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Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:46 pm

Has anyone converted their sliding side door to a barn door set up?

Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:52 pm

Clearly you haven't a clue what a barn door refers to, and it's not the side door of the Bus.

Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:06 pm

VDubTech wrote: Clearly you haven't a clue what a barn door refers to, and it's not the side door of the Bus.

Barn doors != barndoor.

I'd imagine that roccovw is talking about removing the sliding door and fitting two side-hinged doors (as seen on barns, ergo barn doors). Just because the term barndoor has been appropriated to describe an early split screen bus engine hatch doesn't mean that the term is incorrect for the purpose mentioned. An early bus has, in effect, three barn doors - the appropriated term for the hatch and the two barn doors on the side (5 for a double-door).

Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:01 pm

Thanks for helping me with my VW vocab Samwise! Thats exactly what I was trying to ask - Can you replace the sliding door for two side-hinged doors?

Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:19 pm

samwise wrote: VDubTech wrote: Clearly you haven't a clue what a barn door refers to, and it's not the side door of the Bus.

Barn doors != barndoor.

I'd imagine that roccovw is talking about removing the sliding door and fitting two side-hinged doors (as seen on barns, ergo barn doors).
I'm well aware of that. The OP is erroenously referring to the cargo doors of a Split Bus as Barndoors, which they are not.
samwise wrote: Just because the term barndoor has been appropriated to describe an early split screen bus engine hatch doesn't mean that the term is incorrect for the purpose mentioned.
Actually, yes, it does.
samwise wrote: An early bus has, in effect, three barn doors - the appropriated term for the hatch and the two barn doors on the side (5 for a double-door).
Wrong again.
Samba Dictionary wrote:
Barndoor Any Bus produced through February, 1955. The term Barndoor is credited to Jeff Walters and is in reference to the large decklid found on those vehicles. Barndoor Type 2's can also be recognized by the lack of an overhead fresh air vent over the windshield, 16 inch rims, the lack of full dash on non-deluxe models, non-opening rear window hatch (a few exceptions); not to mention miscellaneous switches, latches, seats and body panels that are unique to the Barndoor bus and no other. The term is often mistakenly used to refer to the 2 cargo doors on the side of a Bus.

Now that we're all clear on our terminology...yes, you can put anything you want to replace the slider door in a Bus. Yes, I've seen Split Bus cargo doors adapted to the opening. Yes, it's hideous and it's a terrible hack. Unless you have a Brazilian Bay Window, those doors don't belong there. If you want a Split Bus, pony up the cash and buy a Split. Don't hack up a Bay to try and make it into something it isn't.

Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:35 pm

brian, your check bouncing buddy did that to his bus

seeing it done in person i can tell you that the split doors don't have the same shape as a bay, and the fit was horrid.

if you are handy with a welder, go for it. for the time and effort required to even think of a half way decent job, you can rebuild your slider much easier.

if you are wanting to do it to be 'different' check out the abortion thread in readers rides....

Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:37 pm

OP, search for some Brazilian Bay window buses, some(?) of them have them.

Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:37 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: brian, your check bouncing buddy did that to his bus
Yeah I know, and it's a god awful disaster. I wish i had some pictures of that thing but sadly I don't.

Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:01 pm

i guess you could close the door, weld some hinges to the door on both sides then saw the friggin thing in half. boom, doors.

could be done well if you spent the time to dress it up. actually, i'd like to see that. when are you getting started rocco?

Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:34 pm

Haven't seen that conversion but I saw this the other day.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/4536430.jpg

Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:50 pm

Go Roc...do what you like. Get to turtleing!

Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:06 pm

School is officially back in session kids :lol: