Getting a Handle on Design
By MILES C. COLLIER
May 19th, 2021
Door handles as a microcosm of engineering
1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato (GTZ).
1964 Simca Abarth 2 Mila Corsa.
1964 Porsche 904 GTS.
The door handle used on the Simca Abarth is a type seen on coach-built Italian automobiles, a so-called “switchblade” door handle.
The Alfa designers chose a simple, U-shaped pull with an adjacent lock release button – visually minimalist and easily operated.
Like the Alfa, the Porsche “handle” is a button and pull design – in this case, probably a five Deutsche Mark component.
A bi-monthly column by Miles C. Collier, author of the forthcoming book, The Archaeological Automobile.