Best shaved door and trunk kit?

[Windy City Chevelle]

hey guys i have a 68 chevelle and wondering what is the best shaved and trunk kit out there. Also does anyone have pics to post up that would be great and do you guys recommend it or oppose please give me your best input,

[dontlifttoshift]

Dakota Digital.....hands down.

Leave the handles, you will be glad you did.

[Windy City Chevelle]

so your recommendation is to leave the door handles

[Ls1velle]

If you want shaved door handles, shave them. I did mine on my mustang and wouldn't go back. I have an Auto Loc kit.

[dontlifttoshift]

I wouldn't use an autoloc anything.....ever. It's junk and so is the rest of their product line, Zirgo, keepitclean, helix, etc. Google "Hoffman Group" and let me know what you find.

Shaved door handles are like this. What are you trying to accomplish? If it is about the clean look, take a look at the rest of your car. Are you shaving bumper bolts, trimming and cutting bumpers for fit, shaving driprails, and so on and so on. If you answer yes to these questions that you are asking yourself then maybe it makes sense to shave the door handles.

I look at things from a mechanical standpoint. With the only way to open door and trunk latches being a remote, if your battery goes dead you're screwed. Remote lost? screwed Remote computer fried? screwed. So you add a mechanical back up and possibly an electric alternative to your remote to ensure entry in every situation. Now look at the time and money you spent that doesn't make the car faster, more comfortable, or easier to use. It is 100% about the look. If you still gotta have it then please, at least use quality parts to do so in order to minimize headaches later.

And yes, I recommend leaving the door handles. You got a handle on your door at home, right?

[Windy City Chevelle]

I wouldn't use an autoloc anything.....ever. It's junk and so is the rest of their product line, Zirgo, keepitclean, helix, etc. Google "Hoffman Group" and let me know what you find.

Shaved door handles are like this. What are you trying to accomplish? If it is about the clean look, take a look at the rest of your car. Are you shaving bumper bolts, trimming and cutting bumpers for fit, shaving driprails, and so on and so on. If you answer yes to these questions that you are asking yourself then maybe it makes sense to shave the door handles.

I look at things from a mechanical standpoint. With the only way to open door and trunk latches being a remote, if your battery goes dead you're screwed. Remote lost? screwed Remote computer fried? screwed. So you add a mechanical back up and possibly an electric alternative to your remote to ensure entry in every situation. Now look at the time and money you spent that doesn't make the car faster, more comfortable, or easier to use. It is 100% about the look. If you still gotta have it then please, at least use quality parts to do so in order to minimize headaches later.

And yes, I recommend leaving the door handles. You got a handle on your door at home, right?



yes i am shaving the drip rails, bumper bolds, tucking bumpers in. LOL yes i have doors and yes i see were you are coming from and you do make a valid point about spending the extra money, but since i am doing everything you said would you now recommend i do it, can you please check out my build and give me your honest opinion i see you are straight forward and appreciate it

[dontlifttoshift]

If you are doing all of those modifications than it is in line with the build to shave the handles. It is what you want and so it is what you should do. At this point my opinion is just my opinion and really should have no bearing on your decision. Just plan for the worst and you will never have to take a hammer to a window.

and again quality parts.....Dakota Digital being my first choice, Watson's Streetworks being a close second. I wouldn't consider anything else.

[kawaden]

Modo innovations for a trunk release. I think he is a sponsor here and a top bloke to deal with.

[Windy City Chevelle]

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[Windy City Chevelle]

Do I have to shave off the trunk whole

[jlcustomz]

I mostly agree with dontlifttoshift. Autoloc &their lines seems to be overadvertised junk, want a brand new failed relay?? Proper backups for shaved handles, both electrical & mechanical should be done at the same time. I'm personally highly considering dskota digital for their 12 channel remote kit, heard it's actually american made.
As far as door handles, my plan may have approval from both you & dontlifttoshift.First I considered making my own flush mount door handles such as mercedes invented years ago, also used on some aston martins, nissan gtr,etc. Kindig sells his version @ $500 plus, I really don't like the shape. My next thought is making my own to mount at the top of the door like 70's vettes & 2nd gen vipers, but mine might simply push straight down (on slides) to actuate lever & might have a small key lock cylinder to lock the handle itself. This will be along with electric solenoids & at least one other backup for them.
If I can engineer a simple enough, reliable flush mount handle to mount at the top of the door, how's that sound? Here,s something I recently found that is similar in construction to what I'm thinkin.
http://www.jefflilly.com/fabrication/door-handle/

[Windy City Chevelle]

jlcustoms would you be able to construct it would be interested pm your info

[jlcustomz]

Sorry, haven't had time to make my own yet, Been hoping to run across something premade that could be used as a start for the project to simplify the time involved in hand fabbing something. I,m currently trying to improve my one of a kind hood opening system as seen in my links.

[dontlifttoshift]

You want smooth and mechanical.....time to step up. http://www.kindigit.com/store.php

[Windy City Chevelle]

You want smooth and mechanical.....time to step up. http://www.kindigit.com/store.php

wow they look real cool would look nice and to be honest might be leaning towards them

[jlcustomz]

I mentioned those, besides not wanting to pay over $500 for them, I don't quite like the look forMY application. However if you can't fabricate on that level, May as well get something premade, no one other than kindig has that type in an aftermarket form & the local pick a part seems to have a shortage of Aston Martin db9"s & other suitable donors.

[esenior]

I recently installed a Modo trunk latch kit (http://www.modoinnovations.com/electric_trunk_latch.html) in my son's 67 Camaro. Doesn't get any easier and the latch works great! And if you have a Classic Industries credit card, you can get a 20% discount

Regarding the shaved door handles, I would have to say that if that is the look you want, then go for it. I shaved them on my 69 camaro and am very pleased with the result. I used a set of door solenoids from Watson's Street Works (http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/door_solenoids.html). It's definitely not a bolt in kit and took some playing with to get it right, but the solenoids are very powerful and haven't given me any problems. If you are concerned about electronics failure, you can always put a power lug somewhere on the car and wire it directly to the power side of the solenoid. If you have a failure or a dead battery, just take a battery charger, but ground to car and power to the lug to pop open the door.

I also wanted to note that I have also tried several products from AutoLoc and ended up returning every one of them. Also, once you get on Hoffman Group's mail list, it is nearly impossible to get your name off of it.

[mcraw66chevy]

Dont settle for anything less than a 50lb sol. it will fail on old cars i have shaved over a hundred cars and doing my 70 chevelle at this time . i have to this day have never had and oem 70s gm i do mean old school electric lock sol. fail i have went to salvage yards and pull a part an bought these out of old electra 225s caddys buicks etc all of the early 70s and they still work . they were reliable strong 60lb pull and like with all kits youll have to modify some kind of lever to make it work ive always put a slip joint in my inside door handle because of the lever on chevelles are a pain to modify . SHAVE EM for a clean look but install a hood release cable for a back up