1967 Cuda FB project

Got back to the door this afternoon. Traced out the neon handle opening on the Cuda door and cut it out 1/2" smaller than the neon piece. Deburred around the opening so the new handle opening would fit as flush as possible. Took a flanging tool and made a flange around the insert piece.
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Welded it in and ground down the welds. I didn't grind them flush because sometimes one takes off too much material and it gets thin. Both doors were kind of beat up in this are from opening and closing the doors for 45 years so they were pretty wavy already.
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I also welded up the top door trim holes and ground them flush.
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Close up of how the neon handle mounts inside the door. I took the stock neon actuator rod and shortened it and gave it a bend to reach the Cuda latch assy. The Cuda latch assy had a ball stud on the opening lever. I ground the back of it off where the stud was peened into the lever hole and pulled out the stud. Then I drilled the hole the same size as the neon plastic rod holders. Snapped in a rod clip from the neon and presto, door handle assy works!!
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Even made the neon lock handle work in the Cuda door. Just took a die grinder and made the hole oblong. Thought about not putting any kind of lock handle there but decided in case of accident or something I could still actuate the locks by hand.
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