Date:         Tue, 19 Nov 2002 00:26:24 -0800
Reply-To:     Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Weekender Conversion
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

Hi Bob,

I just finished the same conversion to my 90 this past summer, it's a
great conversion!

I do not know if you have the J-Channel that holds the panels in, if not
the local Formica/trim store will have the 1/8" stuff and I just riveted
it in.

You will have to cut and weld the rear seat post brackets (in my 90 GL I
did) that holds the bench seat up.

Take the opportunity to put the silver insulation in, for sound!

If you are putting in the jump seat try to get the floor brackets, they
also need to be welded. And bracket backings

I only put in one jump seat (behind driver)

The carpet should be fairly easy, the center bench seat channels leave a
hole in the flooring, I got from the junk yard the plastic plugs and
some old flooring to patch the gaps left by the channels.

I put in a couple lights and the screen windows too (junk yard, he gave
them to me)

This winter I am putting in power sockets in a few places for coolers,
laptops, lights, and I am also looking into putting in another battery.

I have teenagers that are pretty rough on the van so I had to
recalibrate them on the table which is fairly weak compared to a couple
of 120lb teenagers. I may have used words like hex, toad, death, yard
work for LIFE, etc...

I also got a can of white primer (my van is white) and touched up a few
bad spots under the carpet so rust wouldn't get in.

I riveted in the back panels (at the bottom, the tops fit inside the
J-Channel

I used screws for the plastic panels in the people compartment with the
eschewns (beauty washers)

The hairiest part was cutting the body under the window and bending it
back to put in the table bracket and then lining it up to the hole that
holds the table but everything fit on first try (I spent about 4 hours
measuring and remeasuring and fitting before I made my first cut and
bend, in total that process of the table bracket took all day) Take the
bench seat apart so when you need to fit thing up you only have to put
the frame in, until its time to fit the posts. All in all I think I had
to take it apart about 8-10 time for fitting and measuring.

I also traded hardware from my rear bench seat (90 with newer head rests
and stops) to the weekender seat (88 version) they just pop out with a
large screw driver/pry bar.

I cam up a seat belt short, my 90 had shoulder belts while the
conversion had lap belts so I am still on the hunt for one side of a lap
belt that has the bracket to fit behind the panel. I also used two
metric bolts to seat stops with Teflon sheath.

I think that's about it is a fun conversion!!! I also treated myself to
the smoked colored turn signal lenses for a complete color match (white
and black)

If you have any questions let them fly.

Good luck!

Jere

90 GL/Carataversion

88 GL