Need help on my 56 outside door handles

[Ron]

1956belair 002.jpg1956belair 007.jpg

First off not sure if this is the right place to post these questions. Hope so.

I got my 56 4 door hardtop on ebay the door handles and side chrome where already off the car.
I want to put the door handles back on the car plus the side chrome.
I cannot find anybody who sells the rods that go from the outside door handles to the latch.
I did find the piece that fits over the door handle that the rods hook to.
I donot want used ones unles they are near perfect.

What i was wondering I am finding that the door locks and handles off from a 56-62 corvette
are the same as the 56-57 4 door hardtop are the rods alo the same.


The other thing I have been looking for is the side chrome for the 4 door hardtop
If I can find them it will be easy to put it back on the holes where not filled in just have a piece of tape over them

[chevynut]

I would check eBay for the side trim. I don't understand which "rods" you're talking about. I assume you're talking about the something that goes from the button on the door handle to the mechanism immediately behind it. Why are yours missing? Seems like it might be a part that you can easily make, but I'm not sure why it would be different on a 4DHT than any other model.

[Ron]

When they removed the door handles they took all the rods off also.
Here is what they look like.
The books show the 4 door hardtop are different then the 2 door.

[chevynut]

I don't get it....the outside door handles have nothing to do with those rods. The rods are connected from the latch to the INSIDE door handles. Are we getting anywhere?

[Ron]

No there is a rod that goes from the door latch up to the door handles
There is another part that goes on to the outside door handles
that is called a door release mechansim the rod from the latch comes up to and hooks in it.

this is why the books show 4 door hardtop only.

I think I might have found some for a 56 buick on ebay I just need to look in the parts interchange book later to make sure they are the same.

Thanks anyways.

[chevynut]

Ok, I guess I've never seen one like that. 4DHTs are weird.

[markm]

I have a set of older Hollanders and they do not list this small an item. Back then Buicks ,Olds ,Pontiac and Chevy were very different car, with little interchange.

[Ron]

Your right the hollanger books donot show the small parts.
A friend of mine has all the old GM parts books just not sure if he has the Buick
most of his are chevy.

I am surprise there is nothing on the internet about these door rods or how they hook up.

I will try and get a picture on later.

[Ron]

Here ia what the door latch looks like with the rods hooked up.
Like I said surprised there is nothing about this on the web there is now though.

Also if anybody has all the side molding let me know.

doorlatch2 001.jpg

[chevynut]

The picture says 2 and 4 door HT and convertible. So aren't the rods the same? My 56 Nomad doesn't have any rods like that, neither does my sedan.