TheSamba.com :: View topic - Will an 85 Vanagon Sliding Door fit a 90 Vanagon?

Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:47 am

Does anybody know?

Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:37 am

Do a search; this topic has been brought up. I know there are differences in the early to mid 80's, but I'm going by memory.

The search should help you. Here's one I found by searching "sliding door":

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=295375&highlight=sliding+door

Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:38 am

No it won't---

80 to 85 are all the same, 86 to 90 share all the same hardware & mounting points.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:58 am

1985 was the transition year, I have a 1985 with the later style door, so you will have to check yours and see which one you got.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:45 am

Wellington is correct. If the '85 door in question has the short outside door handle (easy identifier), it will fit. The earlier '85 doors had the early style long handle and therefore the early style latches, guides, etc.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:28 am

loogy wrote: Wellington is correct. If the '85 door in question has the short outside door handle (easy identifier), it will fit. The earlier '85 doors had the early style long handle and therefore the early style latches, guides, etc.

Hmm, so what's the handle measuremnet for the short version?

I mean, I got a handle, but without the "other" version to compare it to, how do I know if it's the short one or the long one?

So to speak. 8)

Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:13 pm

fairly easy to fit a late slider on an early van or vice versa
just need small mods to the latch area of the pillars!
dosn't take long! couple of hours should do it

opening size is the same

Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:27 pm

hiram6 wrote: loogy wrote: Wellington is correct. If the '85 door in question has the short outside door handle (easy identifier), it will fit. The earlier '85 doors had the early style long handle and therefore the early style latches, guides, etc.

Hmm, so what's the handle measuremnet for the short version?

I mean, I got a handle, but without the "other" version to compare it to, how do I know if it's the short one or the long one?

So to speak. 8)

I don't have a short handle to measure, but a long handle is approx. 21cm (8.25") overall.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:14 pm

Wellington wrote: 1985 was the transition year, I have a 1985 with the later style door, so you will have to check yours and see which one you got.

That means your van is an 85.5 which Volkswagen (as well as its high end Audi models) is famous (infamous?) for doing; it leads to a lot of head scratching at times.

- Chester

Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:15 pm

Check the 85 door handle against yours- If it's a match, then it works, right? Wish there was a place to get a used Vanagon part within 50 miles of Spokane.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:48 pm

It's pot luck on an 85 door fitting.
If you can get the build date of the donor Van--sometimes they'll fit, sometimes they won't.

Depends on what inventory they line was using that day--late door's & hardware or early hardware--
Whatever they happen to have at that time.

You could remove & replace allof the lastch mechansim, & striker plate off of a later modal Van and maybe get it to work.
I have never seen this happen though--
The mounting screw holes aren't lined up right to accept the later hardware in the early door.

You'd be much better off bumping your side door find to an 86--then it will fit for sure.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:08 am

ChesterKV wrote: Wellington wrote: 1985 was the transition year, I have a 1985 with the later style door, so you will have to check yours and see which one you got.

That means your van is an 85.5 which Volkswagen (as well as its high end Audi models) is famous (infamous?) for doing; it leads to a lot of head scratching at times.

- Chester

I think I recall my manufacture date as August. What i do know, I got the later slider door, plastic coolant pipes front to rear, tachometer, rear wiper, however, it has a 1.9litre (for now) ceramic fuses as opposed to blade, and has the early uprights front suspension. Ya ,they mix and match, makes it fun to get parts. Sorry for the hijack, it 's just interesting to see that it's not exactly defined when you need parts.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:19 pm

Those of us with an 85 should have our own support group.

"Hi, I'm Hiram, and I own a transition year Westy" "Hi, Hiram"

Seriously, it does make it a challenge to find the right part sometimes, but I look at it like this.

While I may have the old style fuses (-), I also have the round headlights (+).

While I have the 1.9L (-), I've got some stouter engine internals (+).

While I've got steel pipes (-), hey I've got UNRUSTED steel pipes (+)

I've got the tach, the rear wiper etc., but it's obvious, as Terry said, VW just grabbed whatever was on the shelf to attach to the van sitting in front on them on the assembly line at that moment. Kind of like each one is a custom job!!

Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:19 pm

I had to replace my slider a few months ago. I have an '85 and it is the newer style, and the door I found fit fine. I did have had a chance to compare the two styles, though, and there seem to be these differences between early and later doors: Different handle size; different latch on the front end of the door and pillar; different latch on the rear end of the door and pillar; different size window. The window on earlier doors is the same size as the driver side window. The window on later doors is about an inch narrower left to right. Does anyone know why the window size changed when they changed the doors? I haven't looked very closely at the inside without the interior panels on, but it seems that the hardware is all below the windows, so I don't see the reason for the change.

Also, others have mentioned swapping earlier and later doors. It may only take a few hours, but it would require welding the rear latch pin on, and welding is a skill that some of us have not yet acquired (but I hope to learn.)

Ed in CT