I am slowly getting to completion on my TVR M series car....

I have come fit the door handles... the original ones are badly pitted and the locking mechanisms dont work...

Im looking at about £80 for a replacement set..


So it got me thinking,....

I could fill in the hole in the door and fit solenoids and little buttons.... as per the newer TVRs....

However.... would that just be a seriously wrong thing to do to a classic car?


And, what is the lo-cost solution to fitting door solenoids?

This is the type of car...

pretty sure you have to have some way of unlocking/opening the doors if the battery or electrics fail for MOT

i have some central locking motors form a universal kit you can have for the cost of postage if they're any good to you

Ray

why would that be 'chavy'?
are you planning on painting your car in burberry pattern or something?

the use of the word chav really annoys me.

do it. removing the door handles on a car makes the sides look so much cleaner and smooth. I've not seen a car with door handles removed for a while right enough, but i don't remember there being any problems with MOT

"This inspection does not apply if no drivers or front passenger's doors were fitted as part of the original design of the vehicle.
A lack of door handles because of original design characteristics or specialist modification is not a reason for rejection provided the door can be latched securely in the dosed position."
http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_620.htm

^no mention of gold curb chains or Kappa tacksuits, so should be fine

[Edited on 14/12/08 by blakep82]

The modern TVRs use this arrangement and... IMHO dont have any issues passing...


I dont think central locking servos will be enough... Im guessing I will need some quite substantial servos....

Anyone know a decent source?

you can buy solenoids to do this. not sure if central locking ones would do the job.

depends how you want to do it.

If you want a button on the car which pops the door open, you'll need central locking solenoids to lock the the doors AND solenoids to pull on the release cable to open the door when you press your button.

If you want the doors to open by the press of a button on a remote control, and not by any other method on the car, then you only really need one solenoid to pop the door open, as it will essentially lock itself whenever the door is closed.

kits are available all over the net for this.

i'm just thinking though you say the locking mechanism doesn't work? in what way? the actual lock unit itself is broken? in which case you'll need a new one of them anyway. Or are the rods broken or jammed? or the actual handle itself if broke?

The locking mechanism lives inside the handle....

All it does is prevent the actual door release button being bushed in... so one smack with a hammer and the door would open anyway...

I was thinking about using these solenoids from RSRS


And either buy a remote immobilizer system and use that to switch on/off the power to the solenoid switches on the door..

Or simply go for fully remote opening of the doors...

Either way... I dont need any central locking solenoids.... Just some solenoids big enough to pop the doors....

Should I be getting solenoids with a stroke equal to the door latch movement... or get something longer and then not use all its travel?

[Edited on 14/12/08 by tegwin]

Modern TVRs have the door latch in the body, and the striker on the door, so no worry about flexing cable getting broken. They also have a manual release system if (when) the battery dies, I think you should definitely consider a back up system.

Personally I would get new handles and leave it original, modifications like this will certainly de-value the car and reduce it's appeal should you ever decide to sell it.

so if there's only 1 rod to the latch mechanism, it should be easy enough.
reckon those solenoids from RS should be fine as long as they pull far enough.

I think the custom VW boys use door solonoids.... might be worth a look.

I think the more important question are:

1/ Will it negatively impact on the ease of resale and value of the car?

2/ Is the cost, effort involved and risk of problems worth the saving you might make?

Use your answer to both of these questions to inform your decision.

What about solenoids from pre engaged starter motors

I know what you're asking and (in my opinion) it's the little chrome details make a car like this. If you want a modern detail get a modern car. It'll just look wanky.

In the current climate, originality is everything. It'll knock more than £80 off the value of the car. 'Shaving', as it used to be termed has been around on the custom car scene for donkey's but it's a very personal taste thing & rarely improves the look.

I think buy the time you've bought the solenoids, de-handled the car, etc. it would cost you more in time and money to just simply buy new handles.