Restoring 330GT 2+2 Door Handles

[Darren C]

I have just finished restoring the door handles for my 330GT 2+2. Since I bought only a shell, I had to find the handles. On a very limited budget all I could get were two VERY badly corroded, pitted and broken handles.
So here’s how I set about restoring them.
The lock operating paddles in Mazak (Monkey or Pot metal) were broken and missing from one handle and hanging on by one leg on the other. (Pictures 1 & 2)
From a “free” sample section of Stainless bar from my local metal stockist using no more than a hacksaw, file and drill I made two replacements. (Pictures 3 & 4)
The hinge pin in mild steel had also badly rusted, so I got a length of 4mm Stainless bar from ebay and made two new pins on my lathe. I replicated the tapered ends and grove for the snap rings. (Picture 5)
The original pins have a mild steel snap ring that holds the whole assembly together. These were difficult to source until I had an idea to use Fishermans snap rings, the bonus was that they were not only available in 4mm and only a couple of pennies each they were Stainless too, so the whole thing wont rust or seize up or break the paddles again. (Picture 6)
The next stage was to prepare the Mazak handles for re-chroming. Over the years I have tried many ideas and platers to get a good job with Mazak, it’s horrible stuff to re-work. In the end I find that the Mazak is best to be electro stripped which is the reverse of the chroming process then good old fashioned hard work filing, sanding and 1200 grit wet & dry papering to remove pitting. Any deep pits are best filled by copper plating the item several times with sanding down and polishing each time in between. This eventually fills the pits and you can level the surface by sanding and polishing.
The handles were then handed over to be chrome plated. As I couldn’t afford to have all the bits I need plated in one go, I have an agreement with the platers to put odd items in with other work they are doing.
Again I had to do all the fettling afterwards and always re-tap out any threads and re-drill the hinge pin holes after chroming otherwise things simply won’t fit properly. (Picture 7)

I’m very pleased with the final result as the handles are now functional, flawless and ready to go onto the car one day.
(Pictures 8 & 9)

[Jimmyr]

Darren, guided by your last text, we made the paddle starting with a steel bracket from a sliding door track that had two bent up ends. Drilled the holes for the rod and cut out the slot. All worked just fine. Just a note of thanks for your initial idea that these were easy to make, and they were. Your polis and plating looks first class. Jim

[Darren C]

Hi Jimmy, glad it worked out for you.

At the end of last week I unwrapped the interior door levers that I’d got back from the chrome platers. They looked superb so I started to re assemble.
Here’s how they looked as bought. The chrome was completely shot and pitted badly they were very rough to the touch and quite nasty. The frames, pivots and springs were badly rusted too.





I started last week to clean up the metal frames and after about 4 hours on each they were ready to paint up. After Etch prime and flatting the satin black was re painted and the threaded holes re-tapped.



The springs and pivot tubes were sanded and filed free of rust and repainted zinc silver coat. The small M4 nuts and bolts were very rusty so these were replaced with stainless steel.
Ready for assembly

[Darren C]

The finished Interior Door Handles look superb and tactile without ripping the skin off your fingers on the old razor sharp chrome blisters!

[tyang]

Hi Darren,

Looking at your beautiful work reminds me about telling new owners of 330s with these interior door handles to pull them closer to the base of the lever than towards the ends. I've seen the lever snap in two from corrosion or old age.

It's tactile things that you're making perfect that will make your car a joy to use. I let a friend of mine that is very much into early Porsches drive my Ferrari yesterday explaining it was not going to feel like a 911 or 356. Vintage Ferraris drive very much like trucks compared to Porsches, but it's the visceral experiences from the noises to the feel that set them apart, even if it's as subtle as a door handle!

Tom