Author Topic: Cobalt Door Handles (Read 107115 times)

Cheers · « **on:** February 08, 2009, 12:25:48 AM »

In the What's your next Mod thread Chemist mentioned that Cobalt door handles were the same as the Solstice. I started looking into it and THEY ARE. But they are expensive $68 for one door and $55 for the other ----that is list. To keep the cost down I starting searching junk yards. I only found one and it was a hard to find 2007 Right hand handle. The reason it is hard to find is that most Cobalt Right door handles do NOT have a lock and will not work with our doors without modification.

I found a white one for $25 and had it painted to match my mysterious GXP. With the Solstice guru DeepBlue GXP and the nimble hands of Chuckdoc we install the handle (detail to be added in a day or two -- its been a great day, but a long on)

No rest for DeepBlueGXP---working on the door and another project on the phone -- What a guy!

Chuckdoc has great hands -- especially when Cheers drops a bolt inside the door

INSTALLED

Cheers · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2009, 12:26:16 AM »

For any of you who don't know there are two screws and two bolts that hold the interior door panel on. The first screw is the only visible one and it is on the end of the door just above the door latch.

The second screw is behind the interior door handle -- behind a small panel that is removed from the catch on the right.

The two bolts (7mm) are behind and below the door hold

The door cover then is carefully pulled away from the door plastic push screws are holding it on at this point. Once the door cover is loose, lif up and away from the door and window. Remove the door handle cable by releasing cable and lifting up on the cable.

PHOTO TO BE ADDED

Cheers · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2009, 12:26:32 AM »

Once the door cover it off, there are three bolts (10mm) holding the handle to the door. One in the front and two in the back.

Once the bolts are removed the are still two clips holding the handle to the door --one near the front on the handle that needs a screw driver (standard blade) pressing against it while someone slowly and carefully pulls the handle away from the door.

The other is far less significant and is near the handle mechanism and needs to be held down as you push the back of the door handle away from the door -- have yet to see one that was not broken in the process, but we [read DeepBlueGXP] will try harder next time and will let you know how it was doing if we are successful.

Be careful NOT pull the lock out with the handle -- hold it in placewhile removing the handle. Then install new handle and reverse the steps.

idkfa · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:34:15 AM »

Looks great! Were you looking for cobalt handles for spares or are they eaiser to paint for some reason?

Id love to have mine body color too

Whip · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:31:14 AM »

Looks great, Grant, can't wait to see them in person.

Lucy'sDaddy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:30:33 AM »

The Cobalt's are not chromed, and the chrome is un-paintable without stripping it off.
They look GREAT!
Now to get rid of the silver around the windshield and behind the seats!
How much are the handles on gmpartsdirect? Got part #'s?

chuckdoc · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:43:57 AM »

This is a really neat modification and after finishing helping Joe with Grants, a couple of us decided that we wanted to do this as well. It looks much better in person than in the pictures as the reflection of the sunlight takes a little away. This is a really cool mod.

There are several tricks to taking the handle off as well as putting the new one on and I know Joe will post later.

We asked Grant to see if he could put together a group buy that would include painting, so lets see what can be done.

Remember the left is different from the right and lucy'sdad is right, you can not paint over chrome.

Chuck

Sly Bob · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:25:20 AM »

For someone that doesn't care for the chrome handles, that really is a great mod and relatively easy to do. I have to assume that the handle is made of the same material as the stock one? Nice job guys.

chuckdoc · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:29:17 AM »

Yup, exactly the same. For the Cobalt, they came in two versions, chromed and painted. You need the painted and left is different from right. Also I believe, there is two models of both, one US made and the other not. Just a few dollars price difference. Grant can post more specifics.

Hoosier GXP · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:39:36 AM »

Quote from: Lucy'sDaddy on February 08, 2009, 08:30:33 AM

The Cobalt's are not chromed, and the chrome is un-paintable without stripping it off.
They look GREAT!
Now to get rid of the silver around the windshield and behind the seats!
How much are the handles on gmpartsdirect? Got part #'s?

Check this site for the A pillar and behind the seats.

http://www.asapdigitalimaging.com/#/apillarbackwrapkits/4532535388

Critterman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2009, 03:29:20 PM »

Have to agree with Chuck (hate it when that happens), but it does look great.

snaponbob · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2009, 04:09:12 PM »

1) The CF wrap looks tempting !!!!!!

2) Aren't the door handles plastic? The way one of mine broke it seems so. If they are, just wet sand the chrome with some 1000 grit, hit it with sandable primer, and then paint it !!!!! If it's metal, sand it, hit it with etching primer, then sandable primer, then paint it. Should work fine. Think Duplicolor spray cans.

DeepBlueGXP · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2009, 04:16:08 PM »

Yes the handles are plastic. We've painted 4 different cars to match the humps and windshield here.

Cheers, post some close up of the back of the stock handle. Besides the two bolts by the key, there is a third bolt to the front and then there are two clips that retain the handle in the door. Use a long thin flat bladed screw driver to push the tab to release the handle. The front tab has to be pushed towards the rear of the car. I didn't get to see how to release the tab by the key hole.

Cheers · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:47:38 PM »

I am not at home and do not have all my notes with me (not to mention a hard on-set COLD), will clean up Monday night. However, here are the basics. The Cobalt door handles are the same. One even has the exact same stock number as the Solstice. But be careful most on the 08/09s Cobalts do NOT have a door lock in the Right handle. The list price for the 07 Cobalt handles is $68/$55 do not remember which is which, but will update. The Cobalts come in Chrome and Primer (will add part numbers). At that price I started searching junk yards and having gotten only the hard to find Right one pictured above. The problem is, like the Solstice they are too new so very few in junk yards. (try looking in http://car-part.com/
The one I got was white so I took it to Knox Auto, the BEST paint and body folks in my area. Their advice was to not paint the Chrome ones as the paint will peel off over time. I'm going to talk to them next week to see if there is any money be saved if we have them order the parts in bulk -10 to 15 sets and paint them for us.

Cheers · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2009, 06:30:52 PM »

Couple of different completed photos

Go-n Def Dark Tech REALLY need help with the polishing ...

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2009, 06:33:34 PM »

Cheers

This is an interesting mod thanks for the info. However I have two questions.

First can you go back and edit your posts so that they are a little more clear? They seem to me to be missing some words or perhaps have a few typos which make them hard to understand.

Second question is you refer to the left hand handle as the one pictured does that then mean that the left hand is on the passenger side? Typically left and right is defined as from the driver's seat which to me would mean that the left handle would be on the driver side.

snaponbob · « **Reply #16 on:** February 08, 2009, 06:37:58 PM »

My Redline is Silver Pearl (or whatever the hell they call it!). I've already painted the phony hood vents matte black and the chrome grill cross bar body color. (Just not a chrome kind of guy.) I may just do the door handles in semi gloss or gloss black. There are removable spray paints on the market, so I may shoot them and see how it looks.

Cheers · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2009, 07:09:08 PM »

Quote from: Sol Asylum on February 08, 2009, 06:33:34 PM

Cheers

This is an interesting mod thanks for the info. However I have two questions.

First can you go back and edit your posts so that they are a little more clear? They seem to me to be missing some words or perhaps have a few typos which make them hard to understand.

Second question is you refer to the left hand handle as the one pictured does that then mean that the left hand is on the passenger side? Typically left and right is defined as from the driver's seat which to me would mean that the left handle would be on the driver side.

MY BAD Should be clearer now. I meant to say the other left commonly referred to as the right.

Hoosier GXP · « **Reply #18 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:05:57 PM »

Quote from: Cheers on February 08, 2009, 12:25:48 AM

In the What's your next Mod thread Chemist mentioned that Cobalt door handles were the same as the Solstice. I started looking into it and THEY ARE. But they are expensive $68 for one door and $55 for the other ----that is list. To keep the cost down I starting searching junk yards. I only found one and it was a hard to find 2007 Right hand handle. The reason it is hard to find is that most Cobalt Right door handles do NOT have a lock and will not work with our doors without modification.

I found a white one for $25 and had it painted to match my mysterious GXP. With the Solstice guru DeepBlue GXP and the nimble hands of Chuckdoc we install the handle (detail to be added in a day or two -- its been a great day, but a long on)

So would I be correct in assuming that we need door handles from Cobalt's that have a key entry on each door? Does it make a difference if the Cobalt did not have key less entry.

DeepBlueGXP · « **Reply #19 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:49:05 PM »

It doesn't make a difference. What would help is if someone see's a cobalt with the colored door handles that has a key opening on both sides, copy the VIN and post it here. Then we can get the parts from a dealer.

Hoosier GXP · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:24:07 PM »

Gm Parts Direct showing Cobalt door handles for
1st design Right - Coupe -     2008    MSR $30.30    There Price $18.60

1st design Left - Coupe -     2008 MSR $47.21     There Price $28.96

Might be worth looking into.

lil goat · « **Reply #21 on:** February 09, 2009, 12:27:41 AM »

Looks really great, I had looked into this long ago but never got around to doing it, it was after I saw a yellow Cobalt with matching handles that it first crossed my mind. I have zeo chrome on my car and really want to do this, I was going to do black, then I was going to do yellow, then I was going to do black.... see why it never got done.

Cheers · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2009, 12:21:03 PM »

Quote from: Hoosier GXP on February 08, 2009, 09:24:07 PM

Gm Parts Direct showing Cobalt door handles for
1st design Right - Coupe -      2008    MSR $30.30    There Price $18.60

1st design Left - Coupe -      2008 MSR $47.21     There Price $28.96

Might be worth looking into.

Not the prices I got from the Chevy dealer will post the stock numbers etc. this evening -- Will look for an 07 today....

chuckdoc · « **Reply #23 on:** February 09, 2009, 03:19:02 PM »

Yeah but isn't GM parts direct the place that makes it up on shipping? Like around 80 bucks?

Cheers · « **Reply #24 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:24:06 PM »

OK folks there are over a dozen door handles that are very close --- in fact the G6 is interesting. To get the ones like mine you need a VIN so I went by Brandywine Auto (largest junk yard complex in VA-DC-MD) where I got the one in the photos and talked to them they are going to do a nationwide search and see what they come up with. I told Brain I could take 10-15 pairs and a Left for me. We'll see.

Will also talk to my paint folks Tuesday as well.

Brian Wilson

looked up the VIN for the Cobalt my handle came off of:

1G1AL15F477191639 White 2007 Cobalt

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Author Topic: Cobalt Door Handles (Read 107115 times)

lil goat