Dear Michael,

One way to resolve your wish to have a driver's side door lock mechanism which
can lock merely by pushing down the button and then closing the door is to
obtain the lock mechanism from the front left door of a right hand steering T3
Transporter or Caravelle (i.e. Vanagon).

Ording through an approved VW spares outlet is likely to be protracted and
expensive.  One way is to order from a wrecker in Australia.  One of these is
"Harding European" in Brisbane.  The owner is a very switched on VW man,
having owned a couple of T3 Transporters over the years.  He now owns a T4
(Eurovan) double cab, a New Beetle, a Tatraplan, several T1 and T2
Transporters including a "barndoor", etc, etc.  He currently has two T3
Transporter vans (Vanagon panel truck) in his yard for wrecking both of which
have good condition left front doors with locks and mechanisms.  He can be
E-mailed on <guy@harding.au.com>.  He also has web site at
<www.harding.au.com> .

I have no financial interest in his business and get nothing for this
information or from any sales.  All I can say is that he is very honest and
regularly supplies rare parts to people in the USA.

Regrards, Simon Glen, Toowoomba, Australia
1992 VW T3 Transporter Syncro van
1969 VW 411

Michael Snow wrote:

> Have you ever locked yourself out of a car?  Breaking into your own vehicle
> or hiring a locksmith is far more expensive than replacing door locks every
> 20+ years or so.  I think this is one of the more intelligent features of
> the Vanagon.  At least some Subaru cars use the same design, and they also
> reduce the number of dead battery surprises by running the headlight relay
> through the ignition switch so the lights cannot be inadvertently left on.
> Smart...
>
> Mike Snow
>
> <snip>
> >Has anyone ever modified thier Drivers Side Door Lock so a person can lock
> >it by pushing the lock button down, instead of having to use the key?
>
> I want to know too; it's a real PAIN having to use the ket to LOCK the
> door, and wears the lock out twice as fast.
>
> <snip>