Are door handles required for racing????

[hotrodgary]

I was just wondering if door handles are required for drag racing??

Some people say they're required at the track and some say no, I want to shave the handles on my Chevy II but not if its gonna cause me problems when I go to the track!



Thanks, Gary

[TurboLark]

I was told that you need handles for the saftey crew to get into the car if you crash. Might be difficult to tell the crew guys where the hidden popper button is while you are unconscious.

I've been looking at cars on the road to figure out a clean handle to splice in. No luck yet.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Crap! There goes my shaved handles. They're really going to interfere with my stripe. I guess I need to get SCCA/NHRA rule books to verify this.

[Matt@RFR]

Ralph, you haven't gotten rule books yet????!!!!!!!!

[TonyL]

here is what we are doing. we are flush mounting a button right to the skin of the door. so all you'd have to do is press in. its on the top edge of the door, and has to be big enough to see and operate with gloves on.

[Matt@RFR]

(unofficially) Tony nailed it. As long as it's obvious that it opens the door and a fireman with gloves on can operate it, you're golden.

Lots of drag race cars with 'glass doors use a lever on the inside of the lexan, then cut about a 2" hole so you can reach a finger in and move the lever. Simple, light and effective. Looks way cool too. Not so good for foul weather cars though.

[TurboLark]

here is what we are doing. we are flush mounting a button right to the skin of the door. so all you'd have to do is press in. its on the top edge of the door, and has to be big enough to see and operate with gloves on.

Thats gonna look great and all, but at the track they worry about if you crash. Will the button activate the solenoids or be mechanical? If electric, they wont work well if the battery gets damages or disco'd. Just trying to play devils advocate, cause it would suck to not be able to play with the wonderful cars being built here.
I am an avid drag racer, and as such dont want to be turned away because the first car I make smooth and pretty doesnt have stoopid door handles.

[hotrodgary]

Well I actually "mocked" up a mechanical lever type handle basically like TonyL was talkin about but wasnt sure if I wanted to go with it yet.

I dont mind door handles, but I've smoothed everything else out and think that they might look outta place

[MrQuick]

You know it depends, if your running in any pro class ie: Pro stock -gas- or super street you'll need some sort of door release.I've seen alot of guys with shaved handles in pro-street 7.90 up class.
If your just going up on a grudge night or a weekend test and tune you should have no problems. We run a 12 sec. car with no outer handles since day one and its never been a problem. Its not a good idea to not have a way for the safety crew to get you out.

[TonyL]

heres a shot of the typical lever setup i took today

[TonyL]

Will the button activate the solenoids or be mechanical

its totally mechanical. just a bar that goes straight down from the "sill" of the door to a heim joint at the catch. the pocket is spring loaded so it pops back up flush.

[TurboLark]

its totally mechanical. just a bar that goes straight down from the "sill" of the door to a heim joint at the catch. the pocket is spring loaded so it pops back up flush.

Now thats cool. You got an outside pic of it?

[1970cuda]

what happens it you crash a c6 vet. if the battery goes dead you can't get in or out without pulling a cable in the back hatch,which by the way where is no way to reach for the driver's seat

[TonyL]

still in the design phase. as soon as it works i'll post all the info it takes to make em.

[PeteRR]

I had the same problem, that's why I went with flush door handles insteading of shaving them.