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Fri Feb 10, 2017 8:28 am

I have a 3 month only 61 15 window deluxe.. The grab handle holes are 6 1/2 inches apart.. Does anyone know why or what grab handle would have went there?

Jeff :twisted:
[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1605491.jpg

Fri Feb 10, 2017 8:42 am

It could be anything that a previous owner or dealer added.

Reference point:
From another thread I found that the original holes for later Buses are 7 3/4" wide.

My '61 DC has this handle I have seen on various late 50s/early 60s Buses

I don't believe it's that narrow though.

Fri Feb 10, 2017 8:53 am

Have you tried fitting a stock 61 deluxe handle?

Same handle on bulkhead, so you can confirm measurements there.

Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:01 am

That's about the same size my dash handle holes are (6.3 inch)

I've contacted a Happich handle seller recently but he told me they're about 7 3/4" inch apart.

Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:09 am

Yes.. I posted a picture 😐

Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:12 am

Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:14 am

In that photo the holes are right at 6 1/2 apart center to center..

Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:19 am

campingbox wrote: Have you tried fitting a stock 61 deluxe handle?

Same handle on bulkhead, so you can confirm measurements there.

Could anyone measure the bolt spacing on such a handle? That would be very helpful for Pinstriper and me :lol:

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:40 pm

Peter_N wrote: campingbox wrote: Have you tried fitting a stock 61 deluxe handle?

Same handle on bulkhead, so you can confirm measurements there.

Could anyone measure the bolt spacing on such a handle? That would be very helpful for Pinstriper and me :lol:

Yes way late to this party, but was doing some research tripped over this and figure might as well post the info requested now.

7-11/16" (about 195mm) center to center for the two 11mm holes in a 1964 or 65 spare bus nose we have. Interestingly same C to C for the GHE clone repro handle we just got AAC (Aircooled Accessories), has 8mm studs, same as the post-1960 stock dash grab handle in our DEC62 single cab.

Thu Jun 26, 2025 2:09 am

Completely forgot I asked these question before. Still no grab handle installed :lol:

Thanks for sharing the information Eric&Barb! That's always helpful

Thu Jun 26, 2025 12:40 pm

Peter_N wrote: Completely forgot I asked these question before. Still no grab handle installed :lol:

Thanks for sharing the information Eric&Barb! That's always helpful

A bit funny that after all this time the info might still help you!! :lol: Know how that goes though!!! Need to fix up the dash in our 1960 panel camper after over a decade of starting on it....

The just below sentences for any newbies...
The "Technical Bulletins" one can peruse thru and anyone owning a VW really should. Either thru the "Technical" button at upper right of any of Thesamaba webpages, and scroll down on the right side to find those and find the "Body" section in that TB list or for now use the link below:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/techbulletin_index.php

In the 1961 Technical Bulletin on this subject it suggests from center of hole for the grab handle to the closest slot of the radio grill for a dimension of .8" (20mm), the spare nose/dash we have shows VW went to 1" (25.4mm) for the post 1960 type 2 in production. The GHE clone grab handle when set on the dash with its much wider bases looked a bit too shoved tightly into that area right up against the radio grill. So we went with the later 1" dimension, boy that was a good decision!! Hole just clears the nearside of the Blaupunkt speaker installed in its factory position with the factory prepunched holes in the lower lip of the dash. So close is the stud that you can not thread on the nut on that side with handle in place. Thankfully the speaker frame is flat so there is a gap between the speaker and arc of the dash underside that one can just get the two washers (one flat and one split lock washer) and nut in place before installing the handle, and still turn the nut. So with one hand held the two washers and nut up under the dash and with other hand slid a smaller drill than the 8mm stud to feed those parts up into the dash and rearrange the hand to push those against the underside of the dash pinning them there. Then slid the drill bit out and offer the grab handle into the hole and thru the parts into the nut to turn it enough to engage the handle stud. Sure, could have removed the speaker, but did not want to waste time doing that and the ever present danger possibility of having the speaker cone damaged by doing so. Well know fact of nature is that sharp pointy objects like screwdrivers like to without provocation poke holes in speaker cones. :wink:

So here are the images of the handle in place:

Fri Jun 27, 2025 9:31 am

The Pinstriper wrote: In that photo the holes are right at 6 1/2 apart center to center..

have a 3 month only 61 15 window deluxe.. The grab handle holes are 6 1/2 inches apart.. Does anyone know why or what grab handle would have went there?

Just wondering… what 3 months 61 only do you mean?

This is my April 61 deluxe with 59-61 deluxe grab handle.
It is low hinge and first month of basalt interior.
Also fat lip parcel tray

Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:23 am

This is an October 1960 15 window deluxe.
Grab handle has triangular ish ends, used on 59-61 deluxes.
Bus has blue-grey interior, hump front seat, high hinges, thin lip parcel tray.

Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:18 am

The Pinstriper wrote: I have a 3 month only 61 15 window deluxe.. The grab handle holes are 6 1/2 inches apart.. Does anyone know why or what grab handle would have went there?

Jeff :twisted:
[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1605491.jpg[/img

From your gallery, do you still have that handle in the pic below?

Mon Jun 30, 2025 1:35 pm

Bend 62-67 grab handle ends like this, so the ends are at right angles to the center part