I spotted the below thread on TheSamba from a few years ago which gives info on how to fit an old BMW 3 series electric window motor to a 1974 Westy. It looks pretty simple! I've searched on here and not found any info on people trying it which surprised me. Has anyone tried this? I'd be keen to give it a go! http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=96710&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20
I think I'll give this a try at some point....although I have a million and one more important things to do first!
My bus came with electric windows but the motors had long since packed up so I converted back to stock. The problem is that the design of VW doors does not lend itself to modern electrical gubbins being mounted in them - they are built to have water run down inside them and exit at the bottom, so whilst you can certainly get leccie windows working, don't expect them to last long as they will have to reside in a waterfall when it is raining. Personally I like cranking the handle the old fashioned way - it is not exactly a hardship and adds to the fun of my startup ritual
^WHS. although the upside is that in fitting electric windows you can also 'upgrade' your window rubbers so they don't leak water into the doors. You actually have a rubber seal that can grip the window, just like on a modern car. Haven't done one myself but have seen one fitted with modded seals, the chrome trim around the window is lost but you have good sound waterproof doors so a good compromise Out of interest, what do Brasilian doors have fitted, is it the same design?
I fitted BMW motors after reading that Samba thread. The motors are mounted instead of the manual winder and don’t get wet, the switches are on the dry side of the waterproof sheet. They work perfectly but getting hold of the motors might be a challenge – I had to import mine from the US.
All car doors are designed to have water run down in side them, that's why many have the plastic membrane between the steel door and inner door card, and drainage holes at the bottom. Whilst the motors might not be designed to work underwater - all the ones I've worked on (and I have done a fair few) are designed to work in an 'outside' environment, i.e. inside the steel part of the door, but not behind the waterproof membrane. The challenge as I see it with bay doors is that the door card is flush with the door itself - so there is little or no room to mount aftermarket motors - most of which bolt on to the original manual winder and turn in. This solution (in the link) is pretty neat to be fair.
