Get one of those remote/automatic sliding door opener assemblies that they
use in wheelchair vans.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "mark drillock" <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: sliding door conversion, early-late

> The problem for her is not the sliding part but the amount of force
> needed on the handle to get the latches to release the door. She has a
> chronic wrist problem that is aggravated by the repeated opening of the
> door. We just spent a week camping in it and by the end we had to leave
> the door ajar most of the time so she could just slide it open. We are
> going on a longer trip soon and I must try to cure the difficulty.
>
> I have already cutoff the welded on pillar latch sections from a later
> donor. These parts are different from the earlier doors that had them
> bolted on to the pillars.
>
> Mark
>
> JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>
>>In a message dated 8/15/05 12:42:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>drillock@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>I am going to put an 87 door on
>>>the 82 and I would like to hear from anyone who has done this and about
>>>any gotchas I may encounter,
>>>....
>>>
>>>Mark
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>well i know it will incolve some cutting and welding.. i think the entire
>>C
>>pillar aft of the slider door is different on the pre-'85's vs the post
>>'85's.
>> i think the latching system on the B pillar is different as well.
>> get out the sawzall and the torch, mark. :<)
>>
>>have u just tried cleaning and lubing up the tracks on the '82 really
>>well? i
>>did that to my 84 wolfy and the slider glides along the track pretty
>>smoothly..  the lower and beltline tracks were pretty nasty before i
>>cleaned them up
>>and lubed them.
>>
>>
>>