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Lower profile interior door handles

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:25 pm
by winger300
Hi, I've just fitted a pair of SAAB 9000 seats to my 4 door saloon. Now the only issue is that they press against the rear door handles.

Does anyone know of a mod I could perform to make some lower profile handles?

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:02 pm
by bmcecosse
Can the handles not be turned on the shaft - to point away from the seat ?

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:35 pm
by winger300
that helped a little, but the seat is level with the pivot point of the handle (i'm 6ft 2)

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:37 pm
by bmcecosse
Me too - are they comfy - and have you connected the heating ?????

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:49 am
by Peetee
Were the old seats totally useless? I ask because Albert is going to be fitted with Rover BRM seats. The rears are substantially different so I am re-shaping the covers to fit over the original seat.

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:59 am
by Kevin
Rover BRM seats
Thats sounds different what are they from

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:26 am
by dunketh
My Metro seats rubbed the rear door handles. They were a pain as it made them rattle.

I could move them about 5-10mm away but then there still wasn't really enough room to operate them. I've actually gone back to the original Mog seats. There's a reason they're so tiny and compact.

One day I'll re-foam & strap them and remove the bit of wooden board that's in em now!
:lol:

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:42 am
by Peetee
Thats sounds different what are they from
The Rover 200 BRM was a special addition model with leather seats. Mine are red, of a shade roughly between the leather of the early Minor 1000 and the vinyl cherokee red of later cars.

I see now that I misread the original post and we are talking about the front seats causing a prob. :oops:

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:05 pm
by Roni
I have a possible strange idea, no idea if it would work. What about using some window winder handles as the door handles? On mine they are slimmer.

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:33 pm
by overider
[quote="dunketh"]My Metro seats rubbed the rear door handles. They were a pain as it made them rattle.

Try Suzuki realto seats i fit them in my four door no problems at all

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:46 am
by RogerRust
Its a terrible thing to say, but you could cut the flange off and cut back the handle. You'll probably have to cut back the spindle as well.
I don't know how far the square profile in the handle goes into the handle and you'll probably need to drill and tap the spindle to be able to use the fixing screw again. As Roni says the winder is of a lower profile you could cut the knob bit off - you'd probably end up with a handle with a hole in the end. then you could attach a cord a bit like the MK1 mini and pull that to open the door!

Image

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:50 am
by RogerRust
Perhaps there is something here to use!!!!

MINI DOOR HANDLES on Ebay

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:04 pm
by winger300
The seats are really comfortable, I dont have the heating element wired in yet... how did you do it? With the original Saab switches?

I actually reversed the rails on the passenger seat to allow it to slide all the way back for lots of leg room.

I'll keep an eye on the mini handles. Thanks

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:32 pm
by dp
At the risk of lumbar and back pain problems if done to extreme, could you pad the outer runners upwards a bit so the seat tilts very slightly in towards the centre of the car?

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:14 am
by dunketh
Is it safe to assume you've already done the obvious and tried the front door handles on the rear doors?
I'm sure you already know the front handles stick out a lot less and are a lot different in appearance to the rear ones.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:47 am
by RogerRust
Dunketh,
I think you have your front handle on the back and vice versa.
It should be the back ones that are the shorter lower profile ones!

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:03 pm
by dunketh
Really?

Lol.. wouldn't surprise me. It would easily be the least of past owners crimes. :lol:

The front handles on mine are curved and 'detailed' whereas the rear ones are much squarer and larger.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:40 pm
by RogerRust
I think you can see them here,

Image

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:13 pm
by wibble_puppy
RogerRust wrote:I think you can see them here
Show-off :lol:

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:47 am
by dunketh
Wow!
My eyes are telling me that's a Minor but my brain refuses to accept it.

Where's the holes, grubby marks, peeling vinyl, threadbare carpets etc..
:lol: