TheSamba.com :: View topic - Engine bay sub-hatch

Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:21 pm

So, I finally decided to remove the rear mattress from my newly acquired 1967 bus. When I purchased it there was tons of stuff on top so I never really thought of checking under the mattress. The attached pictures is what I found.

:evil:

I will have to check the galleries to see if anyone else here is the owner of such a hack.

So, another fix one day. Looks like they cut the rectangular piece from the top and then rivet some sheet metal over it so it kind of sits in place.

Trying to wonder why, why oh why. hehehe

Anyway, any tips or ideas on my options to go back. Should I un-rivet the old piece of metal and have someone weld into place?

The bummer part is it looks like they sawed off the bracket piece that would allow me to bolt the stock air-cleaner in place. I did a quick search in the gallery but could not find a good picture of what that bracket would look like. I already have the used air cleaner now with proper air cleaner bracket but I wonder if I should find a donor metal that has the metal bracket on it and weld that in instead. So, if anyone has a nice close-up picture of what the missing tab or bracket supposed to be on the engine bay ceiling so I can decide what is best.

Anyone else have some engine sub-hatches that want to show off. :wink:

tj

Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:23 pm

Pyro in 3.2.1...

Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:04 pm

I did find this picture. A little fuzzy but looks like a simple L shaped bracket that was welded to the engine area so the air-cleaner could bolt to it.
Ah the fun of being new to all this stuff and learning as I go.

tj

Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:14 pm

Your not the first person to end up with a bus with this condition :(

There are a number of OG repair panels in the classifieds attesting to the frequency of this particular hack job. It was done to make doing routine maintenance easier. Late bays and vanagons have them as a stock modification so the idea isn't even very original.

Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:21 pm

tasb wrote: Your not the first person to end up with a bus with this condition :(

There are a number of OG repair panels in the classifieds attesting to the frequency of this particular hack job. It was done to make doing routine maintenance easier. Late bays and vanagons have them as a stock modification so the idea isn't even very original.

I have owned a Vanagon so know about those. It is actually kind of nice being able to reach the top of the engine but....

I will check out the classifieds for repair panels as you mention. I have been doing some searching here but I guess I have not come up with the right keywords. My brain is fried from a long hot day of work.

Any suggestions for keyword to use in classifieds for these repair panels. I have tried "engine panel" and "repair panel".

tj

*I wonder if also some did this as they had some dual carb setup and hacked it for the room??

Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:00 pm

Finally figured out some keywords to find what I was looking for. Only took me an hour. :lol:

So, found this below in classifieds.

Tell me, what is an easier more straight-forward fix. To replace this whole section as sold by this seller, or can a good welder, just take the middle section that was cut from mine, take the doner and cut the same size, and then weld into place?

The PO on mine looks to have cut right in the middle of all the support bars so wonder if just that piece could be put back. Either using my existing piece or a new one with proper L bracket in place for the air cleaner.

Thanks for any guidance.

tj
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=542449

Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:14 pm

crofty wrote: Pyro in 3.2.1...

Now I see why you mentioned Pyro...

After finding my keyword I needed, "luggage", I saw his post of a picture of a bay/vanagon style engine cover.

Is that his bus and is it a split bus, or a bay or something?

I will continue my searching.

tj

Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:59 pm

You did not even know it was there, so just put the foam back on top of it, its not doing any harm

Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:40 am

Been thinking about this sort of thing myself. What about a removable door on the bulkhead under the gas tank? It would provide a way to get to the clutch adjuster, engine bolts and starter...I think. The door would be removed from the inside just above the floor.

Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:03 pm

The T3 engine access hatch is friggin' huge compared to the bay or Vanagon hatches. Not mine, from gallery:

Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:22 pm

crofty wrote: Pyro in 3.2.1...

:lol:

Don't you know me, Homie! 8)

Already pm'd amish about it. Wait 'til you see the graft, oh, alright, the HACK of a vanAgone hatch I'll be doing next! :twisted:

T3's are the best but the only one I found at the time was all mangled to shit, so I decided to pick up the wedgie one instead! :P

Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:35 am

Hi y'all, I know I’m about to piss some purist off, but I like he idea of the T3 or bay window hatch on the top. Even a hatch behind the seat to get to the starter and clutch. As long as it's done with quality fitment with no leaks and no one can see it then it should be ok. When I buy my bus I’m buying it for me, not just to resell. It’ll be more valuable and easier to work on to me, that’s what counts. The carpet will cover the hatches anyway. So go ahead and light me up. It’s all good.

Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:05 am

I wouldnt do it to my bus, but if it had it, im not sure I would fix it. It will save you time one day.

Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:10 am

Question is...which is more useful a top hatch or a hatch on the forward bulkhead below the gas tank?

Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:20 am

P-Dub wrote: The T3 engine access hatch is friggin' huge compared to the bay or Vanagon hatches. Not mine, from gallery:

nope. the type 3 is smaller than the vanagone hatch. pyro has bay hatch in his dormy and now has a van-a-gone one to replace it. i installed a 67 type 3 hatch in Joe Slack's 62 Riviera.... without measuring the type3 and the van-a-gone hatch,i would guess van-a-gone is 8" wider than type3 and it is a few inches longer front to back also.

Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:29 am

33 Willys wrote: Question is...which is more useful a top hatch or a hatch on the forward bulkhead below the gas tank?

Even me, as card carrying member #69 of Hackasaurus Synonimous Local 13, cannot see the use or practicality of an access opening on the "floor" below the gas tank!?! :?

Buses are very accessible to the starter and clutch adjustment from under them. Even then, this "access" opening would end up being at the nose cone which it's quite a ways away from both the starter and clutch adjustment. Not to mention that it'd also be under the seat and in a camper, under all the crap that's stored in the seat. :roll:

Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:31 pm

Although I kind of like Pyros bay engine cover setup, not sure I will go that direction. It is something I have time to do over the future so I will eventually decide.

The current metal piece that was cut out of mine is still with me. The PO attached some extra sheet metal to it and pop riveted it on. So, I have the exact size metal piece that was removed, with some extra rivet holes of course.

So, my question, would it be easier for me to just remove the extra sheet metal from this removable top I have now and (when I learn to weld) weld it back into place, fill the rivet holes, and bring in the body bondo to level things out? I also would need to buy a air cleaner bracket and remove the bad one from my sheet metal and weld the new one on also.

Or is doing something like this a royal PITA for even a pro welder with all the grooves the sheet metal has.

Last time I welded was 1983 in auto-shop class so I would need to re-learn the whole metal thing, which over time can be done.

Just curious what you all would do if this was in your bus.

Thanks

tj

Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:22 pm

I would fix it. With some careful fitting, a donor part will go right in. The paint prep would be a bitch though, even doing it on the top only and hiding the seams on the inside.