The original panel van sliding doors have a different striker plate too. My panel van's slider got changed at some point for a factory window door, but the striker plate didn't get replaced hence it never shutting correctly (since replaced for the correct type). This is a panel van striker plate: Vs a factory window sliding door striker plate:
Mine is a '73 model year (made in September '72), original Westy and the lock is in the door handle, I think it's the original door but who really knows?
Pretty sure the handle and key separation came later than the 1973 model year. My 1973 model year had the key hole/lock in the handle
Yes I’ve mistyped or it’s not clear what I’m saying it’s the other way around the key is in the handle until aug 73.
No, it was only the sliding door that changed. Doesn't mean all your doors haven't been replaced though. Most of mine have.
Not normal, time to take it apart. Mine shuts with a 6" run up, no pushing the back in. There are hooky things on the middle hinge that control all that, i think you have broken bits.
I bet your bus was made before Oct 73 if it’s 73 model year. They changed the tooling in the August shutdown. Guessing it left the factory in Oct but was made earlier. We’ve had this out on here and the general consensus was no one had a 73 model year made after aug 73. There’s a thread on it on here somewhere. Basically it concludes there was a two year change from early to late with two distinct crossover years 71. -72 lowlight crossover 72 -73 highlight crosssover. It’s worth a read if you can find it! Apologies if yours is a late late with a late steering wheel and no petrol flap!
Loads of them have later build dates. They were made before Aug 73 mine had a production date of nov 73 but it was built before that as the factory stopped production of the 73 year model in August. I doubt Vw birth certificates are an exact science as loads have been proved wrong. Edit. My bus was sept 72
Here you go Mike have a decko at this thread. https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/aug-72-aug-73-late-bay-discussion-73-model-year.36986/
As far as I can tell, it has the earlier lock in the slider handle and earlier steering column, with dashboard to fit, everything else is late. So its a bit unusual in that respect. Built as a Camper for Devon to convert with extra belly pans. It was not registered until March 1975.
My slider is able to shut with a short run up but occasionally the rear bounces back out. Pushing the back in is more dependable. What I’m more concerned about is that I can’t manually rotate the rear catch, whereas both front door catches rotate easily. Can you rotate your slider rear catch manually? Regarding the middle hinge, do you mean the U shaped one at the back?
Maybe, probably need a big screwdriver so it didn't bite my fingers though. Yes the U shape one, it does a lot of different things including yanking the rear in.
I see what you mean now, having watched some vids. I’ll have a look at it when we’re not using the van so much. Thanks.
