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<font face="arial" size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I, too, was scoping
out Isuzu Rodeos and their twin Honda Passports for the purpose of
adapting one of those nice left-hinged spare tire carriers to my '87
Syncro.&nbsp; The barriers I ran into were price and availability.&nbsp;
The few junkyards that had one were asking well over $200 for the
assembly, plus shipping, as none of them were local.&nbsp; Add hinge
mods/fabrication to that and it was getting scary.&nbsp; What I have been
working on instead is adapting a right-side-hinged assembly from an '89
(first generation downsized) GMC S-15 Jimmy/ Chevy S-10 Blazer to fit the
left side of the Vanagon.&nbsp; I got mine for $25 from a local
yard.&nbsp; The quality on this dealer accessory is impressive (more than
I can say about the rotting Jimmy I pulled it from)&nbsp; The latch mech
is easily switched from back to front (or former back to new back)
without modification.&nbsp; The tire holding part needs to be cut off,
modified, and relocated, or you can simply mount an air-cooled era nose
spare mount bracket to the other side.&nbsp; I am still working on the
hinge part of the project and here is where I could use some list
help.&nbsp; I would love to get a LR corner section (from the bottom of
the vent to the bottom of the tailgate and forward to the seam)&nbsp; to
use as a jig to make new hinges.&nbsp; Anybody getting ready to junk a
Vanagon in the New England or NYC areas?&nbsp; Have Sawzall, will travel!
<br>
-chris <br>
<br>
P.S. If anybody else is interested in going this route, let me
know.&nbsp; I have to farm out the actual hinges and it could cut costs
and save headaches to have more than one set
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