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Kafer66
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2008
Posts: 201
Location: Tacoma, WA
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 Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 7:37 pm Post subject: 66 door striker question |
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What is the thing right above the latch? My 66 doesn't have this and my doors don't line up good. Could this missing part be the cause?
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(o\ ! /o) 66 Beetle |
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RareAir
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 14577
Location: 18 miles North of the border
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PSScoots 
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2007
Posts: 505
Location: Chattanooga TN
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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It's called a locking plate, and was new for the 1966 model year. Either your car is a very early 66 and they may have been using up the 65 model year doors or yours is an earlier door that replaced the native door. Are they missing on both sides? Are the bolt holes present but the plate is missing?
They were supposed to prevent the doors from flying open in a collision if the frame became distorted. I would guess that they also improve door alignment as the door is pushed home.
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Kafer66
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2008
Posts: 201
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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The first pic I posted is one I found on the net, this is one of my door.
How do I know if it my car is early or late '66? I tried looking it up by the chassis number(116987990) but it only told me the year.
It also has the sqaure button handles.
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PSScoots
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2007
Posts: 505
Location: Chattanooga TN
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Kafer66 wrote: |
| How do I know if it my car is early or late '66? I tried looking it up by the chassis number(116987990) but it only told me the year. |
Go to http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/bugchassisdating.php and find the first number LARGER than your VIN. That will indicated the month of production, which in this case is June 1966 - so it's at the end of the production year and the car should have the locking plate.
Somebody else is going to have to answer if yours is a 66 door with a missing plate or an earlier one that never had one. The 65s didn't have them, but they did have the large screw above the latch, (which I'm pretty sure did double duty on a 66 for holding the plate on the outside of the door and the key mech. on the inside.)
Last edited by PSScoots on Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Kafer66
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2008
Posts: 201
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:28 am Post subject: |
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So I need the plates.
What about the door handles, does a mid year car have the roung button or the square button?
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pupjoint
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2007
Posts: 1145
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:18 am Post subject: |
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| damn, mine is a late model RHD Euro 66, i dont think i have those plates...my car has round handles |
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PSScoots
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2007
Posts: 505
Location: Chattanooga TN
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:36 am Post subject: |
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| Kafer66 wrote: |
So I need the plates.
What about the door handles, does a mid year car have the roung button or the square button? |
Re your plates: Take out your upper philips head screw and see how long it is. If it's much longer (say 1/4"+) than needed to secure the inner lock mechanism, there's a good chance that the door was originally fitted with the plate, and it was removed for some reason. (Lost? Door closes "better" without it?). If that's the case just start shopping the classified.
Re the round/square button. I have a 66 with Vin 116 877 xxx, and I have round buttons that are original to the car. The whole subject of production dates and interchangeability round for square came up in this thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=282855&highlight=square+round
You gotta swim down about half way, and nothing got resolved but it's a start. |
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BWD
Samba Mailman
Joined: August 23, 2002
Posts: 2154
Location: In bed.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:49 am Post subject: |
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I have a very early 66 8/65 build. It has the locking plates!
I also have square button with slider and wrap around handles!
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BWD
JHC
member #2850
1966 Beetle
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Kafer66
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2008
Posts: 201
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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The only thing that might need replacement that I can see so far is the strikers(on the body), so im just going to try to adjust everything and leave it as is for now.
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66buggie
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2008
Posts: 302
Location: wa.st
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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| jus so u know those are the original doors on it ..i replaced the hinge pins but had a bit trouble getting the door up even then . if i was to do it over again i would have bought new hinges. I may have even shimmed the hinge to the a pillar ...cant remember..goodluck |
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pupjoint
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2007
Posts: 1145
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| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 3:04 am Post subject: |
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guys, i have already posted a wanted add for a pair of these locking plates, sorry if i had hijacked this thread. mine are missing and i want those plates back.
take a look at this ad
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=895281
this is the first time i see different thickness of striker plates.
what is the thicker one for? |
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