Date:         Sun, 8 Nov 2009 13:11:02 -0800
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Sliding Door Handle Part?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hokay, So I removed the sliding door's inner panel to get at the backside
of the outer handle to find out why it was getting loose.

Removal of the panel was much easier than I thought it would be. In my
earlier thread ("Sliding door inner panel removal -- and gotchas?" I got
some good advice about getting that door off, taking care not to break any
of the plastic clips, using a trim removal tool to keep from breaking the
hardboard, etc., and I bought that trim removal tool from my FLAPS in
preparation for the job.

Only to find that the panel was held in place by eight or so oval-head
screws in dress washers. All that needed to be done was take off the two
inner handles and those screws and it slid right off.

Maybe the 1984 van have their panels mounted differently?

ANYWAY, I found that the screw at the back end of the sliding door handle
was loose, which was good news because I didn't want to find the stem
cracked.

There seems to be a part missing, though. The illustration for the
1980-1984 front sliding door lock on page 58.2 in Bentleys shows three
dingi on the handle stem: Seal, Trim Ring, and Spacer.

On my handle, I found the spacer, no Seal, and a plastic part that looks
like it could be the Trim ring.

But it is stamped "251.843.711" -- Bus Depot shows this part as the
Escutcheon, for outside handle, 86-91 Vanagon.

Bentleys shows the Escutcheon on page 58.18 (From 1985 m.y.)

Did I mention that this is a 1984 Vanagon?

How the heck did this van get a 1985 Escutcheon? Do I need a Seal?

ALSO, There is a black ring on the outside of the sliding door itself,
surrounding the hole for the handle. It's like a thin black washer stuck
to the paint. It's hard to say what that is or was. A vinyl decorative
appliqué bit? Or the remaining traces of a substantial part that might
have vanished, like the mysterious Seal?

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR