TheSamba.com :: View topic - Pops bought me a project! Advice and knowledge welcome!

Mon Feb 03, 2014 11:57 am

So,

My dad bought me this splitty last year after someone smashed my westy (Thanks dad! Love Ya!). Just got it pulled up to the shop yesterday and got the junk out of it. There's some misc. parts worth selling or bartering so feel free to ask.

I'm diligently researching my idea's here before I ask, so I'll do my best not to start a re-post of something else along the way. I'll also do my best to document everything as I do appreciate those folks that I've seen do the same.

As for my ideas of what I want out of this go, I'm thinking about making this into a daily driver with some slight off road capability in case the dead rise. I like the added height from the bigger tires and think I'll leave the rear fenders cut out, but finishing them somehow. Add a full landrover style rack to the top with ladder. modified front bumper with a winch. I also like the idea of preparing for the future and making a hybrid out of this. Don't want to go straight EV, but would like to add a genset so I'm ready to go when someone figures out free energy.

So, aside from the usual questions I might have along the way, If anybody has any info to point me to on upgraded suspension, and EV technology, I thank you in advance. For right now, I guess I better learn how to weld and use body hammers!

Time to get to work! This should be fun!

Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:15 pm

Nice! I see some good money in spare parts there.

Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:31 pm

Your PMs will blow up here shortly. Research your prices before selling.

Those gates look pretty nice.

Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:33 pm

Keep that rear seat and any seat parts for your restoration (hard to find and expensive nowadays), and keep the best set of correct doors, handles, latch mechanisms. Otherwise do your research and see what the rest of your "for sale" parts are going for in the classifieds so you'll know how to price your extra goodies to raise money for your restoration. Do your research before thinking of taking the first low-ball offers...

Welcome to the Split-Bus world!

Bill

Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:37 pm

Yes the gates are worth some good $$, Most people will want the tail gate since it works on a Doublecab and singlecab, sell them as a set if you can. The treasure chest doors are godd $$ too.

Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:38 pm

Thanks for the advice guys! Now I don't have to ask THAT question as I'm already getting PM's that make me wonder......

Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:02 pm

helixhomegrown wrote:

Post a picture showing the sticker on the rear window! 8)

Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:13 pm

pyrOman wrote: helixhomegrown wrote:

Post a picture showing the sticker on the rear window! 8)

Pyro,

That looks like an old SOTO sticker...

There is a VW in the center of it.

Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:50 pm

very nice 8)

Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:53 pm

Here's some more pics from today. And a pic of the sticker for you Pyro.
Found another seat. And a lot of rust.

Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:05 am

that bonnet isn't going to fit :wink:

Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:48 am

wada ya mean? the rear window hatch? it fits the hole and what's left of the hardware matches, and the paint. It does make me wonder why it looks so good and the window is so big though.

Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:51 am

I'm going to bed. been researching for hours. If anyone wants to give me any pointers on removing the cargo floor before I get up and start hacking at it that'd be great. Also, I'm not sure if I should try to salvage any of it or not but the center of the floor is about all that may be good. plus there's supports in the corners rotting out.

Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:15 pm

zimblewinder wrote: that bonnet isn't going to fit :wink:

oh, duh! that baja hood! lol!

Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:31 pm

bustedwesty wrote: I'm going to bed. been researching for hours. If anyone wants to give me any pointers on removing the cargo floor before I get up and start hacking at it that'd be great. Also, I'm not sure if I should try to salvage any of it or not but the center of the floor is about all that may be good. plus there's supports in the corners rotting out.
Don't go cutting anything out till you get the new bits to go in.

Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:36 pm

from the couple pics you posted, that cargo floor looks very savable.

i would post pics of the whole floor before you get out the sawzall.

Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:55 pm

uhg... too late.

I'm bored and broke at the moment so I'm trying to get all the prep work i can out of the way.

The floor was a catch 22. We just kept finding holes, and fixes to be made so we just cut it out. I didn't want to, but I didn't want to keep finding things down the road, or after its built. I think it's going to be as much work either way, but hey, I'm working in a heated shop so I'm not too scared of it all right now!

Has anybody used diamond plate instead of the stock floor?

and

And does someone out there have dims or dwgs of the floor pans? I was thinking about some cross-braked aluminum diamond plate...

Wed Feb 05, 2014 2:42 am

if it was me id stick a good quality replacement floor in instead of botching a ali floor in
looks a great base tho

Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:24 am

bustedwesty wrote: And does someone out there have dims or dwgs of the floor pans? I was thinking about some cross-braked aluminum diamond plate...

Either aluminum or steel, I'm sure it'll be quite costly! Might as well get what belongs there, funky green preferable. 8)

Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:34 am

INHO some time spent going through past samba posts should give you some appreciation of trying to preserve buses, especially ones in decent condition. Time and money well spent. Down the road I am sure you won't regret the decision. Years ago when VW's were on every street corner and CHEAP it was a different story for lots of us but times have changed. Look at the prices that these are bringing, and what a decent bus brings verses a hack job. Alot of bus people spend alot of time fixing what others thought was cool. In the end it is your bus and should be what you want not what I want. A little time thinking about it will be time well spent. Good luck with the project and enjoy the time spent working on it.