mick had sent me.

Thank you Andy & Mick

Fitting the door handles to the car usually requires the door cards to be removed, also the window so you can gain access to a little locking spring for the thumb sections to be removed without breaking the locking pins.

Each door handle will have a locking spring as in fig 14
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These springs are notoriously hard to get as described above, here you can see how the spring is pulled outwards, this then unlocks the tension in the thumb section. Fig 15
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Now the spring as been pulled outwards the thumb section is ready to be removed Fig 16
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You need to gently pry the thumb outwards to remove it Fig 17/18
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The above is easy to do with an handle already off the car but you need to remove the thumb section to get the handle off the car in the first place, therefore the above photos are just a reference showing the spring.


As stated above to remove them from the car in situ the door card would need to come off & the window removed, i have cheated because i was able to source the thumbs sections from the named people above.

The thumb sections can be pried off without removing the door card & window, this will 100% always break the locking pins.

To pry off the thumb section only if you have replacements do not do this at any other time, you slice the door trim backwards Fig 19/20
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Do not try and pry the thumb section off with the door trim still attached this will damage the trim and most likely the door as well.

do not do this XXX Figs 21/22
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XXX NO
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With the door trim removed use a flat bladed screw driver put it in behind where the door trim resides, and lever outwards, this will break the locking pins held by the spring. Fig 23
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You can then use a trim removal tool to pry the thumb section off completely again pry outwards, do not use the door as a support for prying off. Fig 24
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Go round the car and remove each thumb section. Fig 25/26
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Thumb section removed in the two locking holes a little bit of the pin will remain it will need tapping through into the door thus droping to the bottom of the door panel inside.
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You now slide the door handle forwards to the right, to the rear of the car. Fig 27
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Make sure the handle as slide to the end of the rubber seal Fig 28
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You can now pull the door handle outwards towards you Fig 29/30
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This will then allow the door handle to be removed. Fig 31
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You replace the door handle the opposite way of removal slide the handle into the door Fig 32/33
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Make sure it line up with the rubber seal, as it did when removing then push inwards & backwards to the front of the car, this clips in the handle Fig 34
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Now you can offer up the thumb section to the door Fig 35/36
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Push with your thumb inwards you will here it lock into the spring.
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You now have the door handle fitted to the car do the rest carefully. Fig 37
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The only thing left to do now is replace the door trim stand back and admire your work Fig 38
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PS once again big thank you to both Mick & Andy whom without the job would have had to be done the long hard way.

[Pueblo_Boy]

I love my car...but maybe not enough to have to take the door cards off! Too risky a job for an amateur like me!

Can't wait to see the finished article on your Tourer (same colour as mine). Perhaps once you've done it all, I'll be persuaded...

[Mickyboy]

Hi Steve,
Wonderful tread, so good to see the pictures of the complete job, I think this thread will really help other members out who want to do the same.
As usual it was a real pleasure helping you out mate, and thanks goes out to Andy for also helping you out
Mick

[Odd Job]

Wow!

How good does this look?!
You've done a VERY good job there Artic!
I have been thinking of colour coding my door handles, but to convert chrome to any alternative colour I thought would be a challange.

I might consider having a go, many thanks for your " how too " guide!

[zedhed]

Ive painted mine grey to match my wheels.as for removing the handles,i drilled a small hole in each door in line with the spring clip,and put a rubber grommet in.so now its easy to remove them now with a hook & pick set👍

[Arctic]

Hi Mark.
I thought of that and tried it on one door but there was/is a double skin, even then i could not reach the spring comfortable, but it looks like you managed to do it so rather then damage the doors i went down route of sourcing new thumb units.

1

PS do you have photo of where you drilled the holes ?

[cantabro75]

I am a Chrome fam, but this is no doubt a very profesional work and excellent resoult, my congratulations

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by Arctic

Hi Mark.
I thought of that and tried it on one door but there was/is a double skin, even then i could not reach the spring comfortable, but it looks like you managed to do it so rather then damage the doors i went down route of sourcing new thumb units.

1

PS do you have photo of where you drilled the holes ?

Yeah managed it ok tbh,but may be a slightly smaller hole i drilled,and just missed the other door skin.ill be taking em off again soon anyway as they all need re doing again now🙄👍

[Arctic]

Ok as i did not attend the September Nano meet the first i have missed in the last 10yrs, i decided as the weather was kind today to finally spray the front grill satin black.

This is a follow on with my plan to do all the chrome bits on the NUK in satin black, as the thread shows i have already done the door handles.

So off with the bumper.
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Front bumper on the bench/seat & mask the grill off ready for spraying.
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Spray first coat of etch primer.
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Once the primer as dried the first coat of satin black goes on.
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After a few more coats the masking is ready to come off.
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All i have to do now is let it dry a little more while i have Sunday dinner
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Now that my Sunday dinner as settled, its time to refit the front bumper.
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Front bumper fitted with the new satin front grill.
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Grill with the original badge.
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Grill with the Viking black & silver badge.
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Decisions now have to be made as to which badge i go with, as the rear tail gate is a black & silver 75

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[m6dly]

The door handles look amazing! I think I’ll try this myself one day!


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