Walkthrough bay bulkhead pad install and question ('68-'76)

[airschooled]

So there isn't much info out there about the pads that top the bulkheads of non-Westfalia buses from '68-'76. In my effort to make my tin-top Westy into a Station Wagon with a bed, I have gone through the effort to install the pads. I have some helpful info for anyone looking to do the same, and a few questions for my next step.

I was given what I thought was a semi-nappy-ass (sorry Gabe!) set of pads and retaining strips from Spike0180 exactly one year ago this week. I was thankful at the time, because they only had some cosmetic defects, instead of the usual rips and bends. After a few hours of scrubbing with Tide and hot water, they were ready for vinyl paint. I didn't realize how great of condition they were really in, compared to some of the buses out there:

Along with the pads themselves, came the retaining strips for sanding, etching primer-ing, and painting. (Brian/BajaBug/20w50 shown for scale…)

ONE of the these strips is shorter than the others:

This is to accommodate the driver's side bulkhead, which is SLIGHTLY narrower than the passenger side bulkhead. In my opinion, this is owing to the fact that the driver's seat is twisted 3° towards center for a more pleasant driving experience. (Any time I drive a "modern" car I find myself drifting towards the right sides of lanes, because my bus seat is twisted to accommodate driver's eye parallax, and no other car is.) So the short strip goes on the horizontal piece, on the driver's side.

I used twenty 1/8" x 1/8" steel rivets to hold the rear of the panels in. Drilling new holes into the Westy bulkheads allows me to avoid the "spreading" that you see in high-milage station wagons with these pads. Mine will fit flush forever, I suspect:

…and twelve #8 - 5/8" sheet metal screws to hold the retaining strips to the round bulkhead tops and sides. (1/2" screws may work- the local ACE was out of them today.) Sorry for the lack of picture.

The passenger side is easy because you have access from the sliding door, but the driver's side seat is easier to slide forward, so it's a total wash for difficulty.

And now I need your help! Does anybody have original panels that they can photograph for me, so I can make a set? I have the physical dimensions in front of me, but I will need to see how the panels attach to the bulkhead pad holes. Do they use clips/pins like the front door cards?

Here's where I'm stopped, waiting to see if I should order the Werksberg panels, or have custom stuff made up. Either way, they're going to be upholstered to match my copper interior…

Thanks in advance!
Robbie

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[1961bluebug]

Can´t help much, but the panels use regular clips like front cards do. The bottom of the panels are held by (aluminium?) rails.
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[skills@eurocarsplus]

you're missing the lower aluminum channels as mentioned.

they only clip into the metal on the pads. look for the "tail" of metal hanging off of them. you will see holes that are big enough to have door panel clips to attach to.

wish I knew you wanted panels....I have some stray grey/white ones and black ones
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[Tcash]

Thnx to jersey
http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/EarlyBaywindow/EarlyBay-Main.html
http://www.jerseylooker.com/FicheDump/EarlyBaywindow/EarlyBay-8.html
Looks like you are missing #40 Lower partition end strips.
Panels are held on by #2
Note the direction #40-41 Rivets are installed so the unfinished side it covered by the panel and also they are different lengths.
If the holes have opened up. You can use Rivet washers on the back side to prevent them from pulling through.

Good luck
Tcash
NOS

Whole shooting match
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1995355

[Spike0180]

[airschooled]

Thanks gents for letting me know about the aluminum trim strips. I'll look for a set now... I don't need any old panels, as I'm trying to get my upholsterer to match my existing "resto-mod" (ugh..) panels.

Skills, I didn't even know I wanted pads until I got sick of getting greasy handprints on my bulkheads. Other people need to keep their shit cleaner so I can continue to wrench on it with white upholstery...

[skills@eurocarsplus]

honestly, they are cheap enough new...BUT they don't have the plastic ring on them like they did from the factory....not a big deal if you have no vents running to the rear of the bus
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[neilswheels]

Did you find any bottom trim pieces? Im looking at the moment. Thanks

[gtarasi]