'63 Panel Camper to Deluxe conversion project

[exotic plants]

[edgood1]

[edgood1]

I spent a couple of hours cleaning out the interior to start working there. I made quite a mess of it while doing the windows.

I started placing the seat brackets on the floor. I believe a '63 deluxe would have two brackets for the rear seat and four for the middle seat.

I'm going to put two in for the rear seat and then six for the middle seat to accommodate a 3/4 or full length seat. I don't have any seats for it at the moment, but it will keep my options open when I start looking. I'll probably end up making one myself or modifying some 70's bus seats given how expensive they are.

I also separated another inner window panel that I had laying around. This will probably end up on the passenger side 4th window.

It started raining while I was working so I pulled the bus back into the garage... here she is with all the grinding completed on the windows.

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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[SplitBusVanatic]

Great work.
I look forward to your updates.
Keep it up.
All the best.
Dan.

[edgood1]

my latest orders of parts have arrived. I bought one of the inner window panels from grumpys metal. This is one of the nicest reproduction panels I've seen, vw or otherwise. Its nice thick metal, crisp edges and the fit it dead on. I'm very impressed with it. I'm definitely going to look at some more of their products

I did a quick dry fit and my window edges lined up perfectly. I trust that their part is correct and my diligence in getting the window placement damn near perfect paid off.
I also received the window frames and hinges I needed to add to the remaining windows. I got them from WCM. Very nice quality also.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[edgood1]

Today I welded in all the pop out window hinges on the drivers side, 4 of them.

I also welded in the rear seat mounts

I then spent a few hours cleaning up the inside of the window welds and sealing them up with paint in preparation for installing the inner window panels.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Stanagon]

[BarryL]

Trippy how you made the rears scoopers.

[mandraks]

[edgood1]

[BarryL]

[edgood1]

the rearmost (4th) windows never came as pop-outs from the factory, only with stationary glass. That piece that grumpy's metal makes provides provisions to install the hinge on either side of both window openings (which is really nice). You could use it anywhere on the bus, or even cut the panel in half to add a 4th window to both sides. it comes etched where to cut it if you were using it for that purpose.

In my case, I'm using it whole to cover the passenger side 3rd and 4th windows rearward of the cargo doors. Its an absolute perfect fit. I will need to add the nut plates and retainers to the rear of the panel.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Spike0180]

Wow. Impressive. I vote 15 window. But My favorite is the 13 window with a rag top (not sure if rag tops were original, but I like the mod).
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Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[EverettB]

[edgood1]

Spent some time today on some little things.

I cut off the small channel on the B pillar that the inner window liner gets welded to from one of my donor B pillars.

The donor B pillar I had is a different shape than the one on my bus....possibly because mine is a walk through model?

Then I did some work on the inner window liner panels. I'm going to have to make a few more of these nut plates and retainers...heres my first shot at one. I know i really don't have to get this part to look like the original, i can make one a lot easier that serves the same purpose but i was having some fun.

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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[edgood1]

I got the hinges on the passenger side welded in today.

next up is getting the panel from grumpy's metal installed.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[crofty]

where did the hinges come from?
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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

[edgood1]

[Enkiel]

did you get the metal or stainless frame?
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1964 Turkis Flipseat

[edgood1]