TheSamba.com :: View topic - Modernizing Sunny, our 1986 Wolfsburg Edition (~weekender)

Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:16 am

Hello! I've been lurking for a nine months. The following post is brain dump, confessional, and solicitation for advice.

Personal non-vanagon section - <skip ahead for Westy stuff...> We used to tow a lightweight caravan behind our '06 Odyssey.

The rig pulled @ 16mpg @ 70mph. It was a great towing combo, kind o' like a mini-airstream.

We loved touring with our Tada, but despite having a full galley & head it only slept 3. We ended up becoming a family of four ~ the Tada lasted a single season once we needed four full berths. We managed to sell it for what we paid thanks to scarcity, so no big tears when our shiny blue camper drove off into the sunset. Good lessons learned, many campsites visited, three round trips from CT to Fort Wilderness, two summers touring points from Cape Cod to Niagara Falls. My family had a '69 bus when I was a kid. Dad sold it in '76. My secret fantasy car had always been the white '87 syncro westy viewed at an autoshow when I was 17. My wife drove a '69 bug during high school. (It burst into flames and died a dramatic death before she started college. NB - I have already started changing Sunny's fuel lines). We also had two manual Passats before rolling in our Odyssey Touring, dubbed alternately "the battle wagon" or "the world's fastest family room" by friends and family. Our Oddy sports an air suspension, factory 110 inverter, video server, custom hitch, prodigy brake controller. It sleeps 2, sports run-flats and gets 28mpg highway thanks to cylinder deactivation. But it ain't a real camper.

Back to Westy stuff:

Acquaintances offered to sell us their Eurovan full camper last summer. Nice ride, good shape, good deal.

We just didn't like the vibe. It only seats 4. The day we looked at the EV a guy three doors down limped his old Vanagon out to the street & stuck a torn "4 sale" in the window.

By this point I had been browsing the Samba for a few weeks but had not come out of the closet to my wife re: Vanagon lust. We both looked at the poptop/moneypit down the street, said nothing, and drove the two miles home. That night we both came clean - VW desires, missing our old caravan, dreams of the open road... She really wants an air cooled bus, but recognized that we need to comfortably sleep four.

Two days later I drove Sunny home for $2650. 8 months later, she is gutted to sheet metal and is waiting, patiently, for warmer weather & more love. She is nestled safely in a friend's barn. She'll turn over but won't run for more than 10 seconds before stalling out.

I guess this will be my very slow build thread.

The basics:
Completely stock 1986 Camper, Wolfsburg Edition

White, tan/brown interior
No frills at all - No power steering, no AC, no tach
Rear cabinet, side table, original (12v/110v) fridge and jump seat in great shape
186k on the body
Only ~30k on a NOS 2.1 WBX engine installed 8 years ago (paperwork from Deutschland in hand)
Newish radiator & long plastic pipes
New starter installed for sale
14" stock steel rims + creaky OEMish tires
Ancient Monroe shocks & brakes
I am owner #4, PO used as daily driver up to 6 years ago
Stored in PO's barn and evidence points to use as love nest by his teenage son and many generations of rodents over the last few seasons.

The good news:
Solid poptop, hardware, luggage rack
Interior now gutted and de-crittered
Factory-rigged for house battery, never used. PO never looked under driver's seat; he gave a "huh!" when I lifted up the battery cover

All 3 seats + full bench foam mostly intact
Doors, windows (except cracked front), sliders - all good
Minimal past "improvements" to fix
Floor in good shape, no evidence of any rear heater leaks, ever
All Wolfsburg interior plastic panels intact and solid
Remarkably sound body for a northeastern 26 year old ride
Officially a "classic" in CT, cheap to register, special plates, no longer requires ANY sort of inspection (safety, emissions - nothin'!)

Work so far

Body & stuff:
Any and all fabric removed. Mildew + critters + teenage love + UV = more than the original corduroy, canvas, curtains and rugs could take
Everything interior-ish (except dash assembly and rear cabinet) removed, tagged and bagged
All interior plastic panels restored
New skylight, new poptop seal, new window scrapers
Seats disassembled, re-upholstery in progress, galvanized sheet metal cleaned and primed
All door panels removed, aftermarket stereo and speakers deleted
Penthouse & engine cushions/covers in great shape (!); cleaned and stored
Rear door struts replaced
Grills, rear vents, mirrors removed & restored
Wood bumper deleted, 2 black metal bumpers and end caps on hand but not installed
Tent cut & deleted; screw-mount bracket strips left in place

All door and lock mechanisms repaired & functional
Scrubbed inside and out; lingering scent of rodentia eliminated

Mechanical:
Oil & filter changed
Alt belt replaced
Fuel filter replaced
Fuel lines from tank to octopus replaced w/ kit from GoWesty (waiting for warmer temps to finish fuel lines and injector seals)

Deleted prefilter between tank and fuel pump (was this a good idea?)
Cleaned fuel pump leads
Drained & rinsed 4 gallons of gas through tank, twice, while rocking van, yielding ~1/2 cup of rust chips. Mmm rust chips. I fear what's left in the tank. No obvious evidence of any tank leaks.

If you're still reading... thanks.

My goals:
Multiple stages of repair/renovation/improvement over the next few years.
Stage 1 - Have Sunny running, safe and comfortable by start of August for a series of 2-5 day trips within an easy 100 mile tow-radius of home.
Stage 2 - Have Sunny reliable & robust for long haul (2k-ish) multi-week tours next spring/summer.
Stage 3 - Transform Sunny into a torquey, confident self-reliant platform for long-term exploration and family adventure. (Keep her 2WD.)

Any and all advice, criticism, suggestions, etc. are welcome. I have thick skin, basic mechanical skills, a high tolerance for personal discomfort, and access to power tools. I have friends with welding skills. I'm good with interior work, electronics, and high voltage wiring. I also have a design-minded spouse and two daughters. Our youngest wanted a pink/purple color scheme. Our 7 year old suggested a Mystery Machine motif. We compromised on black bedliner for the lowers, a warm orange (thus, Sunny) for main body, and original white for uppers/windows/interior metal. Orange and brown redo underway for interiors; not bound by any OEM schemes.

We have a $3-5k budget for mechanicals and basics for Stage 1.

Stuff already purchased (not counting vs. the $3-5k):
Upholstery for bench, jump, driver and passenger seats. Jumpseat done, pics to follow.
(5) snazzy 17 x 7.5 Audi alloy rims + load-appropriate tires (spacers and bits from Chris need to be purchased, specs pending brake selection)

Basic bumpers in hand

Coolant in hand, flush not done
Platinum plugs waiting to go in

Short term, Stage 1 work:
Resolve rust. Tools and POR-15 in hand.
Rust holes in RF footwell/door opening.

Floor next to L bulkhead where years of rain entered slider window & wicked under insulation...

Bottom RR and LR quarter panel @ bumper mount. Likely to cut and replace tin. Ditto front bottom of RR wheel well panel
Surface rust on front and sides
Window cancer, 1" bubbles @ front, rear and RL

8" deer strike dent from under R headlight; replace broken lower grill

One rear bumper mount is sad. I think a Burley hitch may be in Sunny’s future.
Prime and prep exterior - likely have final paint shot by pros

Brakes - leaning towards a big brake / Audi all-in-one kit for front, replacing all lines. Have read many of the treads on this topic; I am willing to pay $$$ for a plug and play solution. Shoring up existing drums on rear; pretty sure I'd only get marginal benefit from a rear drum conversion. Final brake decisions delaying the Loogy order to get my new wheels mounted up. Suspect I will one day do light towing with Sunny; I am a fan over-engineering brakes.

Engine/exhaust - only has 30k on it. Really. Long term will be a modern engine; how much $$$ should go into the WBX over the next few years?

She rode home rough and underpowered @ 35mph, had a fuel leak at the pump due to old bad clamps. I am halfway through replacing fuel lines; tank to engine.

No more obvious leaks. After 2 months of not being started she will fire up for 10 seconds or so if I keep the throttle open, then stall. I'll report more when I finish fuel lines and injector seals this spring. Pipes, muffler, cat and headers are a mass of solid rust - but don't seem to be leaky. Missing the exit pipe - do I really need this to vent CO and other nasties away?

(remember, no inspections or emissions tests for Sunny, ever). Should I work to find a reputable Vanagon shop in CT, or plug through engine/tune up myself?

4-speed - loose. And... "she's a little rough from 3rd to 4th" per the PO. In my brief maiden drive home shifting was a touch vague, but no hassles going back and forth between 3 and 4. No grinding Should I just suck it up and blow a big slice of budget now for a "new" box including a (desired by me) peloquin LSD? Peace of mind, lower chance of sudden tranny death...

Electrics - I was looking at fancy/expensive inverter-chargers. After recent posts by the Nachos and other world travelers, I going 12v all the way. I have tasked an AP Physics class with designing an ideal DC system for Sunny :) The short of it - relocation of starter battery to a box in the engine bay, house batteries under both front seats, smart charger, weather tight 110 shore power in LF wheel well (Sunny was not born with any hookups), 12v+USB+A/V plugs tastefully re-purposing old ashtray locations, a single 110v outlet for when she's docked (remember, no inverter). Seat heaters fore and aft (in outboard bench positions). Low-amp iPhone-friendly head unit & basic 4+1 speaker rigging. 12v 10" monitor for the kiddies in the back w/ IR headphones + integration w/head unit. Cheap reverse camera tied to head unit. Custom 12v charging solutions for Canon camera gear and Apple MagSafe. LEDs everywhere inside and out. We may put a 2 farad capacitor in the system to support surge/draw loads from the fridge compressor and AV stack. Does anyone have any real world experience with this? It seems to work for the bass-thumping crowd; the math seems pretty similar...

Running gear - shocks (12 yr old Monroe) and springs (original) seem to be doing their respective jobs. Steering is tight and response seemed good (I'm happy Sunny lacks power steering; simple is always better to me + the big wheel is fun. Anything I should be looking for here?) What would you "preventively" fix? A splurge on poly bushings all around? I'm pretty sure everything is 26 year old rubber. I have yet to get the wheels off (waiting 'til my new wheels are ready to go on), but the rear end looks and feels solid to my untrained eye. I have not looked at the CVs.

NVH - Sunny will be receiving a liberal coating of fatmat/rattletrap/etc. once the interior metal is primed. This will include doors panels & front headliner. A layer or two of spaceshuttle bubble wrap for vertical surfaces (she won't miss the water-stained fiberglass), followed by her low voltage and 12v circulatory system. Interior panels will also get the fatmat treatment to a lesser extent to minimize buzz & try to recreate the womb-like atmosphere we love in our Ody. SewFine may have lost our upholstery bid, but they’ll have our front carpet & pad order. Existing mid-floor will be getting an epoxy based paint job before re-installation. Any other suggestions from psychoacoustic experts?

"Treatments" - old curtains being used as templates for new UV resistant cloth, reusing existing factory rods. Rear windows being pulled and tinted locally while we work on sill rust. New windshield & seal. Tent likely from Les Ateliers; 3 window. Soft panels and headliner will be finished in fabric complementing our seats.

That's it for Stage 1 goals. I have most of June and July allocated for van work. (teaching... low pay, but summers off.) I think she has good bones. All the parts we touch are looking pretty damn good already. I have what I consider a decent initial budget to play with. We're working to lay infrastructure for future projects (e.g. - I plan to pre-wire a bunch of "extra" lines for future electronics and power before I put the interior back together.) Heck, I even built a project plan with dependencies & expected costs to help keep me on path.

Sambanistas - Please help keep me honest. And well advised.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:35 am

WOW, epic 1st post..
=D>
Welcome and we're here to help \:D/

being in CT you have a few great VW shows nearby for parts/inspiration/commeraderie and TheSamba here for all that from the comfort of your own home.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:37 am

danfromsyr wrote: WOW, epic 1st post..
=D>
X2!

Welcome to the herd!

I am glad to see you have approached your van in the way you have. You have studied well I note. Reasonable goals, decent approach and realistic ideas and budget. All good. Moderator approves!

I will suggest you eventually add power steering and better climate system (AC and / or heat depending on your goals / comfort level.) Power steering is one of the best things as the wife will attest especially if trying to park. The family WILL approve of better warm and cold control.

For the second battery I urge you to get a solar system. My setup is 2 20W panels and an MPPT controller. Panels fit in the luggage rack and mine with $28 each. Charger $39. Add wires and you can do it for about $100 even.

I am curious about your video sever. I have an vanputer with a mini ITX board which is currently running Fedora but just downloaded Windows 8 beta build 8102 to try.

Thanks for sharing in such a vivid way!

Show and tell about your video server, please!

Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:41 am

I love it, I have the same year different color.

One of the features I like best is the extra battery. I had to have my wiring overhauled, but now I have a nice deep cycle with an inverter under the driver seat. I just use a power bar to connect. Keep it simple.

These are already pretty light, so they go a bit faster than full campers. Since you already have the wheels, I would go for the big brakes since your speeds will be a little higher and towing might be in your future.

Monitors and stuff... I would just buy an ipad... you can use a 1/8" stereo to your receiver for in camper sound or just slap some headphones on them. iPad goes everywhere as well... also serves as a nav/internet/samba discovery unit.

Do the little things like "The Floppy Mirror Fix" before you discover that one on the road.

I painted the base and grill on mine and I love it (black). In the process of replacing all the outside trim to help with interior noise.

I would run your engine untill you need to do something to it. Assuming all your compression is good. Mine hits 80mph easy and is comfortable. A nice upgrade would be the exhaust. I am thinking about doing this next.

YOU WILL LOVE YOUR WOLFSBURG!

Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:48 am

Oh yeah, Upgrade the headlights for sure... there is no question about it.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:26 am

danfromsyr wrote:

being in CT you have a few great VW shows nearby for parts/inspiration/commeraderie and TheSamba here for all that from the comfort of your own home.

Thanks, Dan -

I'm originally from Syracuse (+ my wife and I are both SU alums). Let me know if/when you're holding a CNY gathering - you're just a short drive away!

Regards,
Joe

Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:32 am

castlerox wrote: I love it, I have the same year different color.

Keep it simple.
Always. Well, mostly always :?

castlerox wrote: Monitors and stuff... I would just buy an ipad... you can use a 1/8" stereo to your receiver for in camper sound or just slap some headphones on them. iPad goes everywhere as well... also serves as a nav/internet/samba discovery unit.
We have an ipad, but the littles struggle over control and ownership - we've found video server + fixed monitor + headphones = hours of domestic driving bliss. And that way I get to play with the iPad.
castlerox wrote: Do the little things like "The Floppy Mirror Fix" before you discover that one on the road.

I painted the base and grill on mine and I love it (black). In the process of replacing all the outside trim to help with interior noise.

I think some non-orthodox mirrors are in my near future - if not, floppy fix will be implemented.

castlerox wrote: YOU WILL LOVE YOUR WOLFSBURG!
Yup. Thanks for the encouragement & kindred spirit-tude!

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:02 am

Super good first post!! Welcome from one Central NY native to another! I also have a wolfsburg edition from 85'.
I have a question for you. I'm planning on gutting mine as well and want to know how much of a pain the plastic panels were to take of the sidewalls? Anything you would have done differently or any tricks needed to know?
Great to have another enthusiast! 8)

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:26 am

Destructo wrote: Super good first post!! Welcome from one Central NY native to another! I also have a wolfsburg edition from 85'.
I have a question for you. I'm planning on gutting mine as well and want to know how much of a pain the plastic panels were to take of the sidewalls? Anything you would have done differently or any tricks needed to know?
Great to have another enthusiast! 8)

Destructo -

I had to remove everything, including the plywood floor, to safely get the hard plastic panels out. I will be replacing old hardware with stainless screws.

Go slow and steady. Many of the screws were rusted tight - one slip of the scewdriver can punch through the hard plastic (especially @ the trim edges). Pick your favorite plastic-friendly rust solvent to loosen 'em up.

The table is a bit tricky - there's a post or two somewhere here about carat/wolfsburg side table removal. Recommended reading.

Unexpectedly challenging part: the "safety retaining bar thingy" in front of the rear cabinet required some nerve wracking flexing of the semi-rigid plastic panel ('cause I did not want to remove the entire rear cabinet.) Look at "L" bar in middle of cabinet face below:

Post removal all panels got cleaned with soap and water, then a light ammonia solution, then plastic weld for edge cracks, then 3 coats of Krylon Fusion. (Second within an hour, 3rd coat 48hrs later.) They look better than new. And you get to pick the color...

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:39 am

Quote: Deleted prefilter between tank and fuel pump (was this a good idea?)
Cleaned fuel pump leads
Drained & rinsed 4 gallons of gas through tank, twice, while rocking van, yielding ~1/2 cup of rust chips. Mmm rust chips. I fear what's left in the tank. No obvious evidence of any tank leaks.

The prefilter you deleted will keep all the stuff you fear like rust chips from going through the pump. I think this is a good thing. The filter is 5 to 10 dollars and the pump is 100 to 200.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:53 am

*hijack, but it's your thread anyways.

well isnt' that a small world.
we have a very active VW & VW camping community here in Central Upstate NY, our June Empire VW campout is the closest to CT at Glimmerglass S.P near Cooperstown (father's day wkend)
we also have an annual Exiting winter cabin fever GTG @ Danzer's Bavarian restaurant in March (think it's sat Mar24th?PM me later 4info)

but I'm sure once you get the van a rolling you'll realize that these handy vehicles complete a Je ne Sais quois?

I'd look into adding the PS front swivel seat.. you'll need (3) pieces with the base plate to be welded in, but it REALLY opens up the interior, esp in bad weather. and it's handy too when hauling 12ft lumber from the home center completely inside the van.. which I do far too often.

unplannedbbq wrote: danfromsyr wrote:

being in CT you have a few great VW shows nearby for parts/inspiration/commeraderie and TheSamba here for all that from the comfort of your own home.

Thanks, Dan -

I'm originally from Syracuse (+ my wife and I are both SU alums). Let me know if/when you're holding a CNY gathering - you're just a short drive away!

Regards,
Joe

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:58 am

Quote: Deleted prefilter between tank and fuel pump (was this a good idea?)

Not sure that was a good idea. THat filter keeps the crap in your tank out of your expensive pump. Looking at those photos, I'd consider pulling you tank and doing the clean and reseal now as preventive maintenance. It's almost a given that the crossover lines leak after 20yrs.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:02 pm

buildyourown wrote: Quote: Deleted prefilter between tank and fuel pump (was this a good idea?)

Not sure that was a good idea. THat filter keeps the crap in your tank out of your expensive pump. Looking at those photos, I'd consider pulling you tank and doing the clean and reseal now as preventive maintenance. It's almost a given that the crossover lines leak after 20yrs.

So... new tank, new seal kit, and new prefilter? (added bonus - it would be kind of comforting to weld without the fuel tank installed.)

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:49 pm

Great post! I too have a Weekender. My favorite upgrades to date are: Headlight and hot start relays from thatvwbusguy, Bosch H4 motorcycle headlights, Redline MT-90 tranny fluid. Oh, and the Westrailia I made to serve as a towable portable kitchen (just search my posts for more info). I also rewired my interior lights, radio and cig lighter to run off the aux battery, that was pretty easy to do.

One question for you. Could you point me in a direction of detailed instructions for removing the interior panel with the folding table on it? I can seem to find that and I need to tackle the seam rust issue this year. Thanks and keep us posted on your progress!!

Chris

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:58 pm

[quote="unplannedbbq"] buildyourown wrote: So... new tank, new seal kit, and new prefilter? (added bonus - it would be kind of comforting to weld without the fuel tank installed.)

I would evaluate the tank after you pull it and make the call then.
The lines/seals are cheap, but often leak causing a fuel smell or overflow on fill up. I'm just basing this on overall condition of the van's underside. If I you are pulling that much apart, you might as well take care of it now rather than later. Again, it's cheap if you're doing the labor.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:52 pm

Hey Joe,
i noticed you mentioned rodents had gotten into the van while it was in storage. We had an awful infestation in our '83 camper while it was being stored. We've also had issues with mice getting into our house. I highly recommend you throw some pouches of this stuff called 'Fresh Cab' into the van. It's really been working great here at the house. Our cat seems deeply depressed that he hasn't had mice to play with lately. Since we started using it he's gone from presenting a mouse every second or third day to one every two or three weeks.
Can't wait for updates on your Weekender. We just bought an '85 Weekender two weeks ago. It's in having the Bostig conversion transplanted from the '83 right now.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:34 pm

unibagel wrote: Great post! I too have a Weekender. My favorite upgrades to date are: Headlight and hot start relays from thatvwbusguy, Bosch H4 motorcycle headlights, Redline MT-90 tranny fluid. Oh, and the Westrailia I made to serve as a towable portable kitchen (just search my posts for more info). I also rewired my interior lights, radio and cig lighter to run off the aux battery, that was pretty easy to do.

One question for you. Could you point me in a direction of detailed instructions for removing the interior panel with the folding table on it? I can seem to find that and I need to tackle the seam rust issue this year. Thanks and keep us posted on your progress!!

Chris
Chris -
For the life of me, I can no longer find the panel/table removal thread.
I just went step by step to dismantle the interior. It was slow work. I bagged all the screws & noted source/location. Big stuff first - fridge, jumpseat, then bench. Door guard. Floor screws. At that point the wall panel screws are all exposed.
Bag respective wall screws in separate bags.
Leave long wall for last.
Take the table & extension leg support off.
Unscrew perimeter screws (rust was worst here...)
At this point the only thing "securing" the side panel will be the L iron mounted to the bulkhead in front of the rear cabinet.
To do it right, you'd probably want to remove the whole cabinet.
I did not do it right.
I torqued the rigid side panel to gingerly bend it off of the L iron. It came off from behind the cabinet with a "pop" that made me nervous.
I will be taking the cabinet out for restoration prior to reinstalling the side panel.
Hope this helps!
-Joe

Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:47 pm

r39o wrote: danfromsyr wrote: WOW, epic 1st post..
=D>
X2!

Welcome to the herd!

I am glad to see you have approached your van in the way you have. You have studied well I note. Reasonable goals, decent approach and realistic ideas and budget. All good. Moderator approves!

I will suggest you eventually add power steering and better climate system (AC and / or heat depending on your goals / comfort level.) Power steering is one of the best things as the wife will attest especially if trying to park. The family WILL approve of better warm and cold control.

For the second battery I urge you to get a solar system. My setup is 2 20W panels and an MPPT controller. Panels fit in the luggage rack and mine with $28 each. Charger $39. Add wires and you can do it for about $100 even.

I am curious about your video sever. I have an vanputer with a mini ITX board which is currently running Fedora but just downloaded Windows 8 beta build 8102 to try.

Thanks for sharing in such a vivid way!

Show and tell about your video server, please!
r39o-

I will be prewiring for solar, but am not planning panels for Phase 1.

With 2 kids we rarely boondock for more than 1 night... a smart charger is in our future. I have given an AP Physics class a real-world problem - satisfy my family camping electrical requirements. They need to optimize my financial and amp consumption budgets :)

Video server - I've played with a MacMini on 12v, and a 1st gen AppleTV w/ 120GB drive in our Odyssey. We finally settled on "big" iPods + a composite video cable. I have "old" 80GB and 120GB models, small one for us, big one for the kids, yielding more than 400 hours of video & lots of tunes. I'll be wiring USB, iPod, HDMI and composite inputs into the old ash trays. Ipad and iPhones will work of the head unit, rear monitor will take ashtray inputs or head input. Head unit will take idevice inputs + rear camera input. It is shocking how relatively inexpensive this stuff has become in the last few years. I will post wiring and AV setup later this spring when it is in.

-Joe

Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:01 pm

Upholstery and plastics:

Sunny's interior looked like this:

We sourced some groovy fabric @ Crate and Barrel - exterior upholstry poly.

I am a fan of bartering. I bake and cook. I know a Polish seamstress. I have been supplying her with black bread, she is performing magic with needles and thread.

We reused original vinyls - still in good shape after 26 years. New batting, a touch of new foam here and there. Old foam steam cleaned.

NB - The remaining cushions will have this fabric in the "center" of the seats and backs with a mellow dark brown for bolsters, trim and armrests. We recognize that too much of a good thing can be not so good.

I am kicking around purchasing a late-model carat bench back (to get the headrests). Wadda ya think?

Mock-up of jumpseat:

(galvanized frame is primed & sitting in a paint shop.)

Closeup of seat:

Fabric and stitching:

Rear of riser:

Staples, glue, original plywood.

Front of bench:

Bench panel in front, rear of side panel (unpainted) behind.

All plastic got cleaned with soap+water, then a weak amonia solution, the 3 shots of Krylon Fusion, color Espresso Satin (NOT GLOSS). I had to special order the paint from my local True Value.

I am very happy with results and progress.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:31 pm

unplannedbbq wrote: I am kicking around purchasing a late-model carat bench back (to get the headrests). Wadda ya think?.
I have that seat and NEVER use the head rests.....

You have to take them out to make the bed, the clips break, and I don't like seeing them in my rear view mirror.

So they are OUT....