Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:19:53 +1200
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Value of sliding door
In-Reply-To: <B31E120A15351D48885C7CA268917BE52684B7@VALLE.AD.UWS.EDU.AU>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>You could get doors on both sides of splitties as an option. If I
>understand correctly, these Buses came with extra reinforcements welded
>to the frame underneath, to help make up for the lack of stiffness
>caused
>by two big holes in the body directly opposite one another.
I've never looked seriously under a dual-door VW. Or compared my
4-door & 5-door Hiaces either. It would stand to reason that if
there's only the floor & roof holding the front end to the back end,
something had best be beefed-up, or twisting and fatigue-fractures
are likely to occur, as well as collapsing in accidents.
>Every generation Transporter,1 thru to 5 has had the option of a sliding
>door on both sides.....although obviously not an option some markets saw
>fit to make available.
I know dual sliders were always optional since 1964, and dual folders
until 1967... ignoring the Brasilian buses. Unfortunately in NZ you
don't have the option of shopping around. I don't believe the T3 was
ever sold here by VW, and that all of the very few in the country are
private imports, mainly from Australia (like mine) or Britain.
>Longer brake lines, fuel hoses, wiring, parking brake cables... What's
>an extra meter of Vanagon weigh? Do you need different shock absorbers
>to make it handle OK with the changed natural frequency of the system?
Brakelines can be lengthened. Fuelhose I'll want to replace anyway.
An extra meter of sheetmetal and chassis won't be a lot... no
suspension or engine parts in there, well under the mass of a human.
The Konis I have for it would be more than up to the job, and the
springs ditto. Natural frequency of the system would be lower due to
the longer wheelbase. SWB vans with stiff suspension (eg Mitsubishi
Delica 4WD) pitch badly.
>Andrew, you'd find it a cheaper option, albeit still an expensive
>proposition, to import a 5 door T3 shell from across the Tasman Sea
>where, whilst they are not plentiful in the land of Oz, they are
>certainly available.
Any ideas as to price, Steve? Problem is, cars are EXPENSIVE in the
land of Oz. And shipping from there is costly too, despite the short
distance. Not long ago a friend moved to Breezebin, and bought a
1984 (first-generation) Camry. It cost him $3000AUS. He had to step
down from a 94 Camry Windom 2.0 V6 (sold also as Lexus ES300 when
fitted with 3.0 engine) which he'd sold here for $2000NZ. I couldn't
believe it. At the time the equivalent money in NZ would have bought
something really nice with all the bells & whistles, and prices in NZ
are still falling.
>Grafting in another door to a 4 door body would be a real PITA. I helped
>a fellow once graft a 4th door onto a 70s RHD Double Cab and would not
>want to be involved in such folly again....:-)
I had a LHD (European import) 68 Kombi which had a right-side slider
added. There was no front catch on the frame, so the job was
obviously incomplete.
Anyway, at this point it's just an idea. Of course if nobody with
suitable parts gives a price it'll never be more than that, either.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
