VW Info, Parts and Restoration

I have had a few questions as of late about the latches on the VW double cab and single cab. What most of you want to know is. Are the double cab latches interchangeable? The answer is yes and no. Innately the latches for the Double Cab and Single Cab are different. The forward latches bolt through the cab with the bolt going from the inside of the cab and screwing into the latch on the outside.

The rear latches have a Phillips screw that is counter sunk in to the latch that screws in to the gate.

If you put the forward gate latches on the opposite corners in the back, they will work. There are no counter sinks for the screws on the forward latches so they don’t look perfect but they will function. The problem is, the arms will stick out on the side of the Double Cab, instead of curving around the back like they should. This could cause a problem when you walk buy, dinging your arm or catching your clothes. Once you have the forward gate latches mounted on opposite corners you can take the leaver part of the latch off of the mount shaft and swap them so that they bend around the back, like they should, instead of outwards. This is not as easy as it sound, usually the latches are on there really good and it takes some doing to get them off. My suggestion to you would be to get the right latches for you double cab. You can usually find latches for sale on The Samba for around $50 a pair (some go for more). There are also 2 different kinds of latches. Pre-1967 latches have a sharp curve on the handle. The post 1967 latches have a rounded curve. If you don’t care about being original they both fit the same.