Interchangeable E-series Interiors?

[Offroading_is_Fun]

Hi-

Bit of a last minute post/request here in hopes someone might know off the top of their head... I found a 2009 parts van that I'm off to look at tomorrow out in Stockton and presuming I can negotiate a fair price, planning to pull the interior door skins/panels+ switches.... This van also has the nicer A-pillar covers with grab handles and I was going to try and negotiate for them, as well.

Q: Does anyone know for certain, whether or not the A-pillars with handles from a 2009+ are a direct-replacement for the A-pillars on a '97-'08 without grab handles? (That is to say, would my van have to be factory-optioned with them in order to use these? Are they incompatible to begin with?)

I popped the A-pillar trim off in mine briefly tonight and saw it was a hand full of push-in metal clips holding it on there... great for a plastic cover piece, but probably aren't going to be strong enough to support a grab handle (which looks like they bolt into the A-pillar... I didn't see those holes in my A-pillar, but I might not have pulled the trim off enough to see clearly).

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light.
Erik


Edit: Did more research and KBB has pictures of a 2002 van with these nicer A-pillars... So I'm fairly confident '09+ will fit '97-'08, the question still remains if there are bolt-holes for them on every van or only factory-equipped?

[JWA]

Originally Posted by Offroading_is_Fun

Erik
Edit: Did more research and KBB has pictures of a 2002 van with these nicer A-pillars... So I'm fairly confident '09+ will fit '97-'08, the question still remains if there are bolt-holes for them on every van or only factory-equipped?

Factory A-pillar grab handles require a threaded insert of some type installed during manufacture---if any one van didn't come with them there will be no provisions to mount them.

A-Pillar trim without grab handles are not easily swapped in earlier versions as they capture the headliner, that being trimmed to accommodate an attachment fitting at the top. IIRC grab handles first appeared in 2003 and for the above reasons aren't backward compatible without modifying something.

I would think the "new" style dashboards won't affect the A-Piller trim however that's just a guess. You could add the grab handles but that would require using some sort of threaded insert like a Plus Nut BUT you're drilling etc very close to the windshield and run the risk of breaking it while in process.

If you obtain the parts make sure you take the captured bolts in the factory grab handles.

Feel free to ask any questions---if hard pressed I can supply some photos but that might take a day or so.

HTH

[Offroading_is_Fun]

Originally Posted by JWA

if any one van didn't come with them there will be no provisions to mount them.

IIRC grab handles first appeared in 2003 and for the above reasons aren't backward compatible without modifying something.

HTH

Good information to know! I've heard about the door skins being easily interchangeable although witch wiring is a bit of an issue. There was also a thread here on this forum about "New door panels with old switches" which would be the plan if I cant get the newer switches to work.

Seems like nobody ever talked about putting the new A-pillars on old vans.. and now I know why! Makes sense.

I was also planning on pulling the front end off of this van for a front end conversion, but I think I'm going to hesitate and decide to sharpen my pencil a little bit more before sinking $$$ into all of the body panels.

Either way- he says this van has the interior door skins and has the captains chairs, which most wrecking yards seem to agree are "the first bits to go" and the hardest to find... Also the easiest bits to remove, which is nice.

Thanks for the info!