Technical Did window crank handles have retaining clips in the 40's?

Hey everyone, I need to remove a door card from a '48 Cadillac and I'm trying to remove the window crank. Looking at the backside of the handle I can't see an obvious retaining clip holding it in place. However, all of the prying (with an improvised tool) doesn't seem to be budging it. Is any familiar with whether or not there is something preventing it from coming off? I've seen at least one old vehicle where the handles are merely pushed onto the splined shaft. Thanks for the advice.

 

...Many had tiny pins that went through the handle and shaft. Easy to miss if they aren't turned the right way to see them.

 

Depress the door card if you can and rotate the crank a bit to see if there is a pin. Tap it out with a skinny punch if that's what is holding it on.

 

This pic of a '48 Cadillac window crank says "yes", they are held on with the wire retaining clips.

 

get a door handle tool in between the handle and trim piece... there's a clip..

 

yep....

 

It helps if you have a handle that's already off of the car, so you can see how it works...

but yeah, GM window cranks were retained by clips since the 1930s. The design changed a few times over the years. The early ones can be a bitch to remove. A pick with a bent end sometimes does the trick. Lots of patience is required. You have to press the escutcheon against spring pressure, to let you see where the clip is, then either use the special tool (?) or hook the clip and pull it off

 

My 49 Chev pickup did.

 

Ah....good to know. I can feel something giving when I pull the trim piece toward me. Much appreciated everyone.

 

Very helpful, thank you sir.

 

get a door handle tool... super easy and good to have in your tool box 8 bucks at walmart

 

That tool will work on the later design, but probably not on the early ones.

 

have fun

 

NICE.... no wonder why my tool works on my 53... and 58

 

You say you are pulling the door trim towards you...???
You have to get between the trim panel and the handle to flick the clip off. You shoud be pushing the trim panel away from the handle.

 

My 31 Chevy has the horseshoe clips(aka grasshoppers). That style tool will work. If you don’t have one a red shop rag will work in a pinch but you’ll see why they’re also known as grasshoppers.
Push the door card with the lower trim ring in and you’ll be able to see where the clip is.

 

Use a loose weave rag [cheesecloth is best] and get it behind the handle and "saw it" back and forth.
The rag catches the end of the clip and rotates it off the handle.

I've been using this method for over 45 years now

A bonus is the rag usually catches the clip so it doesn't fly off into orbit and join the elusive 10mm socket.

 

I had to widen one of these to work with my 49 Buick. As Squirrel said, they changed the design a couple of times and, yes they can be a bitch sometimes.

 

GM cars had those clips clear back in the 1930's! My '39 Chev has them.

 

The tool works on my '39 as well as my 70's car. The clips are different as the '39 clips are slightly smaller. I tried 70's clips and they weren't tight enough to retain the handles.