TheSamba.com :: View topic - job Pricing Help

Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:10 am

I have a 74 bus that is in o.k. condition, but the sliding door channel in the bottom has rust and the door will fall off if you don't hold it up when you open and close it.

The repair is beyond my skills, but I don't want to get ripped off.

Does anyone have a good ballpark estimate of what the repair (parts and labor) should cost?

Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:16 am

Seeing you need that piece, plus outter rockers, and whatever may rear its ugly head when you open it, I am going to say 1~1300.00 to do it. Its a lot of work and has to be done right otherwise your door will never, ever be correct

Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:29 am

If skills said it, I'd trust it!

Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:26 pm

Sounds like it's all sheet metal repair which I can't speak to. Now if it were mechanical I could.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 2:20 pm

The door falls off, but are you sure thats exclusively due to the lowet track and not the nylon guide bushing on the hinge? Might be able to buy a lot of time with an inexpensive part.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:32 pm

thanks for the replies.

unfortunately, i can see the hole in the bottom channel so I wont be so lucky as a nylon piece.

also would this be a body shop thing or an old vw mechanic thing?

Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:37 pm

Actually the weight of the door rides on the nylon block I believe.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:55 pm

The lower roller supports the front 1/2 of the door on the lower track, in places other than California that track often rusts and if the roller dips more than 10mm it comes out of the lower or upper guide and the door departs the bus, both upper and lower guide tracks rely on the door staying up in them.
The nylon block on the rear track steers the rear roller along the rear track as it's able to pivot due to the swinging hinge.

If there's a just hole or groove in the track I have seen a second skin glued to the area the roller rides on successfully. If the lower rocker is crusty too you'll have to replace the whole deal, that's a body shop rust repair job. Count on 8-10 hours minimum with someone who has done one before, even more if they have never dug into the lower areas of a bus. Also don't be suprised if the job grows because if it's rusty there it'll also have rot deeper in and the rocker/door track is the last thing to go on.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:01 pm

aeromech wrote: Actually the weight of the door rides on the nylon block I believe.

The rear of the door rides on the nylon block. The front of the door rides on the track.

I did the sliding door track/outer rocker/inner rocker on a friends '77 Riviera... what a pain in the ass that was. The Klokkerholm lower track assembly needed to came apart and be re-welded together correctly in order for it work and lots of other fiddly fuckin with it to get it to fit and the door to work properly. For a welder, it's definitely a job you want to charge by the hour and not the job.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:04 pm

Not sure, but if I am lucky enough to to have the second skin option, what is that usually made of?

And yes there is rust along the undersides as well. where the body meets the floor. (winter salt is not our friend)

Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:20 pm

Please post a few pics. It would make it easier to grasp the situation.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:53 pm

Dark now. Will try to add pics tomorrow.

Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:06 pm

Joey wrote: aeromech wrote: Actually the weight of the door rides on the nylon block I believe.

The rear of the door rides on the nylon block. The front of the door rides on the track.

I did the sliding door track/outer rocker/inner rocker on a friends '77 Riviera... what a pain in the ass that was. The Klokkerholm lower track assembly needed to came apart and be re-welded together correctly in order for it work and lots of other fiddly fuckin with it to get it to fit and the door to work properly. For a welder, it's definitely a job you want to charge by the hour and not the job.

The rear of the doors weight is on the roller bearing. The plastic guide is just that...a guide.

Tue Sep 16, 2014 4:00 pm

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1257365.jpg

OK so I don't know how to post pics, but the others are in the gallery. As you can see it's pretty bad.

Tue Sep 16, 2014 4:20 pm

When you view the pic in your gallery there will be a "forum code" box at the upper right, copy that and past it here.

Now that we have that out of the way that doesn't look good, expect to replace the inner and outer rocker as well as the door track, once the interior is out you'll likely discover the outer few inches of the cargo floor is also rotten. The front of the cargo floor will also have issues where it meets the wheel well and the jack points and outriggers will also need work, rev up your wallet.
If you've ever dreamed of being handy now's your chance, find a little MIG welder and a grinder and get at it!

Here's a thread that includes a similar repair with lots of photos and descriptions for a little inspiration: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=591434

Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:55 pm

well, that's about what I expected.

whoever does it, better bring their A game. it is not a panel that is forgiving if welded poorly.

I have a NOS panel, and if I remember correctly, it runs the whole length of the bus, from wheel well to wheel well.

that piece (again iirc) doesn't have the middle rocker, as it is part of the track itself.

at minimum, you will need the track, an inner rocker, both outer rockers and possible jack points.

you will need to get into the wheel well closing panels too.

the NOS rocker I have, if you look at is closely, where the lower roller rides actually has a slight valley in it. it's not just a flat piece of steel.

I can dig it up and get you a photo if you want to know what it looks like

Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:10 pm

Who is good for replacement panels? I see bus depot seems to have them in stock.

Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:29 am

sewrig01 wrote: Who is good for replacement panels? I see bus depot seems to have them in stock.

You are best to get one cut off a clean wreck. Check the classifieds. To say most of the aftermarket panels for this location suck, is being nice.

Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:07 pm

I had a gerson panel. it was a pretty nice piece.

Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:46 am

ToolBox wrote: sewrig01 wrote: Who is good for replacement panels? I see bus depot seems to have them in stock.

You are best to get one cut off a clean wreck. Check the classifieds. To say most of the aftermarket panels for this location suck, is being nice.

Would you just cut off the whole thing? ( inner rocker, outer rocker and sliding track) and weld it in as an assembly?

Also, does anyone know of somewhere to get such body parts in Kentucky( Louisville)?