Engine deck lid latch cover installation

[easy e]

For those that have successfully bent the tabs outward, to secure the cover in-place... please share your method.

When I tried... it stayed for a while... but ended up falling off.
I used needle nose pliers & pried them open. What makes it tough, is working through the double layer wall of the deck lid... so when you're trying to spread the tabs... they're about a fat inch into a hole.

I was thinking some external snap ring type pliers would be better.... that expand when you squeeze the handle.

If you've been successful... please post the specific brand/model of plier.
Or... if you had success using some other method, please share.
Thx,
e

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aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

[Who.Me?]

I bent one wing out somewhat before I fitted the cover, but left the other upright. I hooked the bent wing through the hole, then poked a screwdriver through the hole and tapped it with a hammer to bend both wings fully open.
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Andy


Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786

[Clara]

Having one wing bent first is a good idea.

I do this with the engine lid latch off, and then it is easy to press the tabs from the inside.

[EverettB]

[Clara]

yes, use the seal
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The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/

[easy e]

Thanks everybody!...
The seal I had was just a thin piece of rubber... about the thickness of a bicycle inner tube. The diameter was pretty much the same as the cover. It was a pain to try to have it remain under the cover & not jack up the paint.
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aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

[glideking]

I used super glue to hold the rubber in place on the cover then a big fat screwdriver to bend the tabs down.
Kurt
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"The more I get done the less it looks like I did anything"
1959 Single Cab Restoration"Funky Truck"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=
1965 21 Window Restoration Thread (From old photos)
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[BarryL]

[mastorna]

[easy e]

Bulletproof... dunno, mine's still not on.

But, my next plan of attack is to try some expanding pliers.
The trick is finding some that are narrow engough to fit through the hole... long enough to reach the tabs... and have the hinge point in the right spot.
Out of the ones shown below, I think the top ones might work.

https://www.expandingpliers.com/

If you like expensive pliers... looks like about half of these might be contenders...
https://store.snapon.com/Snap-Ring-Pliers-C676033.aspx
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

[JonnyCJ]

I also had issues getting my lock cover to fit.

What I did was take the engine lid off, lock mechanism out and with the lock cover on the bench I pre-bent the bottom tab into its final position (which is approx 45 deg). I then partially bend the top tab so that it WOULDN’T fit into the aperture.

I then bent it back a tiny amount so that it fitted through the slot with a bit of interference.

That was sufficient to position the lock and hold it there so that you can adjust the rubber seal to the correct position.

From there I used a cold chisel (large screwdriver will work) with the engine lid on its side and pushed against the lock with the flat of my left hand and pushed the tip of the chisel against the top tab.

This method means that you only have to bend the top tab over a small amount to get the lock to stay in position and you don’t damage anything. Pre-bend8ng the top tab is the key as you’re pushing it down rather than across and down.

[NUTSFORBUSES]

I used a C clamp. First i cut down the round end that would go INTO the inside hole to fit through the church key hole (inside), then carefully covered the outside and clamped down the tabs twice-easy peasy (pre-bent) tabs of course.
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kaiser kills kids.com

[Mile High Puma]

Thought I would add my take on this job. For such a small item it was a total pain in the ass to install. I would love to see the tool the factory used to do this.
I started with a repro cover from WW. After messing with it one of the tangs broke off probably from too much bending back and forth trying to install it. So, I purchased a second one.
The second try was successful. First I spread the tangs apart with a pair of slip joint pliers till it would barely fit into the hole. The I took a large 1/2" bolt and screwed it in between the tangs with a slight amount of pressure and my palm against the cover. Once i felt it grab I turned it just a little more to spread it apart, maybe 1/2 to 1 turn.

Then after making sure the tangs were lined up with the slots in the cover I took a 13MM deep socket which barely fit through the access hole a pressed it against the tangs with a c clamp. After removing the clamp it is nice and snug and doesn't rotate when I move the cover over.

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1965 Velvet Green DC

[70bus]

I recently installed mine; a few detours before getting to the actual topic title.

As you can see, someone likely wedged it with a screwdriver at some point; even after Jeff Gagnon kindly used the proper tools to massage the metal back to shape as much as possible, there still was too much of a gap to engage both the locking tabs on the escutcheon.

I took some POR15 Patch,

put some tape over the hole to make a flat surface on the outside and put a decent smoosh of the epoxy inside. I flattened it out a bit when tacky, and then when dry carefully trimmed it closer to proper shape.

I slightly bent the tabs and put the escutcheon in place; I was able to get a needle nose plier and get the lower one pretty firmly on the epoxy; I took a large blunt screwdriver and carefully pressed the other tab down as hard as I could… making sure it didn’t slip and nail my fingers on other side. Escutcheon is pretty darn solidly placed - no wiggling or rattling. Of course

I’d forgotten to put on the damn seal first! Not going to undo it all; I’ll put one on when this escutcheon falls off or gets bent or whatever.
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Craig K
70 Neunsitzer
65 Pritschenwagen
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