TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:55 pm

I know they're not the same, but how different are they. My doors have some serious rust issues and since the car isn't going to be original by any stretch of the imagination, how hard would it be to make the 68 doors work in my 67?

Before anyone gets excited, the car was a rusty basket case before I started. Any sane person would have parted it out and junked the rest.

Tue Jul 01, 2008 2:43 pm

Wow! Nothing! Not even crickets chirping.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:39 am

83 views and not a single opinion. I guess I'll just get the doors and let you all know if they won't fit.

I feel like a pioneer in uncharted territory, going where no man has gone before. Like Neil Armstrong, boldly setting foot on the surface of some strange new world....

Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:43 am

did you post this question in the bug forum?

Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:30 pm

From what I know (which isnt alot) doors are the same from 65-79. I know the 67 door HANDLES are different. This leads me to wonder are you questioning if the door latch mechanism will work on you 67 body/68 doors. Let me see, I'll look into it...

Hah! The door striker plate is the same on 67-79 bugs. They should work, no problem. I got the info. from parts catalogs.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:07 pm

You are Da' BOMB! That's just what I was looking for...

Thanx!

Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:01 pm

Did the same swap. The only differance is the '68 up drivers door has a provision for the rear view mirror. Allmost forgot,the door handles are different as well. I think the handles and latchs have to match.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:46 am

You can use the '68 doors. They'll bolt straight on and if you're not fussed about the handles, you're good to go immediately you've sorted the alignment.
If you want the '67 handles, you'll need to drill an extra hole for the handle screws - from memory the '67 handles have 2 screws but the '68> have one.
If you want to be really clever, cut the handle recess out of the '67 outer door skin and let it into the '68 door. 8)

Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:03 pm

I'm doing that "really clever" thing and installing the handle recess on the 68 door. The latch mechanism must match the door handle, but that simply bolts right in. I will have to drill and recess two new holes to mount the 67 door handles. I had to do some 'minor' clearancing of the latch mechanism mount inner structure to clear the wider 67 handle.

I think I'm doing everything on this car 'the hard way.'