While my truck was dead and sitting in the yard at the garage, some brainiac decided to try and steal it. So they popped in the driver's side lock and busted up the steering column trying to hotwire it.

Well, I need to get the lock(s) fixed and I have never cared for the door handles the way they were, so I am looking for some options to upgrade my handles and door locks.

Any recommendations?

 

You could go with shaved door handles and door poppers

 

Is there body work involved with shaving the handles?

 

Yes, grinding the area where old handles were so you can weld plates to cover the area and then paint, you take off all the plastic trim and handle and weld caps, the remote then triggers a door popper to open the door about 1-2" so you can open by the door jam. Great looks when done but too much work for a work truck IMO.

 

OK, I don't think I want to go the way of shaving the handles... Is there not an after-market replacement?

 

There's a plate or peice of metal shaped just right so idiots can't do this again. I forgot what it's called, but I'm trusting somone else will know what they are. They are not expensive, especially compared to replacing a steering column. A thief may still attempt to dig thier way in and mess up the doot handles again. You might consider this to be a good time to add them.