door handles, continued

Here's the place to come to post when you have questions relating to technical issues or mechanical questions on the 1966 model year.

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gary haberman
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door handles, continued

Post by gary haberman »

An update to my post above. Never having dealt with door handles, I learned something about my '66 (which may also apply to other years and most likely everyone else already knows...). The passenger side door handle is different from the driver's side. The 64-66 door handle I purchased from WW fits nicely in the passenger side and works well. The driver's side is different (like the post somewhat above); the passenger side door handle key operates the locking mechanism in the door; the driver's side door handle key only locks the handle button, preventing it from being pushed in when locked. This, of course, leaves me with an unusable door handle... guess I'll have to buy another car! This car never ceases to fascinate me!
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Digger89L
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Post by Digger89L »

Something is odd here: 1) pretty sure that on my 66 bugs (all three of them) when the driver side door handle is locked, all that is happening is the button is prevented from being pushed in. I’m quite sure it does not do anything else with the actual door opening mechanism that is operated from the inside by the door handle lever. Operating the lever cannot turn the lock cylinder and thereby 'unlock' the door. So, if you can for some reason unlock a key-locked driver door by lifting up the inside door handle, you would still have to use a key to unlock the pushbutton on the door handle. 2) an original 1996 passenger door is not lockable with a key from the outside. You have to lock and unlock that door with the inside door handle. IF you installed a lockable handle on an original 1966 passenger side door, it should make it operate the same as driver door: locking the outside handle would NOT also operate the in-door locking mechanism that is connected to the inside door handle. 3) if, as you say in your post: the passenger side door handle key operates the locking mechanism in the door, then I would guess that you don’t have a 1966 passenger door. The first instance of a passenger side door handle key operating the locking mechanism in the door (ie: either moving the inside door handle lever (not sure if that is even possible) …or lifting the push-pull locking button on the inside window sill) is with the 1967 bug, when that progressive improvement was made. In that case you would have a different inside door handle than a ‘normal’ 66 bug would have: the smaller ‘finger’ lever, and not the larger hand lever. Your description only makes sense if someone has gone to the trouble of converting a 67 or newer door (with the push-pull locking button) to use the 66 style inside door handle lever. Again, not even sure if that is possible.
gary haberman
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'66 door handles

Post by gary haberman »

The VIN of my car is 1161007628 which places it as an Aug '65 manufacture. I have original August '65 instruction manual and Service booklet which had the key# SU98. While I didn't get door keys with the car, I had Gabe make up an SU98 key and it fit-now-the handle was a round type. I always thought that the round type handles weren't used until Jan '66. The passenger handle was the of the "paddle" type-it controlled the door mechanism unlike the driver's side "non-paddle" type where the key simply permits or prevents the button from being pushed in. So..I installed the "paddle" type door handle I got from WW in the passenger side and a "non-paddle" type which I had in my junk box (and had Gabe make up a key for..thank goodness for this man!) and now I can lock my doors. Too bad the ignition is another key, neither SU or SC. The next time I see an SC ignition switch for sale in eBay or Samba, I'm going to grab it and alter it to be the same as my driver's side door key. I've had this car for 6 weeks and have yet to start a second time, just playing with the electrical system and doors. What a great hobby! Luckily I have a '62 bug to use as my daily beater!
h~moto
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Post by h~moto »

The VIN of my car is 1161007628 which places it as an Aug '65 manufacture
I have some info that might help to straighten out some of your door handle mystery. The VIN you listed has ten digits. 1966 Volkswagen VIN's were only nine digits until production hit the one million mark. The VIN you listed would be a late June of 1966 which means the car would have come with the round push buttons. If your car was intended for the US market, then both outside door handles should work the door lock mechanism.
The next time I see an SC ignition switch for sale in eBay or Samba, I'm going to grab it
What is an SC ignition switch? Does SC stand for steering column? If so, it sounds like you might have a European model. On European models, the outside door handles do not control the door mechanism. Does your car have a four-way flasher switch? If still original, European models would not have one.
h~moto
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Post by h~moto »

Hey Digger89L, the operation you are describing is exactly like my car, which is a European model. My guess is that your three cars were designed for the Canadian market and that they use the same locking setup as the European models. Beetles for the US market did come with a key slot on the passenger side door and could be locked/unlocked from the outside. This locking method is described on page 4 of the Beetle owners manual (US market). That manual is available here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/man ... Manual.pdf
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Digger89L
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Post by Digger89L »

so ....if its a late June of 1966 model ...then those door lock differences can be attributed (also) to progressive refinements, as VW was in the process of switching to the 1967 model year ...right?
h~moto
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Post by h~moto »

Does SC stand for steering column?
Oooops! I just reread your post and realized that SC is referring to the key code, not shorthand for steering column. So ignore the nonsense about maybe being a European model - I assume it's not. Looks as though both sides should have door handles with round push buttons that control the door mechanism.
WSJ
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Post by WSJ »

I have a late (February) 66, I bought it with round button paddle handles. I was lucky to get them to open. Bought after market square button paddle handles, they were just as bad. Has anyone had experience with early 66 door handles working on a late 66, see pic? After market or originals.

Image
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Digger89L
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Post by Digger89L »

I have recently had four 1966 beetles in my possession (and still have 2)..but none of them had round-button door handles. However, it is my understanding that the inner mechanism of the round-button handle itself, and the door mechanism that it inter-faces with, are the same for both types of handles. See these photos of round-button handles in ads on TheSamba. They look the same as the photo posted here (which is one of my photos, by the way).

www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2251432

www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1936847
"If you can't fix it with zip ties and duct tape, or hold it together with velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."
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