Vanagoners:

Please excuse my last two accidental cross-lists.  Need more
coffee this morning.

But I do have a Vanagon issue.  For some reason (poor design, bad
salt, heavy hands, whatever) rust spots have developed around all
three exterior door handles on my '84 GL.  I spent last weekend
working on the side door.  Pulled the handle, repaired the rust
and repainted the damaged area.  In the process I disassembled
the outside door handle to clean up the inside (key wouldn't turn
at all).

I have done similar work on split-window bus handles,
disassembling them down to the tumbler "wafers" and springs to
clean everything up.  The Vanagon handle is very similar.  I was
unable to use a screw driver to remove the set screw for the core
and ended up drilling the old one out, tapping for a new one, and
all is well now.  Like new!

The front door handles are slightly different from those on the
split-window models.  Apparently removal of the core involves
removal of a dowel-pin instead of a set screw.  Anyone else have
any experience with this or am I the only one here fool enough to
take these handles apart?  If I can't drive the dowel-pin out, it
looks like I'll have to drill it out and install a new (probably
bigger) dowel-pin upon assembly.

BTW, anyone else's black Vanagon door handles looking grey
instead of black?  While I had mine apart I sandblasted (low
pressure), sanded and repainted my side door handle.  It's
amazing how much better it looks.  Now, if I can get the front
door handles done...

-Jim Bryant