Webco tells me the original door handle comes form a 1964 & 1/2 Ford Mustang. Interestingly all three handles mentioned (my original, the borrowed PA-39 handle, and the new Webco handle) are all different. Let me also say that when I call my handle the "original" what I really mean to say is it's the handle the plane came with. To be even more precise; the handle the plane came with snapped off during the test flight after the pre-buy / first annual and Rockford Aero kindly gave me a spare handled they had which was identical to the one we broke. At any rate I believe (or assume) it's the original type / style from my 1968 PA-30B.

I am making this post to show the three handle types and solicit feedback. Below in this post are six pictures which compare the 3 various handles. Unfortunately because of timing (returning the borrowed handle before my new Webco handle arrived) I do not have one single pic of all three but all six pics below use my original handle in comparison so from that you can compare and contrast.

I am curious if other PA-39 owners (Pat?) recognize the handle I borrowed from another PA-39 owner as the same as what they have. I'm also curious to know if other owners recognize my original handle as what their planes came with.

Here is some other empirical data regarding the handles. I measured all three using a calibrated scale and they weigh as follows (lightest to heaviest):

1) The PA-39 handle is the lightest at 2.8 oz
2) My original handle weighed in at 4.6 oz
3) The new handle from Webco weighs 5.4 oz

The PA-39 and my original handle are different designs but both have hollow handles. The new Webco handle has a solid arm perhaps explaining why it is the heaviest of the bunch. It's hard to say that one seems any more sturdy than the other. Phillip at Webco said that the original handles were heavier and are less common to find - really? My initial impression was that the PA-39 handle was the heaviest duty / heaviest but when weighing I was surprised to find it was the lightest.

Here are the pics of all three handles (between the six pics below - taken at different angles and annotated). Any comments / thoughts or feedback would be appreciated. I am very interested to read what others have...

Thanks,

- Charles

Nothing looks familiar from these angles. Let me go take a picture and post it and we can compare.

This reminds me. Here's one more picture with something that really cracked me up. It's a pic of the box the new Webco handle came in. Notice the Piper "Genuine Part" sticker... notice that it is placed on top of a sticker that says it's from "MAC's Antique Auto Parts of Lockport, NY"!!! LOL.

- Charles

Part Label (Door Handle form Webco)

I have one spare left if someone needs one.

If someone needs the late model handle, I have one serviceable spare in good condition that I would sell.

Pat / Kristin: looks like your handles are the same and sounds like that's the PA-30C / 39 style Piper supplied... Interesting. The PA-39 handle I borrowed must have been after market.

Thanks for taking the time to post your pics, I find this interesting stuff... Like airplane forensics or perhaps aero-archeology!

- Charles

The handle borrowed from a PA39 reminds me of a Cessna handle of similar vintage.

Clarence

Joe Hand
N9023P

Clarence

- Charles

I have a 1966 260B that had the handle gorilla'd off by a passenger, and bought two replacements from an aircraft parts supplier in Van Nuys, CA. This was several years ago, and I have since gone to the Gillen-Phoenix aftermarket door handle that is far superior in form and substance to the original.

Anyway, when I received the door handles I ordered from the supplier, the first thing I saw on the box was "made in Taiwan". The second thing I saw was "1965 Ford Mustang".

These handles look identical to the ones you show in your photo as the replacement. Your original handle is not the same as the Mustang handles I had.

Hope this helps.

Mike Foster