Are you using repop clips? If so look for some original clips. The repops are too weak. Not enough spring tension.

 

If I remember correctly, I had a similar problem. The repop handle is designed a little bit differently. It will fit a repop regulator but won't sit deep enough on an original regulator to allow the spring clip to slide into the groove on the spindle.
The fix is to take a file an take a little off of the tip of the spindle. This will allow the repop handle to push further onto the original spindle and the spring clip will find its groove.


Edit: Also, from my build thread.....

Ok, here is a little trick I used on the door handles.
The "ears" on the repo clips that holds the handle on are too long.
( The clip on the left )
They keep the white disc from laying flat against the door handle.
Its a small thing, but it caused the disc to look warped when installed on the door.
So I clipped the ears.
( The clip on the right )
Now the entire clip fits inside the white disc and it looks much better when installed.

Double Edit:
Found a picture of a spindle.
The yellow arrow is pointing to the "face" of the spindle. File that flat, doesn't take much. File a little and test fit.The more you file off, the deeper the handle will sit on the spindle.

The red arrow shows the groove that the spring clip has to fit into.

 

Thank you both but I am using a stock handle and a stock clip and the handle has good depth on the regulator but it seems like the regulator groove is not square enough to catch and hold the clip. It has like a shoulder on it. I was think of squaring up the groove so the clip can grab it and hold on. I am worried though that it might ruin the regulator. It wouldn't be great pulling apart my door and ending up with another faulty repo anyways.

 

I took a look at the regulator on the passenger door without the door panel on and tried a stock handle on it. It pushed right on and appeared to lock but was easily pulled off. So I used a thin cutting wheel on the outside edge of the locking groove where it had like a sloped shoulder and removed a small amount of the shoulder. When I reinstalled the handle it locked and stayed. It was a little more difficult to do the door with the panel on but I carefully removed the shoulder there as well and the handle locked on. Thank you Don and See for your input because I didn't realize that the reproduction parts were such an issue. I guess I just assumed they should be made to original specs. Your inputs gave me the confidence to do what needed to be done to make them work! Thanks Ross

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of 50's car restoration. Brand new, the manufacturing tolerances were not that great. Even NOS parts need a little reworking to fit right. Add 60 plus years of wear and tear and it's a wonder anything fits and works at all.

Hey, if it was easy everybody would have a trifive chevy!

Glad you got it to work.

 

 

and NOTHING reproduction works as it should... so be prepared, and utilize original GM parts where possible...

 

Hi Fellas,
I'm having a similar issue with a 55 2-door sedan i just bought. The handles were actually glued on. Lol. I have scraped off the glue and am figuring out what exactly the issues are. In any case, they do not have the plastic piece shown on SEE's post or on Ecklar's site. Did originals have this piece? Mine do not have them. Or, are they only on repos? I'm wondering if this missing piece is part of the reason my handles keep falling off.

 

Hi Fellas,
I'm having a similar issue with a 55 2-door sedan i just bought. The handles were actually glued on. Lol. I have scraped off the glue and am figuring out what exactly the issues are. In any case, they do not have the plastic piece shown on SEE's post or on Ecklar's site. Did originals have this piece? Mine do not have them. Or, are they only on repos? I'm wondering if this missing piece is part of the reason my handles keep falling off.

Glued on? Sounds like something I would have done in the 70's. 😀

As Bamanomad said, the "washers" were on the cars originally and protected the door panels . Thin plastic, the originals became brittle and fell off over time. They don't affect the way the handles work or fit.

The window handles cause a lot of problems but if they are done properly will work as they should. Got a 4 door wagon so I had lots of practice.

Start with the window channels and the scissor lift first. If the glass doesn't move up and down smoothly through the entire range of motion, fix that first. The less torque needed to raise and lower the glass the better.
The regulators need to be clean and lubed also. I know, more work than you wanted to do but the more torque it takes to move the window the more likely the handle will fail.

Then clean the regulator spindle. The teeth need to be clean. Some of mine had several layers of overspray on them and would not allow the handle to sit deep enough for full contact of the teeth surface. I also took some material off the face of the spindle as mentioned above. Easy does it, just do a little at a time and test fit. You will get good at removing and replacing the spring clip.

The groove that the spring clip sits in needs to be clean too as rossd found out on his regulator spindle.

The deeper the handle can sit on the spindle (to a point) the better.

It pays to have the right tools. I work with springhooks on my day job that make removing and replacing the spring clip easy.

A hook on one end for removal and a "pusher" on the other end for sliding the spring back on. Once you get the hang of it they are easy to take off and put back on.

After 60 years, some spindles will be worn out and won't work no matter what you do to them.

The vent windows are the same concept just a shorter handle.

Good luck and remember, it's supposed to be fun restoring an old car!👍

 

The handles originally had the plastic separator to protect the door panel from the rotating window cranks/handles...

 

Thanks, See. This folds into another question I had about the window garnish. I still need to take the side panels off to get a proper look at how the handle fits the spindle but as I placed it on and began moving the window down a bit I realized the back of the knob was almost resting on the window garnish. Arguably, that explains the deep scratches on the garnish. Perhaps with the washers will help with that distance. It may also be that paneling I have is pushing the hand off and the garnish out.

 

The garnish molding should have some metal tabs on the back side where the screw holes are located.
They are designed to stop the screw once it gets to the proper depth. If they were not there the screw would not tighten until the garnish molding was deformed. They are not designed to be adjusted but they can be bent to vary the height of the molding. If they are originals they probably need straightening anyway.

Also you will need to check the inner door skin. Over the years they can get bent. The regulator being mounted to that bent skin can cause the rotation of the handle to vary in and out enough to rub a garnish molding.

The thickness of the doorcard might also be pushing the molding too far out aswell.

Are you having fun yet? 😀

There may be other causes, other will chime in with thier experiences.

 

Here's the underside of the handle

 

Do you have a regular window crank on the vent wing spindle? Vent wing cranks are shorter....

 

I've got the regular ones.