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Tue May 31, 2011 8:10 am

Hi all,
I am looking for hinges for my 74 westy spice table. These are the black plastic hinges. My son used it as a step and broke them both in half.

Thanks
Chris

Tue May 31, 2011 9:59 am

SEARCH the classifieds bro...

Tue May 31, 2011 10:43 am

Yes..I have been and even placed a want ad there. I just thought I would ask on the bus forum as well.

Sorry to ruffle feathers if I have.

Tue May 31, 2011 10:45 am

no ruffles... I just thought for sure someone would have 'em on there, with all the campers here...

Tue May 31, 2011 11:02 am

black plastic hinges? huh? got pics?

Tue May 31, 2011 11:06 am

hazetguy wrote: black plastic hinges? huh? got pics?
X2, sounds sketchy.

Tue May 31, 2011 11:46 am

i'd go for a home depot deal and spray paint them black. When is the last time someone here checked to make sure that hinges were OG on someones bus...

Tue May 31, 2011 12:14 pm

Yes..they were plastic...a live hinge...similar to what you would find on Coleman coolers etc. They do not have hinge pins like the standard steel hinges.
The bus is 100% original and these lasted since 1974 and until my son got crazy with it.

I will try to post pictures tonight of the broken portions. I could put metal hinges on it...and most people have replaced them with those....I just would like it to be original.

Chris

Tue May 31, 2011 4:21 pm

Are you sure this is a Westfalia and not some aftermarket conversion?

Tue May 31, 2011 8:24 pm

here are some shots of the parts in question. The hinge is commonly called a "living" hinge because it is made of the same material without an actual hinge mechanism (pin etc.)

THis is a true westy Deluxe campmobile. I had a similar bus in Ohio about 12 years ago and the hinges were the same.

I hope the images help to make more sense of my dilemma.

Chris

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1145447∑

Tue May 31, 2011 8:26 pm

I can't see anything :?

Tue May 31, 2011 9:31 pm

http://www.budgetmarine.com/catalog/Boat+Building+...oduct.aspx

Tue May 31, 2011 9:35 pm

OK, got your PM and saw your ad, I've had quite a few 74's and have never seen plastic hinges on a spice rack, perhaps all of them died an early death here in the frozen north and were replaced ages ago. Could also be an early model year thing as well like the odd pop top latches and they switched back to metal as reports of failures started to come in.
Here's yours:

Here's the ones Westfalia used on most years (disregard the PO screw "upgrades":

And here's the ones I found on my latest 74 (it's an early one), obvious replacement from the hardware store, may have been plastic originally?:

Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:53 am

busdaddy wrote:
Here's yours:

Can't say I've seen that hinge before. Looks too 'modern' for that era.

Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:50 am

Question: How much trouble would it be to pull the large door hinges off of the one spice tray door and see if there are the radiused edge imprint in the wood. My old 74 I had in Ohio had the same hinges...My current bus was built in March of 74. The plastic is the same color as the pull handles on the cabinets....??

I kind of find it hard to believe that someone would find a plastic hinge that fit the exact hole location perfectly without any modification to the table, the cabinet or the hinge

This bus came from Germany via Montana so it is pretty cold there too.
Hmm...I wonder if there are any other bus owners that may have this style hinge.

The search goes on!

Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:21 am

I'll have a closer look today, it was getting dark in the stash cave last night :wink:

Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:49 pm

OK, I had a look at the one with the hardware store strap hinges and the shadows of the former hinges do look like yours, never looked at the build date but it is an early one. So it seems Westfalia may have used the plastic hinge for a short while, either way it's obviously substandard, if you can't find metal hinges a piano hinge would be the best replacement, especially while junior is going through his orangutang stage.

Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:08 pm

The plastic hinges are not OG, original are silver metal. Mine pulled out on my '74 deluxe Westfalia and I replaced them with piano hinge a la top loader/fridge cabinet from a late bay Westfalia.

Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:21 pm

FYI, I was at high country bus festival this past weekend and there was a west the same color and year as mine. His spice tray hinges were....just like my plastic ones...and they were intact. I took pictures of them however I do not have a flicker or other account. So...they are stock for that year and type of westy interior. As soon as I figure out how to post the pics, I will do so.

Btw, I am still looking for a set.

Chris

Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:25 pm

monomanx wrote: FYI, I was at high country bus festival this past weekend and there was a west the same color and year as mine. His spice tray hinges were....just like my plastic ones...and they were intact. I took pictures of them however I do not have a flicker or other account. So...they are stock for that year and type of westy interior. As soon as I figure out how to post the pics, I will do so.

Btw, I am still looking for a set.

Chris

You dont need flicker. Upload them here to the gallery and post them in this thread using the supplied url.