TheSamba.com :: View topic - Late Bay chasis into an Early Bay? Possible?

Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:23 pm

Hi there,

First I want to say that I am new to both the samba and to air cooled VWs. I have always loved the VW bus and just discovered that my wife also shares my sentiment. That said, about a month ago I purchased a 68 bus and am very excited about fixing it upfor our family to use. When I got it home I really started digging into it and found some serious rust issues with the rear torsion housing and the typical other places, battery tray, rockers etc. After I found this I started looking for a 68 torsion housing and the sheet metal I need to fix the issues and found a 74 for $200. I went and picked it up hoping I could get my money's worth in parts for the 68. I discovered that there are some differences between the 68-73 and the 74-79 Bays. My question is can I use the chasis from the 74 for the 68 or do I need to cut out what I need and weld it onto the frame of the 68 such as the torsion housing? what are my options here? Also can I use the transmission that came with the 74?

There are a lot of great usable parts on the 74 which will work on the 68 much of the interior, sheet metal, etc is in good shape so it is not a total loss.

I live in Hayward Ca, (SF Bay Area) so if anyone is close I am looking for drop spindles and either a narrowed beam or help with narrowing one of the beams I have. I have several extra parts including a complete 71 front end, wheel to wheel, I bought this so I could use it on the 68 for the disk brakes. I would be willing to trade any of the extra parts I have that I do not need.

Thanks in advance for any advice and help.

Best Regards,
Jeff

Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:54 pm

I would just cut out the parts you need for the 68 from the 74, and narrow the 71 beam 4 inches and buy some adaptors to wide five from wagenswest.

Actually, buy everything from Nate(wagenswest.com). he's got great products and good prices, I bought the beefy adjusters from him and they are badass. Kepp the 68, they're better looking than the 73-79s.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:55 pm

59eurobug wrote: Kepp the 68, they're better looking than the 73-79s.

i think to some those be fighting words.......ppssstt i agree

Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:28 pm

Welcome Jeff, we demand pictures as mere words rarely amuse us :P

I'm not sure what you mean be swapping the chassis as that's the first part the rest of the bus is built around and removing it is an enormous job. Add to that the frame rails are spaced wider a little aft of the torsion tube on any 72+ bus, gonna be a biotch to fit into the 68. You could use the torsion tube and some of the frame on each side of it to repair the 68, the transmission mount is a little different but if you go with the 74 trans (which you can with minor mods) it won't be a problem.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:59 pm

Thanks for the info so far. So it sounds like my best bet is to cut out the
cancerous torsion housing and a little more of the frame for good measure
and graft in the one from the 74, modify and use the 74 tranny, use the front end of the 71? Is this right? I can use the outriggers and some of the sheet metal from the 74 but it looks like the fenders and doglegs will need to come from an early bay so I e
will be looking for those soon. Is the 71 front end better than the 74? If so why? Can I use the "Y" bracing from the 74 front end for added safety? I guess it won't matter much if I intend to lower it?

I will post photos of both buses in the next hour.

Thanks all for the help so far, if anyone else has any additional advice please jump in!

Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:55 pm

keep in mind when doing your beam that 68 69 beams only fit 68 69 - 70 and up are different. there are manufactures that make them with both patterns but the 74 beam will not go in your 68

Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:04 pm

It's starting to sound like you may be better off building the 74 if the 68 is that crusty.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:57 pm

busdaddy wrote: It's starting to sound like you may be better off building the 74 if the 68 is that crusty.

Thats what I was thinking but I only have a good running 1600 single port motor from the 68 and the 74 motor is in pieces. Maybe I should part out the 68 and get what I can to build the 74? any thoughts? I do like the 68 looks much better but it might be too much work. Will post photos soon.

Jeff

Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:58 pm

mjenner wrote: keep in mind when doing your beam that 68 69 beams only fit 68 69 - 70 and up are different. there are manufactures that make them with both patterns but the 74 beam will not go in your 68

What about the 71 beam with the disk brakes, i was under the impression that it was a bolt in replacement for the 68 beam. Is this incorrect?

Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:02 pm

jwintor wrote:
What about the 71 beam with the disk brakes, i was under the impression that it was a bolt in replacement for the 68 beam. Is this incorrect?

incorrect yes, buy the side plates with both patterns so you can bolt it right onto the 68.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:55 pm

Here are photos of the two Bays I have to work with, a 68 which has a good...well running motor and a 74 which has no motor and no dash. As you can see the 68 is very crusty and needs a lot of work to keep it alive. I know it can be done and i have the perfect donor to pull the peices from with the exception of the dog legs, nose and fenders everything else should fit or will fit with some minor adjustments. I want to end up with a bay bus that has been lowered and can be a dependable daily driver or at least a weekend driver for now and I will work on the daily driver part as I can. So, where to start? Which one to fix and how to go about it? The 68 is cursty and needs the rear torsion housing replaced among other things, but it runs and is registered until next year. The 74 is not crusty and only has mild surface rust and a couple of dents that can be easily fixed, a cracked windshield, a missing dashboard and is not registered and I have no paper work on. Lets here your opinions. Personally I like the 68 styling better and think it is a better looking bus, or could be when it is complete.

[img]<table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jwintor/MyBayBuses?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VK0Da68MZjc/SvIgsPWgweE/AAAAAAAACZw/QReGlYC_Kb8/s160-c/MyBayBuses.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jwintor/MyBayBuses?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">My Bay Buses</a></td></tr></table>[img][/img]

Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:18 pm

http://picasaweb.google.com/jwintor/MyBayBuses?feat=embedwebsite#

Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:52 pm

I dunno, that 68 looks nice for around here but you live in solid bus territory so for those parts it is rotten. The 74 appears fairly good and is likely to be far easier and faster to get on the road. You don't want the wife changing her mind after 2 years of welding and it's still in the driveway dead.

Considered a type 1 conversion done properly?

Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:02 pm

IMO that's too much work for me, I'm out...... :wink:

What was that reality show about business owners wanting to sell part of their business to pros....? Sucks getting old....

Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:38 pm

busdaddy wrote:

I dunno, that 68 looks nice for around here but you live in solid bus territory so for those parts it is rotten. The 74 appears fairly good and is likely to be far easier and faster to get on the road. You don't want the wife changing her mind after 2 years of welding and it's still in the driveway dead.

Considered a type 1 conversion done properly?

Thanks for posting the pics Properly! My first try as a newb, I will get it right next time. Yes, I have been thinking more and more about the type 1 conversion. It looks like that might be the best way to go.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:22 pm

Do the 68. That's my favorite color scheme for an early bay.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:46 am

that's a no brainer.... If you have a title for the 74 just build that. Why cut up a superior bus to spend countless hours welding that turd together. You'll save yourself @200 hrs labor by just going with the other bus. Your 68 doesn't even have a straight nose. Good luck on this.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:52 am

chazz79 wrote: that's a no brainer.... If you have a title for the 74 just build that. Why cut up a superior bus to spend countless hours welding that turd together. You'll save yourself @200 hrs labor by just going with the other bus. Your 68 doesn't even have a straight nose. Good luck on this.

That is the direction I am leaning but there is no title and no motor for the 74 so it is going to be a littel work but not nearly as much as the 68. Thanks for all the input so far. I might just trade the 68 for a good running motor for the 74 and be done with it.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:03 am

Did you say you have a type 4 engine for the '74, but it's in pieces?
How many pieces?
Do you have all of the pieces?
If so, make it run.
If not, what's missing?

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:08 am

Patrick199 wrote: Did you say you have a type 4 engine for the '74, but it's in pieces?
How many pieces?
Do you have all of the pieces?
If so, make it run.
If not, what's missing?

It looks like the 74 motor is all there with the exception of the intake and the fuel injection system. I would need to either get teh fuel injection or carbs. Which do you recomend? If carbs, do you recomend single or dual?

Thanks,