changing the rear doors to wing or "barn" doors?

[marcusmucus]

hi all,
Thanks in advance for any advice given, we are looking into buying a 2nd hand transporter but need it to have the two rear barn or wing doors. This need is limiting so Im curious to anyones knowledge on how easy it would be to convert from a hatch style rear?
Also anyone know of a good wreckers or mechanics here in Melbourne who would be able to help out or has experince on older t4's?

thanks again all!!!!!

[wai]

Don't take this the wrong way, but why to you have to have wing/barn doors?

I have just traded in a Hiace SBV with wing/barn doors. When I got it 12 years ago, there was a model change between me ordering the vehicle and it being ready for pick up. The tailgate was dropped from the range and replaced with the wing/barn doors.

Now there are good reasons for wing/barn doors. You need less space behind the vehicle, if items need to be loaded/unloaded with a forl lift, the doors can open 180 degrees.

However this has to be weighed up against the severe loss of rearward vision. Basically, the entire lane behind you is blocked by the join in the barn doors. Don't be fooled by the "tricks" of tinted window glass that hides the extent of the door frame. Even with offset wing/barn doors, all that happens is that the loss of vision shifts slightly. No one has yet made a single leaf rear door. That would be ideal, however its size would make things a little awkward.

Any good coach builder would be able to adapt and fit custom made wing/barn doors. If the reason is not that compelling, it might be worthwhile going to a dealer for a brand that does have wing/barn doors and take it for a test drive to see for yourself and whether you are prepared to put up with it. I received many "frights" when I suddenly realised there was a police car behind me. In one case it had its lights on, but I could not see them until the car was a few metres behind me. The police officer was not impressed with my "excuse" until I suggested he sit behind the wheel and see for himself.

Oh yes. When I ordered my Caddy Maxi Life, one of the things (among others) I insisted on was a tailgate and NO wing/barn doors.

[IN2VWS]

Hmmm....I am the opposite, all my previous T4 and T5's had the tailgate. I now have wing doors, and will never go back to a tailgate.
Yes there is some blocked vision, however, it does not chop out a whole lane. It is something you will get used to.
The only advantage to me, that I could find with a tailgate, is that you could stand under it when it rains.

Swapping a tailgate for barndoors, is not an easy job. By the time you have paid someone to do the job, you will find it will be cheaper to buy a van with wing doors already fitted.

[marcusmucus]

thanks for your replies,

Yeah, Im needing them as we ideally want to be able to fork pallets onboard. I was guessing it would be a time consuming and costly job and alot easier to just buy a vechile that already has them.

We have been finding T4's alittle short on the ground in melbourne for sale, so was attempting to think out side of the square to speed the process up!.

I drove a T4 with a tailgate but never took notice if the fittings for barn doors are factory standard (I.e bolt holes or reinforcing etc) dosnt sound likely..

well, back to the drawing board with that!

Cheers guys

[rob64981]

Have a look on the VW T4 forum.

This task has been done many times by people on there...

T4 - VW T4 Forum - VW T5 Forum (http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=146)

I will try and track down the how to do it but a little pushed for time at the moment.

Rob

[njg02]

I too had a T5 with barn doors and never had an issue. I have bad shoulders and didn't or couldn't pull down a large tailgate.
You can fit a pallet in the side door as well. If it is you doing the loading into the rear, try and get some 'tyne' extensions for the forkilift.

Neil

[irsa76]

I've been a courier for nearly 8 years and if I ever need to buy my own van, always had company vans, I will only buy one with barn doors. My current Sprinter doesn't actually have any rear windows, not an issue since I've found when loaded you can't see out the back anyway! As for tyne extensions, fine if you are loading from your own site, pita if you are on the road, most places don't have them. That said, I knew a courier who carried his own on the roof racks of his Hiace, since gone to a Transit with barndoors.

[wai]

I've been a courier for nearly 8 years and if I ever need to buy my own van, always had company vans, I will only buy one with barn doors. My current Sprinter doesn't actually have any rear windows, not an issue since I've found when loaded you can't see out the back anyway! As for tyne extensions, fine if you are loading from your own site, pita if you are on the road, most places don't have them. That said, I knew a courier who carried his own on the roof racks of his Hiace, since gone to a Transit with barndoors.
If it is for commercial operation where the internal rear view is no longer there, then there is no issue either way. Maybe it was just the Hiace because after the 1999 Hiace SBV, Toyota withdrew the barn doors as an option and now only offer tailgates in the new Hiace range. It does make the Hiace SBV highly sought after as a courier vehicle where inside rear vision is not an issue. Interestingly Hyindai, VW, Ford and just about every other van maker offer the option of barn doors or a tailgate.

[Golf Loon]

I have barn doors and they are great, much more versatile than a hatch.
T4s have all the apetures for both kinds of doors, you can simply drill and fit.
Good luck with the search, they are great vans.