Removing A Carat Interior - What do I need?

[john_lessard]

I have a great opportunity to remove the interior from a Carat and attempt to fit it in my 1986 GL Tin Top. I will not have much time with this Carat and will be removing everything remotely. I already have a Carat bench seat / bed in my van (a couple inches shorter in width to fit between the larger plastic panels).

I am only taking the bed hardware, side panels, and foldable table. I don't think I would use the jump seats.

Is there a list of parts I will need to complete the conversion? Is there a procedure to remove the plastic panels? The table and table bracket / hinge seemed obvious, but how to I remove the panels without damaging anything? Will I need to cut any welds behind this panel?

I am also aware of relocating the latch pin but understand part of the panel would need to be trimmed if I used the adapter bracket. Has anymore tried welding in a pin to the stock Carat location?

Thanks!!!

[dabaron]

the carat panels are in a channel at the top, make sure you get that. make sure you take a picture of the table mounting hardware so you can get it mounted in your GL - i believe you will have to make a brace.

i'd love to get a set of the panels and table for my GL...
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1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic

[Zeitgeist 13]

Be prepared to drill out lots of rivets holding the upper channel and table bracketry.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[16CVs]

Are you grabbing the Recaro seats as well? Don't forget the mounting plate that the table attaches to as well as the lower mounts as well. It's all pretty staright foraward.
As previously mentioned, get rerady to drill some Pop Rivets out.

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[john_lessard]

[john_lessard]

[dabaron]

[john_lessard]

[dabaron]

[ajdenette]

Here is a picture of the big Items:

This photo shows the 87 Woulfsburg that was available without AC along side the Carat panels that were only available with AC AFAIK

This picture shows a bunch of the hardware, the two brackets that the seat posts screw into are welded in and need to be cut out, then there are the 4 block spacers for the 4 rear seat bolts that must be removed.

not pictured are the 4 floor receivers that the jump seats clip into as well as the brackets on the rear of the seat and the support brackets welded inside the seat base and wheel well.
_________________
1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work

[Abscate]

A rabbit
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[john_lessard]

[Zeitgeist 13]

Other than screws to hold the panels in place, I think most of the hardware is associated with the rear seat and seat belts. I had all of my Carat panels off within the last year, and don't recall anything beyond those few items...just lots of rivets.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[ajdenette]

John_Lessard there is extra hardware on that table when I got my interior there was a second van with only bits of it left hence the two sets of rear panels so I made sure to grab as much of the hardware as I could and there might be some of the hardware for my weekender interior for a future project mixed in as well.
_________________
1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work

[DanHoug]

pull those cup holders, go great anywhere in the Westy. then pull the following for the cruise control:

- control unit behind glove box
- speedo sender on back of speedo (take whole cluster if still there)
- brake and clutch pedal switches
- vacuum pump mounted near passenger tail light
- pull steering wheel and take stalk switch for cruise
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[ajdenette]

for Cruise control you actually want the tail light harness as there is wiring for cruise in it in cruise control vans as well as the bundle that runs from the control unit behind the glove box down the chassis with the vacuum line.
_________________
1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work

[john_lessard]

Thanks guys! I am not planning on taking the cruise control system.. Thanks for the info though!

My focus is the rear bed and panels. I plan on getting back to the van tomorrow to keep moving and will b sure to take lots of pictures to share with the hive mind.

BTW this van is being parted out due to an engine fire. The Carat interior is only a small portion of the parts I am salvaging.

[DanHoug]

grab the brake equalizer valve underneath the driver's side!! very hard to obtain and they rust internally to an inoperable state.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[john_lessard]

The bounty!

Here are some reference pics from the Carat:

Notice the floor section under the "U" shaped bracket is rotted away. I should be able to make new angle brackets and bolt them to my floor easily.

I also cut off those brackets that hold the latch pins. I am hoping to weld those into place and that should be the only welding necessary.

Any suggestions for attaching the metal channel that holds the panels to the body? Should I use rivets or could I get away with countersunk sheet metal screws?

[Zeitgeist 13]

That's quite a haul. I'd use rivets.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?