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I came across this reference to the rear door handles on the 27c Cadillac. It says:

A little variation not mentioned on the caddy is the rear door handles... It appears all models can have rear door handles or not

I don't think there's a discussion anywhere else, so I thought I'd have a look at mine to see whether this is correct.

First, the door handles. They're modelled in great detail, even including the locks. In my collection, I can see the handles on all my Cadillacs with clear windows: but by the time green windows appear, the rear door handles have gone. It's the same on both sides. So, some questions that I hope you'll be able to answer:

- do the rear door handles appear all variations? Does anyone have a green Cadillac without door handles?
- does anyone have a green-windowed Cadillac with door handles?

I'd like to know whether this is just the result of paired mouldings or whether the handles were deleted for some reason.

My green ones have door handles. In the common colours I have green windowed ones without the rear handle but also a number with a partial poorly defined rear handle, but I have clear window versions with both of these traits too.

I have three models - not shur about the colours but no green.
All are without rear door handle.

Malibu wrote:I have three models - not shur about the colours but no green.
All are without rear door handle.

Thanks! What colour are the windows?

johnboy wrote:My green ones have door handles. In the common colours I have green windowed ones without the rear handle but also a number with a partial poorly defined rear handle, but I have clear window versions with both of these traits too.

Thanks, John. I did think there might be intermediate models. I wonder if the mould simply filled in over time? But why would this happen to both sides and only the back handles?

DrJeep wrote:Thanks! What colour are the windows?

Two with green, one with transparent windows.

DrJeep wrote:

Malibu wrote:I have three models - not shur about the colours but no green.
All are without rear door handle.

Thanks! What colour are the windows?

johnboy wrote:My green ones have door handles. In the common colours I have green windowed ones without the rear handle but also a number with a partial poorly defined rear handle, but I have clear window versions with both of these traits too.

Thanks, John. I did think there might be intermediate models. I wonder if the mould simply filled in over time? But why would this happen to both sides and only the back handles?

It does seems like the mould has gradually filled in Glenn, but why it's the rear handles only is a bit of a mystery. I wonder if there are any out there with poor or no front door handles?

Well, this one must be one of the last, with black wheels. The front door handles are still good. I can't decide if the horizontal mark is the remains of the rear handle, but I don't think it's in quite the right place. I also wonder if the thickness of the paint is a factor in disguising the worn handles? The brownish (no idea if it's brown or faded mauve) Cadillac without rear handles in my earlier pictures has very thick paint.

Here's my 27c shown on both sides below, has a part-worn handle and lock on one side only.

I have 3 caddies in total, 1 has no signs of any rear door handles or locks, 1 has a very faint rear handle that can't be picked up on photos.

I think it is mold wear rather than paint thickness or a casting variation

Cheers

John

johnboy wrote:......... I wonder if there are any out there with poor or no front door handles?

Here you go John,
Here is one that has lost a little paint. Importantly where the paint remains on the left front door the handle casting is half missing, so the missing bit is not a result of play worn. Note the position of the door locks are a distance away from handle as apposed to the ones on the rhs which touch the handles

Note to Glenn,
Using Nick's codes what have you coded the your bpw model as Glenn please.

Bert

yellowfoden wrote:Using Nick's codes what have you coded the your bpw model as

Nick's final model: code 25 - 9x36 black wheels, black base, bonnet with the extra ridge. That's a strange modification to make so late in the model's life. I think it shows up quite well in this picture.