Shaved doors help?

[brandokid25]

Hello!

After finally waiting out the winter I've finally gotten my '87 Firebird on the road. My only major concern with the car is when my dad bought it, the doors came shaved and they don't open when I press the buttons on the remote. The remote has four buttons, buttons 1, 2 and 4 don't do anything but I do hear a clicking noise inside the car, just a click, nothing from the doors. The only button that actually does anything is 3, which unlocks the doors if I lock them. So my question is, how can I make the doors pop open again? And before you suggest getting new doors, that's the last thing I want to search for. I would like some in depth explanation of how I can fix the doors so they work. I've replaced the old battery in the car with a new one and changed the battery in the remote. Thanks for the help!

[Ringo64]

I have no experience with shaved doors but my engineering senses are tingling. Best bet might be to find out where that "popping" sound is coming from and see what is there. Hopefully if you're lucky, you may just need to replace some wires to make this mechanism working again that "pops" the doors so you can get in. Have you found where this is and done any digging around in the wiring?

[Professur]

Ok, so right now, you can't get the doors open at all? A call to AAA will have them open in a jiffy. Once you're inside, pull off the door lining and look at what's been done inside. Take pics and we can go from there. The click you hear means the solenoid installed to pop the door is working ... but something in the linkaqe has failed.

[brandokid25]

I keep my window rolled down and drive only in good weather for now so I can still get into my car, I will be pulling it into the garage after I put the new windshield in and I will take a look, will post pics as soon as I can get it!

[Ghost]

didnt Frosty or JUSTA6 answer this in the other thread?

[Frosty]

I thought I did. Shaved door handles are an old hot rod customizing trick. You need to either replace or install/repair the door "poppers" that are actuated by your remote. The idea of a shave door is the clean look. The door poppers unlock and push the door open when you hit the button. There should also be some sort of manual release in case the battery goes dead too. Since you (or your dad) bought the car, I am assume the previous owner didn't inform you of where that was.

Summit Racing is just one source for a shaved door handle / door popper kit. There are others you can Google. This is a "universal" kit so it will be your job to make it fit your car. There is no set specific application for a 3rd gen Firebird.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/eli-89000

.

[havoc1482]

Forgive my simpleton question oh great car lords but whats a shaved door?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[Ghost]

Forgive my simpleton question oh great car lords but whats a shaved door?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

a handle-less door. to make the door smooth.

[havoc1482]

Oooohhh

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[Ringo64]

Oooohhh

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[Frosty]

Forgive my simpleton question oh great car lords but whats a shaved door?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

a handle-less door. to make the door smooth.

Great answer Ghosty!

Great example RIngo!!!

Actually Havoc, the term "shaving" is a car kustomizing term (not a typo) which means to remove things like door handles, chrome or stainless trim, drip rails, emblems, or other things on the car in order to emphasis or enhance the lines of a car (or truck). The idea, as Ghost said, is in order to achieve a smooth, often minimalist, overall look. This practice has been around since the late 1950s. Hot rods and lead sleds are the most often users of shaving, but they are not the only ones. Notallthere is currently shaving the drip rails off his FrankenChevelle.

As you can see from Ringo's example, the results of shaving can be quite stunning.

[Ghost]

Great answer Ghosty!

thank you kind sir!

[havoc1482]

Cool. Love learning new things. Thanks guys!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[Professur]

And now he goes off to try and find a way to shave the door handles on a tractor. This should be good. *popcorn*

[brandokid25]

Should be getting around to it this weekend if not busy, also need to figure out how to make the front passenger seat belt retract, the shoulder portion is extended all the way and it won't retract.

[Frosty]

You may need to replace the belt retractor mechansim. Lots of parts are available on the internet for them: YearOne, NPD, Ames Performance/Performance Years, Firebird Central, etc.

[JUSTA6]

If you can pull the panel, check out the pendulum and make sure it's swinging freely. It's what locks the seatbelt from moving when you hit the brakes,bumps ect. Might JUSTA need to soak in a lil liquid wrench. (don't get it on the seatbelt material!!!) I know you've tried to put your seatbelt on while the car is moving, and it gets stuck. If your not moving it slides right into place. It's really NOT magic. Could be an easy fix. My 66 retractors were all rusted tight. Took me a coule days but have them back working perfectly, saving a bunch O bucks.

[brandokid25]

Driver side door pops open now time for a nice spring drive with thr tops off!

[Ghost]

[Ringo64]

There ya go!

[95naSTA]

I shaved the handles on my old Bonneville. Getting the tension on the cable that attaches the solenoid to the latch was an art form.. I'd be willing to bet the cable needs to be adjusted. This issue and the spine tingling feeling I got from people slamming my doors (worrying about cracks) were the 2 main reasons I didn't do it again.

[JUSTA6]

Does a shaved hood latch count?? Changed the Sunbird hood to a trunk release. Push the button to release, then hit the up or down button for the hydraulic's to raise/lower hood. Added the clear insert, so you can raise the hood while pulling into a cruise nite, and still see to get to your parking spot. Every head in the lot is turned because of the blower noise. Give em a show!

[Ringo64]

Does a shaved hood latch count?? Changed the Sunbird hood to a trunk release. Push the button to release, then hit the up or down button for the hydraulic's to raise/lower hood. Added the clear insert, so you can raise the hood while pulling into a cruise nite, and still see to get to your parking spot. Every head in the lot is turned because of the blower noise. Give em a show!

Well seeing where you need to go is important

[brandokid25]

I honestly hated the shaved doors when I first got my Firebird because they didn't work but now I think they are awesome and I love popping my door open haha