Date:         Wed, 20 Sep 1995 07:35:17 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         tfab@netcom.com (thom fitzpatrick)
Subject:      Re: 1965 Type II questions

And Michael Heron thus wrote:
 
> 1. "correct" engine lid for 1965 van (does anyone know what years of engine
> lids are "correct" and interchangeable?? I could use two of these lids IN
> GOOD CONDITION puh-leasse no rusted out dented up ones ( i already have
> those ;)

The correct one for your year will have the lip over the license plate
light and a church key hole.  And engine lid from '55 1/2 to '67 _will_
fit, provided you have the correct _apron_ for the lid.  But you want
the one that is correct for your bus...

There are 2 styles of aprons.  (splits only here)

The earlyones have a "notch" in the middle,t hat is actually offset slightly,
and a metal tab brazed on for the latch.  I think these go up to '65
The engine lids that go with these come in 3 flavors:
1 - the center brakelight ones with the (duh) center brakelight mounted on a 
flat panel above the license plate - up to '56, although I've seen some
'57s that claim that they were factory.  The clue to whether or not a
center brakelight is "correct" (not you Michael, just in general) is 2 sets
of wires coming out of the loom at the top/rear/center of the engine compartment
instead of just one.  The one set is for the licenseplate light, the second is
for the brake light.  There will also NOT be a brake light circuit in the
two tail lights.  This means you should also have "bubble" tail lights.  The
'57s that claimed to have center brakelights also had brake circuits on
the sides, which to me proves they don't know what they are talking about...

2 - same as above with no light, but with a flat panel where the light 
shoulda been.

3 - has a lip (and thus not a flat panel) above the license plate light.

all three of these have the church key latch

the later aprons have no notch, and have a screw-on tab to catch the latch
The engine lids for them have the lip, and a larger, more sqare hole for
the latch.

Thom
--
> First thing we'll do is kill all the lawyers!
Thom Fitzpatrick 
tfab@netcom.com
ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/tf/tfab/home.html
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