Front door handles

[appetite]

Kind forum,

Question: are exterior front door handles interchangeable from 1968 to 1979? I've seen different descriptions on samba and from vendors and am looking for clarification.

Thanks,

James

[asiab3]

Kind forum,

Question: are exterior front door handles interchangeable from 1968 to 1979? I've seen different descriptions on samba and from vendors and am looking for clarification.

Thanks,

James

The vendors who are looking to sell handles say yes. We do not.

The key code changed a few times, mostly in the early years. Along with the lock cylinder not fitting your key, the cylinders aren't even the same size. The 68 bus also has a distinct "push button" look that Ralph Nader later squandered. 69-79 all look the same, but again, keys and lock cylinders are different. The 69-79, (and maybe 68,) handles will all mount up and swap around fine mechanically.

What year is your bus? 71-79? Go ahead and order them. They'll be shiny, but they'll lack the "oh wow" solid metal quality of the original handles. I actually put my crusty original handles back on my shiny bus because the feel is so much more satisfying than the look of the new ones. A friend of mine also says the 68 handles are reproduced. But for 69-70 "L" code handles, I would hold out for originals or rebuild yours if you can. Using one key on all the locks, (including the engine compartment!) on a bus is something special, at least after having three different keys for three years……

Robbie

[hambone]

I too would vote good used.

[appetite]

Thanks guys.

I pulled the cylinder out with the key this morning, bursting the damn thing all over the driveway, Sigh.

I'll try to find a way to rebuild the cylinder.

Thanks,

James

[asiab3]

I pulled the cylinder out with the key this morning, bursting the damn thing all over the driveway, Sigh.
I'll try to find a way to rebuild the cylinder.

Let us know if you need pictures/guidance. I showed up early to a show/swap one time, and found a '69 handle in better shape than mine. I keyed it there on the spot and had five or six people watching and learning from my mistakes.

[cegammel]

Is there a write up on rekeying a lock? If not, can you make one? My slider handle was replaced by a previous owner and requires a second key.

Thanks!

[asiab3]

Is there a write up on rekeying a lock? If not, can you make one? My slider handle was replaced by a previous owner and requires a second key.

Thanks!

I'll see if I can find one.

The bay slider lock is the easiest one, and a great one to learn on. Are you talking Vanagon slider? I know nothing about them…
Robbie

[cegammel]

Yep...Vanagon. I also know nothing about them...obviously.

[appetite]

Hey just to follow up on this thread: just as Robbie described, the cylinder for a 69 is difficult to find and incompatible with later busses . I inquired with many vendors with no luck.

I eventually got a pair of handles from Justin Baughman, a vendor I found on the samba. His website is www.baughmanlock.com. They are off a 71, so the key is different, but the handle is in original shape and works great. He was very responsive and I recommend his services.

Of course, after I put the door back together, the window regulator broke! So the door is dissembled again and I am wrestling with the seemingly impossible task of removing the old regulator.

[asiab3]

appetite, are you in need of a key tumbler, or the whole '69 handle? I have some spare parts, but no complete handles.

cegammel, I did an late '84 vanagon handle last week. It was extremely similar to the late bus handle, which is pretty straightforward. Again, I'm still looking for the awesome lock rekeying tutorial I saw on Samba years ago...

[kreemoweet]

Would this be the one? http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=312340

[asiab3]

Yes! That's where I learned the basics, then there's also one in the Vanagon forum where they talked explicitly about doing a sliding door handle. Appetite, the one kreemoweet posted will be nearly identical to yours.

cegammel, if you can remove the sliding door panel and remove the M5x.8 screw (usually med-large) phillips drive, the handle will slide outward easy peasy. After that, the procedure is the same.

Robbie

[cegammel]

So, I read the article, went out, and decided to wait for a more energetic afternoon to start disassembling stuff.

A couple of questions:

When removing the tumbler, do I put the original key, or the desired key in?

When removing the slotted wafers, do I reinstall these in a proper position for the desired key?

I can't really wrap my head around how this mechanism works...

[cegammel]

So, I read the article, went out, and decided to wait for a more energetic afternoon to start disassembling stuff.

A couple of questions:

When removing the tumbler, do I put the original key, or the desired key in?

When removing the slotted wafers, do I reinstall these in a proper position for the desired key?

I can't really wrap my head around how this mechanism works...

[asiab3]

A) When removing the tumbler, do I put the original key, or the desired key in?
B) When removing the slotted wafers, do I reinstall these in a proper position for the desired key?

A) Either. The key insertion is just to make sure the wafers don't sproing into the ether. You will remove and reinstall the desired key (carefully) a few times to check your wafer swapping and grinding.

B) There are six-ish different sized wafers, each corresponding to a "mountain" or "valley" on the key profile. You will need to swap them around until they all lay flush when the desired key is fully inserted. I usually leave a few, swap a few, and grind one or two until I have all wafers present and flush with the tumbler. If the wafer doesn't "fit" the mountain or valley exactly, it will stick out the tumbler one way or another; that prevents the tumbler from rotating.

Robbie