Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 15:26:44 EST
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Installation of Drivers side Handle From Passenger side?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
In a message dated 99-11-20 21:11:02 EST, you write:
> Any surprises?
ONE SURPRIZE in my case.
My neighbors were surprized with my patience when I had to rewire the dome
light.
The a-pillar (windshield post) on the driver's side has the wires for the
dome light threaded through it. I put in the extra handle in my 1983.5 bus
earlier this year. It's a great addition.
BUT!!! As was suggested by other list members in the past; drill a small
pilot hole using a block of wood or some kind of bit-stopping thing, I forget
the technical name, so the bit will just barely put a hole all the way
through the inside of the pillar--less depth is "more better" in this case.
If you go too deep chances are you will hit the wires and sever or damage
them (I did). (Although I didn't know the wires were in there when I drilled
until the sparks gave it away.)
Then, using a wire coat hanger finagle (sp?) the wires out of the way while
you use the same method to drill the other hole--first with the pilot and
then the correct size bit. With the correct size bit also use a block of wood
or a drill stop. For example: You can use the newly drilled bottom hole for
the hanger finagling while you drill the top and vice versa.
Because I had to take my headliner off to run the new wires through the
a-pillar I added a dome light from a wrecked Vanagon like the one on the
driver's side to the passenger side by running the wires across the roof
under the headliner. The extra light is a great feature also, but a little
bit of a job getting the headliner in and out and cutting the hole for the
new light (IN the westy that is. It might be easier with the standard hole in
a passenger bus. Westy's have a slightly different headliner set up. And in
my experience the additional light installation is easier with a bracket from
the driver's side of a wrecked westy--although other listee's have
manufactured their own dome light brackets.)
My bus is a 1983.5. I see in one earlier e-mail reply later model busses may
have threaded hole for the handle that are just plugged up. But if you have
to drill BE CAREFUL and slow. Because while rewiring isn't the toughest job
you'll ever do, it takes a lot of time explaining to each neighbor that walks
by what your doing and why.
Any questions welcomed.
Good luck
Jeff
83.5 Westy
NYC
