tailgate latch

[BaaaadSlider]

I am still having trouble with my 1989 tailgate latch, i am asurred that the early latch from our old Aircooled van should switch exactly with the late van one but i have now tried it 5+ times and i cannot get the barrel to make contact with the latch (sorry dont know how else to explain it.
anyways the long and short of it is i cannot see how the latch from the Aircooled will fit with the barrell from the late-am i doing something wrong ??is there a nack to gettin them to line up?
any help would be great

[Aidan]

Katie
they are different afaik, get a late one from Mick at VWNW, he'll have one with a key
07968367046 is his number

[BaaaadSlider]

thanks Aidan