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Kev wrote

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Kev, I've been hearing about these retainer clips for a long time now. Can't quite figure out what they hold together. I haven't taken any of the door apart yet. Can you explain what the clips are for?

Thanks,

Bob,

They secure the outside door handles to the door itself on the 51-56 models. Basically you hold the door handle in place against the door, and then you slide in the the clip through the hole on the door jam to secure the door handle in place. If you open your door and look on the door jam at the level where the door handle is you will see a rectangular cut our in the jam where the clip slides in. The problem is that the clip is on the out side of the glass, so when it rains, water leaks down the glass and onto the clip. This basically rusts it, and makes it very difficult to remove.

Here is a picture of what the new beryllium-copper versions of the clips from PI look like to get an idea. (top and left in the picture)

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Thanks for the info Kev. Looks like I won't be removing the door handles until I have the copper replacements in hand. One thought just occurred to me. We are probably only going to remove the door handles once in our lifetime so maybe cheeper steel retainer clips would do. If they last as long as the old ones we will be long dead before they fail. Thinking about removing the door handles and trim for paint. I'll be lucky to be able to paint it once let alone a second time.

Real ones are getting pretty scarce but if you want a set for the front here's a pair. The vendors that still have a few have priced them almost on par with the repros.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1951-56-Packard-Ext-Door-Handle-Retainers-425352-3-NOS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4634Q2em351Q2el1262QQhashZitem562e2dd9beQQitemZ370141944254QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Geez. for $100 we mite need to start looking at some Chevy door handles. GUFAW-HA HA HA ha hah a

When I bought my clips from PI there were $35 a piece. So $140 for a set of four of them.

I may have missed it in the thread, but where can one find these copper clips?

I've looked at PI's website and searced the internet but haven't located any.

Also mine are solid in place so to remove the handle in my rear door I used a screwdriver to split the retainer down the middle and pulled it out in two pieces. I wouldn't recommend that method unless you have to. (soaked it for days in pb blaster and it still wouldn't budge)

I figured I couldn't hurt the bit in the door anymore than it was already messed up.

Has anyone had expirience with the bit in the door being bent or damaged and have replaced it or fixed it somehow?

[Edit] the "bit" I'm referring to is the metal "slide" that the retaining clip slides into. Are these spot welded to the door? Or are they gel on some other fashion?

When I got mine the repros were steel, and about the same price too.I only replaced two. As you say. Not likely to come off any time soon.I didn't know some were copper. My old ones were steel. My car was built in late 51 Brian

I didn't know some were copper.

I don't believe they are copper; they're some copper allow like a bronze or perhaps even beryllium-copper alloy, much harder and stronger than copper, though they have that coppery appearance.

The original ones are just made of sheet metal steel and would rust after the first strong rain. The reproduction ones that PI sells are made of Beryllium Cooper so they wont rust.

They are sold by the San Diego Region PI Chapter. Call the main PI office number to order. They were $35 each when I bought them, and every door uses a slightly different style clip (LF, LR, RF, RR). So make sure you tell them exactly what clips you need.