door handles

[MattD]

Hi everyone

I am looking to replace the door handles (interior)  for my Alfa GT   

the window switch cover are badly scratched (quite common, isn't it ?)  and the rubber on handles are worn .

I've found a German Company produces carbon parts (photo attached) , wondering if anyone has replaced ?

Carbon option is not a must , I am happy to get the plastic parts . Any alternatives ? 

Many Thanks

Matthew

[Citroënbender]

The plugs are tuppence, at least if you buy from PartsWorld or Desira. Removing them without scarring the handle proper, is a knack of sorts, I use a thinned out glazier's putty knife with rounded off tip. 

Overall, the Alfa door panels are not "difficult" to break down by comparison with some marques.  You only need to detach one hot weld to remove the door handle from the panel. Careful sheathing in black leather might be another option for the handles, once off a trimmer could make much nicer covers than the Fleabay tat. 

The switch plates - well, first up, make sure you identify and remove the hidden Torx screw that retains the driver's door switch panel - I'd suggest careful unclipping of the face once unit is removed, and just de-gunking.  It will take a bit of effort but will come up OK less the mirror control markings. 

[warsch]

You can just paint the button panel. I've seen it done on the internet and the result looked fine. I am not too sure about durability, but I guess a few layers of paint and clear coat should do it for a few years

[johnl]

My drivers side window / mirror button panel was quite tatty, with white areas showing through the old surface, so I painted the base panel with a satin black enamel. If I were doing it again I'd choose a matt paint (but I already had the satin on the shelf). The result is acceptable. You do lose the white markings (arrows and L and R) on the base panel since these get covered by the paint. Only painted the panel, not the buttons themselves.

I did two coats, but the first coat must not have been 100% dry because I ended up with a small area of crinkling, which I never notice except when cleaning and paying attention to details. I had to sand off the old black surface to get an even base for the paint.

I recall taking off the swivelling mirror button (with four arrows) in order to remove the side to side toggle switch (mirror selector) so that the panel could be painted underneath the switch, and that this was fiddly. I masked up (tape) the window buttons themselves.

Slight hi-jack; My biggest problem with the doors now is the velour material on the cards, which is separating from the underlying card. I tried re-gluing it, but the old glue is almost impossible to remove properly (I gave up) and stops the new glue from working. So, the new glue lasted about one or two days before the velour started 'billowing' again. I suspect the only solution is new door cards...?

Regards,
John.

[Citroënbender]

Hi John, this is partly what I was alluding to in my comments about ease of dissembly. You can quite readily re-trim the fabric insert part where it has suffered Orange Rot.

[johnl]

"Orange rot", yes that describes what lurks beneath the covering material on the door cards. The OR is stuck to the trim material and to the moulded particle board (?) and can't be fully removed (at least not with the attempts and methods I tried), largely because the materials to which it adheres is quite porous and the old glue is 'soaked' into it. It interferes with the adhesion of new glue.

I tried regluing the old velour, which is likely a mistake. Probably shhould use some new material. It would need to be quite flexible or 'mouldable' to accomodate the curves to which it needs to adhere...

Regards,
John.

[Citroënbender]

The general process for this problem is to separate the affected items from the rest of the trim, clean with lacquer thinners and rags and once dry to affix new material - many choices come with thin foam pre-bonded to the fabric. So you spray the panel with your 3M or Wurth trim bonding aerosol and once flashed off, firmly press to glue your new fabric (foam backing) down. Trim afterwards with a razor blade or tailoring scissors.

[bazzbazz]

Or take the removed door cards to you local Auto-Upholsterer and get them to fit new fabric. I am sure they have irons of some type that they use to steam/stretch the fabric into the moulds permanently.