I just finished upgrading the brakes on my '84 Westy to a set from an '89
Carat.  I transferred the uprights, new rotors, new brake pads, new
bearings, and installed new lower ball joints.  It was a farily easy job on
my non-rusty Southern vehicle.

I found the differences between the two braking systems interesting and
though you might too.  Here's a picture comparing them:
http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/misterpolak/Misc%20VW%20nuttiness/?action=view&current=early_vs_late_vanagon_brake.jpg

Interestingly the most challenging part was installation of one of the
lower balljoints.  I had two brands, a Febi and some other nondescript
brand. The Febi was easy, while the other gave the local shop a heck of a
time.  I purchased another Febi locally to save time and sure enough, it
pressed right in.  Lesson:  Use Febi lower ball joints.

--
Chris S.
"No solution is too complex to be executed incorrectly"