Billet Door Handle Installation for 1973-⁠1987 Trucks

Swapping the factory exterior door handles on a 1973-⁠1987 Chevy C10 for the Delmo Speed billet handles — moving the factory lever across on a new roll pin, and opening up the button area in the door skin with the supplied template.

Swapping the 1973-⁠87 door handles is the quickest way to clean up a tired Squarebody door. Our billet handle kit for 1973-⁠87 trucks from Delmo Speed reuses your factory lever, which transfers into the new handle on a fresh roll pin and spring. Unlike the earlier trucks, the Squarebody install does need a small amount of material taken out of the door skin, because the billet button area is larger than the factory one. A template is supplied for it.

What is in the kit

• (1) driver side door handle
• (1) passenger side door handle
• (2) buttons
• (2) clear gasket sets
• (2) roll pins
• (2) cam return springs
• (1) handle cutout template
• (4 sets) handle hardware — note that the flat washers may not fit on every truck, depending on the outer door seam

Tools you will need

• Door panel removal tools and basic hand tools
• A punch for the factory roll pin
• A rat tail file or a Dremel, for the button cutout

1973-⁠87 door handles install steps

Remove the factory handle

1. First, remove the interior door panel.
2. Get some room to work. Removing the interior door handle clip and rod makes the rest of it far easier to reach.
3. Free the exterior handle. Remove the exterior door handle clip and rod so the handle can come out.
4. Drive out the factory roll pin. That releases the lever from the factory handle.
5. Trim the lever if it needs it. In some cases part of the factory lever has to come off for clearance — the shaded area on the instruction sheet shows where.

Fit the billet 1973-⁠87 door handles

6. Move the lever across. Install the factory lever into the new billet handle using the new roll pin and spring supplied.
7. Open up the button area. Using the template provided, remove material from the door skin so the larger billet button area fits. A rat tail file or a Dremel does it. Work slowly and test the handle in the opening as you go.
8. Stick the clear gaskets on the back of the billet handle.
9. Fit the handle. Run the rod through the factory lever, install the billet handle, then attach the rod to the latch assembly.
10. Finally, test before you close it up. Work the handles and confirm proper operation before the door panels and trim go back on.

Billet handles are usually done alongside the rest of the door hardware. Our 1973-⁠87 power windows guide covers the regulator swap, and window kits, latches and interior panels are all in our 73-⁠87 Squarebody truck parts collection. The earlier trucks use a bolt-in handle with no trimming, which the 1967-⁠72 door handles guide covers.