Easy's '58 walk through panel build

easy e · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2014 8:29 pm Post subject:

Inside is painted & over half blocked on the outside.

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My tent came from Fancher's (Jonce). I was very happy with the quality. They use Marine Quality Delrin Zippers.
I also picked up a rear hatch bug screen. The sides all zip off, it has a couple doors & windows. Since it'll be lowered... I had the supplied stanchions for the drip rail made ~6" longer... so the tent can be kept higher. Fabric on the "bus" side was also extended... to go with the longer drip rail stanchions. It's a Sunbrella pattern, Rodanthe Metallic 4879-0000:

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aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

easy e · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 12:15 pm Post subject:

Thx!
Seeing some color on the outside now. I was a little worried about not liking Pearl Grey / Dove Blue combo... but, I'm diggin' it (whew! relieved)

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aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

campingbox · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:07 pm Post subject:

Neat - maybe needs a pinstripe?

easy e · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 5:55 pm Post subject:

Agreed... I've already found the striper & will do blue stripe on the grey & vice versa... like this:

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

campingbox · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 6:31 pm Post subject:

That might be too bold, it's your bus though, maybe a single black stripe above the beltline to match the tent?[/i]

easy e · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 6:52 pm Post subject:

Crap... I was all settled & now you have me thinking.
Now I get why (some) women can't decide on clothes to wear / shoes / nail polish.

I'll stew on it until at least after it's assembled.
Might put a stripe the trailer too, black would work for both... hmmm

Your '56(subhatch westy?) looks pretty awesome with the two stripes (it was my striping inspiration).
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

easy e · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 8:05 pm Post subject:

I got a curtain material sample in today & like it. I has two blues complimenting the Dove Blue & has a little white to tie in with the white rib on the bumpers / front emblem. Fabric oriented one way & it kinda looks like white (snow) topped mountains & oriented 180 the other way it looks like pointy snake scales. Depending on orientation, the white has a "V" or a "W". Hmmm...
Rear bumper is above the front window frame.

I had an original license light lense, cracked off on one end. Since the outer gasket is unobtainable, I decided to mount the lense inside the deck lid. I Dremel ground off the ends of the lense to snugly fit 'in' the cover plate (just barely). This way, if it's ever poked, it won't get pushed in. If I mounted the lense (untrimmed) on deck lid interior, it would have made the black housing not sit flush against the deck lid. I rolled out thin strip-caulk sections to add to the interior of the deck lid at the lens perimeter. I also added the strip caulk to the housing perimeter.

I don't think the rubber light mount boot is correct until '59+, but I wanted it anyways... to keep dirt/dust out of housing interior. The Wolfsburg West rubber boot would not stay seated for me & kept popping off. The lower interior edge of the rubber boot has a small interior lip to retain boot on light bulb holder & there was a little too much rubber length extending below light bulb holder rim (made boot unseat). I trimmed about a fat 1/16" off of the bottom of the boot & it stays put now. I still need to clean off a little of the strip caulk that squished through, by the lens' exterior perimeter.

Member vdouglu has a nice repro lens in classifieds I bought. I'll consider running it if I ever find a correct gasket... and get the correct style slotted mounting screws.

Here's an original configuration for the lens. Gasket / lens is longer than '59.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

RPGreg2600 · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 9:15 pm Post subject:

I think one blue pin stripe would be good. Definitely needs at least one.

easy e · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:47 pm Post subject:

I cut the dash grab handle bar down in length a fuzz, so there was even reveal on each end. Original screws were DIN 91, which doesn't seem to be commercially available. The head is smaller than normal for a 6mm screw. I found some DIN 91 on eBay Germany, in chrome. Zinc was original though. I had the bar ends chromed to reduce polishing maintenance, match the screws and go along with the rest of the black/chrome theme of dash. The same eBay seller had chrome steering column support screws & I picked up a couple.

I grabbed a little black plastic screen from my local Ace Harware & glued it in behind the dash. I used something like shoe-goo.

Sun visors are pretty useless in buses, so I'm going to make a custom bracket to attach a tach where the visor mount is.

I had a mystery hole, left of my wiper switch. I picked up an NOS lighter from Holy Grail Garage... thx Brendan.

The Koch's recast steering wheel looks great w/NOS horn button. I wanted a cylinder head temp (CHT) gauge & gas gauge. I picked up the Dakota Digital CHT set-up. I'll mount the CHT gauge (probably) opposite the gas gauge in the Moto-Meter bracket on the column. I cut off the gauge studs & painted bodies black. Also added a Retro Sound radio & under-dash antenna.

Engine in was a relief:
For the oil lines I used a piece of leftover JOGR heater tube wrap... put it over a leftover piece of heater flex tube. Didn't want to let the exhaust melt the lines.

Bummer is I'll have to cut a little relief in the (KF) rear apron at the lower left to clearance the exhaust. Will also need to trim a little of the passenger side bumper bracket to clear the muffler. Both rear bumper brackets were NOS Anxious

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

busworks · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:33 am Post subject:

Lookin good Evan. Nice detail on the screws.

mandraks · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject:

shaggy66bus · Samba Member Joined: April 22, 2006 Posts: 168

stunning work
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cru62 · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:52 pm Post subject:

Evan-Looking good!

I wouldn't trust the wrap around your oil lines to keep them from getting crispy. It may even work against you by trapping the heat in that area. I had a problem with my oil lines which were run just like yours lasting a little over a year before they became brittle and prone to cracking. I started replacing them once a year and carrying a complete set of new ones in my bus. Only had to use them once in the 10 years I owned my DC. But they were a lifesaver.

I think you will need to reach up under your bus and give them hoses a good grope on a regular basis. You can feel when they are becoming questionable.
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CaLiBus · Samba Member Joined: May 27, 2011 Posts: 1097

easy e · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks busworks, mandraks, shaggy66bus & cru62 (I'll keep a spare and/or upgrade).

easy e · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:46 pm Post subject:

CaLiBus · Samba Member Joined: May 27, 2011 Posts: 1097

easy e · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:56 pm Post subject:

From the FAQ page: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=284092
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

Ran When Parked · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:58 pm Post subject: Nice

Looks wonderful. Wow!

wrenchnride247 · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:59 pm Post subject:


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Easy's '58 walk through panel build
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