door handle guards: which way?

[Scott]

I have a 1966 Cruiser with the optional guards behind the door handles. I know from seeing a picture of the car when it was new that the guards have always had the flat side of the guard above the handle, which I think looks wierd. I've been trying to track down pictures of other Cruisers with the guards and can only find one, and that one shows the guards with the flat edge below the handle. So I've looked at pictures of Hawks, which use the same guard and have seen one or two with the flat edge below the handle and I think I saw one with the flat edge above the handle.

SO, I have two questions, if the guards were put on by the dealers, didn't they any sense or training how options were intended to be mounted? The other question is: which way are they really intended to be installed?

It's the little nagging questions that keep me awake at night!

Scott

[studegary]

Do not go by recent pictures of cars. Since these guards can be physically installed in either direction, people put them on both ways. To get them correct, either look at factory pictures or go to your Studebaker Accessories brochure. I don't have one for 1966 handy, but I did find one for 1962 Larks upstairs. That factory accessories brochure shows AC-2699 door handle guards installed with the flat edge down and the larger, curved section up. Now you can go to sleep <G>.

[Roscomacaw]

The curved side goes up. The idea being if you have a big ring on, that high portion of the guard is gonna protect the paint as your fingers wrap around the door handle.
Besides, that's the way all the accessory brochures show them mounted.[^]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[Scott]

Thanks guys! I think I'll re-install them so they are correct. This car came really wierd. It's a Cruiser with non-blackout grille and headlamp rims, upside down door handle guards and 1964 style hubcaps! Based on the orignal owner's statements and pictures of the car when it was new, it appears that's the way it came from the factory (well, maybe the dealer put on the door guards). I've got to get the original build sheet and see what it says - if anything.

[Roscomacaw]

Heck, the hub caps and the grille pieces could've been changed by the dealer too! They'd do anything to make a sale!

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[studegary]

Many Lark-type buyers didn't like the hawk in the middle of the 1966 full wheelcovers. Since the wheelcovers did not come installed on the car (from the factory), it would be a simple matter for the dealer to put different covers on to make a sale and please a customer.

[Scott]

My plans to switch the position of the guards was foiled when I realized that the car was repainted with them in this upside-down position. If I flip them to the right way up, then I'll have an ugly ridge of paint from where they were, which will show where the the front point of the guards used to be. Rats! Well, the next time the doors get painted, I guess I'll switch them around then.

[Roscomacaw]

Dang! Well, there's an incentive for a paint job![}]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS