Brain trust, help me identify this completely random door handle. It'll be fun!

Okay, I know this is a long shot, but someone on here always seems to be able to pull the most absurd minutiae out of the corners of his/her gloriously pointy head, so I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

I found this in the box with my spare steering rack, it must have come from the shop that replaced it in 2008. They worked on all kinds of things but seemingly a lot of old Brit cars, ACVWs, and American iron (judging by what was kicking around the place the couple times I visited them.) "DDR" inscription may or may not mean East Germany, and the oval badge thing says "Dublina." Other than that I haven't got a clue.

Even just knowing the make would be useful so I can throw it on Kijiji. Any guesses?

Trabant 601. My google-fu is strong today.

looks like it belongs on a refrigerator..

The only thing I could think of was Mr. Bob Dobalina after reading dublina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h3ynPZEOM4

No help, I know.

novaderrik wrote: looks like it belongs on a refrigerator..

That was my first thought as well.

Bobzilla wrote: Trabant 601. My google-fu is strong today.

I was going to look at the door handle in this picture of a 601, but I got distracted.

There's a car in that pic?

mndsm wrote: There's a car in that pic?

yeah, and there is a girl in it that needs to eat a few cheeseburgers..

Somebody didn't mask off the tires very well while spray-painting the wheels.

EvanB wrote: Somebody didn't mask off the tires very well while spray-painting the wheels.

lol, I figured I wouldn't be the only one here that noticed that!

novaderrik wrote: yeah, and there is a girl in it that needs to eat a few cheeseburgers..

fat bottom girls may make the rockin' world go round, but remember that the Trabant doesn't have the power to haul that extra weight!

1967-1972 chev pickup

Okay, weird... Most Trabis have matte black door handles with lock cylinders integrated in the push-button. I haven't noticed this model before.

On further research "Doblina" was a DDR-era factory that made lots of metal things for all kinds of applications, so that makes sense.

Jay wrote: Okay, weird... Most Trabis have matte black door handles with lock cylinders integrated in the push-button. I haven't noticed this model before. On further research "Doblina" was a DDR-era factory that made lots of metal things for all kinds of applications, so that makes sense.

They made wartburg parts too apparently :)

tgl 48-33411 Just happens to be an e-bay vendor in what used to be East Germany. This can not be coincidence?

I dont see anything of that quality/heft being on a Trabant?! I mean, it was a carboard body for heavens sake.

And I figure a few schnitzels would be appropos to the young lass in the picture, maybe chassed down with a few beers in giant mugs

That is a nice looking door handle.

VW Bus, I think. Shape fits.

NOHOME wrote: tgl 48-33411 Just happens to be an e-bay vendor in what used to be East Germany. This can not be coincidence? I dont see anything of that quality/heft being on a Trabant?! I mean, it was a carboard body for heavens sake.

Ya, it's pretty hefty. If this thing is really from a Trabi I think it'd be heavier than an entire outside door skin.

Internet evidence does seem to point to a Trabant part number but I'm guessing it's either an early part that was changed in later cars or a rare option - most of the ones I'm familiar with have black handles like this:

(^^ Note: found right here in the Readers' Rides... of course it was.)

I don't think it's from a VW Bus since small components like this didn't tend to jump the border. I've looked at the popular DDR vans like the Barkas B1000 but none of them have the right kind of handles either.

Fun fact: If you search for "Doblina", the vast majority of hits you get are about handcuff collecting.

Also, this really happened:

Not quite, Google!

Jay wrote:

NOHOME wrote: tgl 48-33411 Just happens to be an e-bay vendor in what used to be East Germany. This can not be coincidence? I dont see anything of that quality/heft being on a Trabant?! I mean, it was a carboard body for heavens sake.

Ya, it's pretty hefty. If this thing is really from a Trabi I think it'd be heavier than an entire outside door skin. Internet evidence does seem to point to a Trabant part number but I'm guessing it's either an early part that was changed in later cars or a rare option - most of the ones I'm familiar with have black handles like this:

Found an early 601 with the chrome handles!

what nova said.. and it would look better on a refrigerator