Working on yet another vehicle today. The inside handle on my van back door broke, leaving me able to only open one side. I ordered a new handle, which came in today. What did NOT come in with it was the little specialized clip that holds the rocker inside the door to the handle. Without this, it no worky. A quick call to the GM house established that this particular critter was no longer available, since they don't make my model of van anymore. Side note, what kind of idjit thinks that since they don't make the van anymore, that no one will need parts???????

Anyway, the more I looked at it, the madder I got. And then I started scheming on how to southern engineer this thing. The rocker mounts to a pot metal nipple that sticks out from the backside of the handle and goes inside the guts of the door. This nipple is hollow. Ah-HAH! I clamped the handle in my drill press, carefully drilled a 1/8" hole from the outside to the inside going though this nipple. Inserted machine screw, then fit the rocker in place, put a spacer over that and then a washer, lock washer, and nut. So THERE. Don't need no specialized clip. Just need someone determined to make it work, and not afraid to tear it up. The way I figure, it's broke, it won't get any more broke no matter what I do.

And sometimes I win. And planned obsolescence looses. Door works great, GM can kiss my tail end. And if they ever do find one of those little clips, well, they can just keep it. I'd still like to get my hands on that design engineer.