TheSamba.com :: View topic - Volksarama "Bonneville Bus" becoming reality.

Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:44 pm

I think he's going to cover the vents w the stainless , like the drawing.

Although outie vents do look better.

Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:17 am

It's been a long while since anything has been posted on here, but I'm finally back on the B-Ville Bus. A couple months ago we put that little turbo motor in it and actually drove it around the block a few times. Basically just to make sure the trannny, brakes, fuel sys, oil sys, and elect. sys were in working order. Everything worked good, and it was awsome to finally drive the bus. But it still needed alot of stuff to get finished. The most important of course was the big motor. I finally got a heavy duty, high roof aluminum case and was able to get the short block together. Right now Chris Broswell is cutting the long cylinders down to size to finish the long block. I traded some work at the shop for a big draw through turbo set up and MDS 6AL and the turbo timing box. The turbo itself was destroyed, but the carb, intake, exhaust, and wastegate were good. So, then I started on finishing the bodywork. The cargo left cargo door was rusted through, so I put the Gerson peice in that was donated by Ronnie from Bustoration and got the cargo doors done. Then the front doors needed some luvin, so I spread a little filler and then capped off the top of the doors and welded the seam to give it a really smoothe look. Then I turned my attention to the front end. The Wagen had donated the labor to replace the front clip last year. The problem was, the clip didn't actually fit the bus correctly. Pigpen tried to get it right, but there was only so much that could be done with it. Plus, I thought shaving the virticle seam would look more streamline and rerduce a little drag. So Josh came over and started welding the seams, which was pretty simple on the drivers side, but a pain in the ass on the pass. side because the clip was actually too narrow for the bus. Anyway, after a shitload of cutting, welding, grinding, welding, grinding, welding, grinding, etc. it finally turned out pretty nice. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. I do plan on running this thing at Bonneville in September. Keep checking back. Later, D

Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:29 pm

it´s nice to see some progress on that thing!! 8)

Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:04 pm

hahaha, salt flat rims always help on the least aerodynamic vehicle :lol: but seriously, that is cool. I donno about the lettering on the side though "Brat Box" a little to devily for me (and the iron cross on the back) but otherwise awesome! oh and chop the top :lol:

Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:27 pm

Yea the logos and cross and stuff were drawn up over 10 years ago by Chris and was just a fun drawing. That space will be set aside for a big sponsor to throw their name and logo on. We'll see. D

Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:28 pm

johnny d wrote: it´s nice to see some progress on that thing!! 8)

Thanks man. You and me both.

Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:46 pm

cant wait keep up the good work

Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:53 pm

Man thats a good idea... a bus running at the salt flats... Thats an awsome idea... who came up with that? :lol:

Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:35 pm

I can't remember, since I haven't seen the guy in quite a while.

Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:16 am

Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:26 am

boxrod wrote: I can't remember, since I haven't seen the guy in quite a while. I bet who ever the fool is, he can pop and lock,,,,

Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:25 pm

Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:01 pm

This might just make me schedule a trip out to the salt flats to see it run.

Keep up the great work, and dont forget, you need to reserve a spot for one of these:

Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:31 pm

freednighthawk wrote: This might just make me schedule a trip out to the salt flats to see it run.

Keep up the great work, and dont forget, you need to reserve a spot for one of these:

how do you lower windows that slide backward? :?: :?

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:59 am

Good to see the upright reinforcing tube welded inside the nose. I could see the nose imploding if it didn't happen to be there :shock: I'm sure you already know this, but the VW Bus is often cited in aeronautical engineering textbooks as being the passenger vehicle with the worst possible coefficient of drag.

Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:16 am

Volksrama still selling t shirts? I need to buy some more rags

Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:40 pm

There is only one production car in the world that is worse than a bus for airodynamics.... it a Lambroghini Countach.
The airodynamics are made to push it down at high speed and slow it down in the prosess.
:D
:shock: It wont slow him down that much till it gets over 150 mph. :shock:

Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:45 pm

vw7266 wrote: i know its barndoor "themed" but i would have liked to have seen a truck rear window rather than a regualar rectangular rear window installed

truck window and bahndoh window are the same except for the logos.

Sat Jul 25, 2009 8:34 pm

Hell I will run names on my 65 bug.
Send all your Donations to me and I want the expensive stuff too!

Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:09 pm

Alright boys and girls, the Bonne Bus is alive. He's the link to the youtube videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Volksarama#play/all/uploads-all/0/ZHj9fBF4giQ