VW split corners vs. Bay vents

[webwalker]

Y'all,

I've seen some Brazilian and South African bays that continued to use the closed top rear corners of the split window far into the bay window era.

Like so:

Here's my critical question: Is the body shape of the rear of a bay THAT closely matched to a split window? Is it possible (I didn't say desirable) to graft the closed top corners of a split onto a bay and only have to worry about the quality of your welds, rather than the shape of the panel being inserted?

M
_________________
"Consistent maintenance with quality products is the cheapest warranty you'll ever need."
1977 CE1 Transporter Deluxe, Subaru EJ22, Skills Cooling, Steedle HD 091 w/ GuardT .82 4th
Click to view image

[TinCanFab]

The Brazilian ans South African busses were using the tooling left over to them from Germany during the bay window era. There's lots of versions of these busses. They are basically an authentic split window and bay hybrid. They can't be compared to anything that came out of Germany for American and Euro markets.

The bus pictured is actually more like a 55-63 rear with a bay front. But the tailight sections are unique too......and the vents themselves are 64-67 style. There is a lot going on with these busses. Some of them even have the 50-55 style cargo doors. These were factories making the best out of what they had.

Here'e the other issue- on a split, MOST busses engine cooling comes from the low set of vents. IF it has a set of high vents too, that is because it was originally a panel model. The vents were just for the cargo area, in case you were hauling paint/chemicals, etc.

This bus you have pictured is structurally different in the rear. A split has no ducting to channel engine air from those high vents to the engine compartment. VW put the engine vents up high on a bay to make standard a dusty conditions environment. It was optional on some splits. In those other countries, dirt roads were much more common and the engine just sucked in dirt really easily.

If you search the gallery for dusty conditions split busses and trucks, you will see a good handful of different designs, that all look like custom creations from these non-German factories.

So the easy answer to your question- no you can't just weld in panels from a split there.

[webwalker]

If that's the short answer, then that's the short answer!

Thanks!

M
_________________
"Consistent maintenance with quality products is the cheapest warranty you'll ever need."
1977 CE1 Transporter Deluxe, Subaru EJ22, Skills Cooling, Steedle HD 091 w/ GuardT .82 4th
Click to view image

[lightice]

Sorry to revive this thread, but in Asia there are many brazilian T1.5s running around.

Some have been converted to look like a split.

In indonesia, there are some builders that specialise in making these brazilians into 23 windows or 15 window buses.