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Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:05 am

All right, here is a weird topic - cargo door check straps.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure to spend a lot of time crawling around Uzi's all original 57 standard and I noticed that it never had a check strap for the rear cargo door.
Notice the impression of the holes in the door panel hard board, but a lack of holes in the vinyl.

Here is the inner section - also no holes.

Deluxes had check straps on the rear cargo door.

Here is the front check strap on the same bus

The check strap color is also interesting - did they start out black and just get bleached out over time? Or, did they start out tan and just get dirty over time?
Here is an original strap from my 58. I think it is too uniform to be sun bleached and faded.

I have NOS straps for my bus restoration in both tan and black materials - can anyone say one way or the other what the original colors were?

Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:18 am

Black, according to this thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=191099&highlight=strap+cargo

FWIW - my 60 Standard has no rear door strap either.

Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:25 am

npbusguy wrote:
Notice the impression of the holes in the door panel hard board, but a lack of holes in the vinyl.

My 57 standard looks just like this (no strap), but there is a hole in the panel just below the top impression. Probably a PO modification of some sort.

Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:07 am

I believe they were originally black.

I wouldn't be surprised if the rear strap was a deluxe feature to keep the trim from getting marked up.

Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:10 am

npbusguy wrote:
Deluxes had check straps on the rear cargo door.

Here is an original strap from my 58. I think it is too uniform to be sun bleached and faded.

I'm not sure either one of those is original. I've always thought that the straps with the seams sewn off center were replacements, or aftermarket. Maybe those are for the rear cargo door though? I'm not sure....

Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:31 am

npbusguy wrote: All right, here is a weird topic - cargo door check straps.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure to spend a lot of time crawling around Uzi's all original 57 standard and I noticed that it never had a check strap for the rear cargo door.
Notice the impression of the holes in the door panel hard board, but a lack of holes in the vinyl.

Deluxes had check straps on the rear cargo door.

The check strap color is also interesting - did they start out black and just get bleached out over time? Or, did they start out tan and just get dirty over time?
Here is an original strap from my 58. I think it is too uniform to be sun bleached and faded.
I have NOS straps for my bus restoration in both tan and black materials - can anyone say one way or the other what the original colors were?

micro didnt have a rear strap, they have cargo door bumpers
Dlx have no cargo door stop, that the reason for F/R cargo door straps
Kombi or panel will also have 1 F cargo door strap since they have cargo door bumpers

take the strap brackets off and look inside where the brackets are. that will show the real color. Most with time just bleach out. of undo the threads, and look under...
either way, those are always very hard to find NOS or in nice condition-unbleached
same hardbord panel used for Dlx or micro, just different upholstery, so the hardboard will have strap holes provisions

Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:55 pm

What length are the check straps?

For when the doors are held at 90 degrees to the body. thanks

Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:31 pm

I realize that this is an old thread, and it focuses on the cargo door check straps; but...

Do any of you know if the front doors (not the cargo doors) on a 1960 (produced on December 7th, 1959) Microbus standard should have a check strap or rod of some sort? It seems that without a check strap, the doors could be opened to far forward and possibly damage the door, A-pillar, or nose.

My doors are original and I can't find any fastener holes for the cleats on either the door or the A-pillar. There is also not a hole on the door for a metal check "rod" like a more modern car.

When I searched on the OACDP website, I also did not find a reference to a limiting strap/rod either. So...

Once again, do any of you know if the front doors (not the cargo doors) on a 1960 (produced on December 7th, 1959) Microbus standard should have a check strap or rod of some sort?

Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:46 pm

Both of my '59's (a April 1959 DC and a June 1959 DD Panel) have no door check rod or straps of any kind. I imagine your 60 is the same. Check rods for the forward cab doors came later...

Bill Bowman

Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:43 pm

Nope, nothing on Buses that early.

The straps came in with push-button front doors.

Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:48 pm

It seems that there are 2 straps a right and left it looks like one is shorter Does anyone know the lenth of the back straps should be
Thanks

Fri Feb 08, 2019 10:03 pm

You said the front was 5.5".

I measured the originals on my '63.
They are installed so not totally flat since the black end cleats are in there.
I got:
Front: 5 5/8"
Rear: 6"

Not the best pic but you can see the rear hanging down here:

Fri Feb 08, 2019 10:24 pm

More rear strap info:
The rear strap stops the rear door when the door is open a little bit more than a 90-degree angle from the body.

Press photo examples: