Introducing my 1971 Riviera

[Kick Kombi]

[scrivyscriv]

[Kick Kombi]

[scrivyscriv]

A couple years ago when I had my rusty '72 bus, I pulled the wiper assy out to tear it down for a good clean, lube, and adjust. Colin (Amskeptic) has a fairly well documented description here: Wiper Refresh
Unfortunately at the time I had never been in a working bus, so I assembled the linkage 90° out. I drove to work today with my wipers parked straight up

You can immediately see in the photo that the top wiper assy linkage is all horizontal.. the bottom wipers are not... that is a problem.

I'm getting the wiper frame powdercoated for longevity... when I first started working on VWs a few years ago I had no idea about paints or rust prep, so the rattle can black I shot my 'rebuilt' wiper frame with is starting to show rust again.
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[scrivyscriv]

There is a real downside to a 'rolling resto;' most of the stuff I'm working on are misc bits and pieces. Powdecoat this, refurb and paint that, change the rubber seal here, replace corroded hardware there... Was talking to one of my co-workers about how much stuff I've had powdercoated, and he laughed and says "Yeah and you can't even tell at all!"

So I've still got a lot of repairs to do... gradually building up my parts stash one NOS or good used part at a time. Everyone says aftermarket parts aren't worth the effort it takes to make fit - that is some real truth.

The Bus Depot muffler coating was too hard for my blaster to remove so I had the powdercoat shop blast it for me. They just finished it so I painted it with VHT engine paint (primer gray) and baked it with a heat gun... it finished beautifully, until I installed and ran it.

First, BD sent me the wrong tailpipe, and some bug muffler clamps. I returned the hardware and they sent the bus-style one-piece clamps, and also refunded me retail price for a tail pipe when I sent it back too. So I cruised the classifieds, found a NOS VW tail pipe and it took over a month to get it. At this point I sandblasted the resonator and tailpipe, then brazed them together. At the same time I blasted around the muffler in/out connections and made some sinfully ugly brazed tacks all around them to secure the pinch weld better.
Not only that but I pulled the muffler pre-heat chambers off of an OG bug muffler to blast and paint inside and out with VHT... figured I'd eliminate the mis-alignment issue several people have had when they fit the breast tin in place.

Here's what I have at this point:

So I tackled the replacement, figuring I'd have plenty of time in my allotted 3-4 hours.. nope.

this is what I started with:

I fought with the heat riser pipes for about thirty minutes, they just would NOT line up with the tapped holes on the muffer flanges.. the muffler holes are not drilled in the right place, they are 1/8" off on both left and right.
Then my aftermarket heat exchangers took f-o-r-e-v-e-rrrrr to line up, the right side was way off by about 3/4"-1"...
now the best part is those preheaters don't line up right with the heat exchangers and breast tin..

By the time i finished, it was dark and had started raining, and I was in a rotten mood... aftermarket parts.

Once I straighten out the preheaters and get my heat riser bolt holes clearanced I'll post a few photos.



yes... i have an oil leak.... i know...
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[wcfvw69]

It's amazing that Bus Depot hasn't addressed sending the wrong tail pipe out. I know Ron reads these threads. It's only been discussed for what? The past year and a half? They did the same thing to me as well.

I found the muffler to bolt up fine. I had restored my original German heater boxes. The BIG flaw of this muffler is the fresh air junction on the muffler. As you've found out, it doesn't line up at all. I had to use two different clamps to fill the gap.

Like you said, after market parts suck.
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[airschooled]

Hey Robert, sorry I'm late to the party…

It looks like you're missing the "road draft boot" and allowing debris into the oil through the tube. Wolfsburg West sells the best reproduction. I also don't see rear cylinder tins, the ones that mount to the main cylinder tins and shuttle air downwards instead of allowing it out the back of the cylinder fins. Do you have them?

The one-piece clamps are fundamentally flawed in how they clamp, but if you can get them to work, great. I had the opposite problem last year; I ordered bus clamps, Airhead Parts sent me the one-piece clamps, and they failed on installation, ruining my NOS asbestos donut gaskets. The two-piece clamps came on the bus from the factory, even though they're a pain with the mustache bar. Listen for a tick at idle over the next hundred miles or so; that's when the clamps usually give up if you're not fastidious about retorquing at EVERY DAMN HEAT CYCLE. Airhead Parts understands now, (I think,) that the one-piece clamps clamp in the wrong direction,(radially instead of axially,) and are prone to leaking. They sent my two-piece clamps out no charge when I emailed after I found out how the one-piece clamps worked.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, even though it's not helpful to you at all: NOS Liestritz mufflers are out there, for the same or less money than the Bus Depot offerings. I installed one today; it literally slips in like butter. The fresh air pods line up with the stock clamps to the heat exchangers, the exhaust manifolds slide right one, the heat riser ports line up nearly perfectly, (but who has a perfect one here?,) and the heat riser j-tubes slip effortlessly into the muffler just the right amount. I bought a few to stash last year, and now I pretty much won't install anything else; life is too short to deal with stuff that leaks poison gas when it doesn't fit.

I'll calm down about T1 stock exhausts one day, but today is not that day.

Tomorrow doesn't look good either…
Robbie
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[scrivyscriv]

[airschooled]

The Wolfsburg West road draft boot has an indexing bulb that locks it into the breather pipe; no sealant needed! I don't know any other manufacturers that have the correct boot.

I'm on my phone and can't type too much, but there was a good discussion about the donut clamps going here:

http://itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12720&hilit=donut+clamps

I think it comes down to the cheap modern one-piece clamps not having enough "clearance" to properly compress the assembly. Force on B is more important, and force on A needs to be a function of force on B.

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Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
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[scrivyscriv]

Well everything was going smoothly right up until I put a torque wrench on my 1/2 head nuts...

_________________
Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[Pinetops]

Ouch, that sucks man. I feel your pain on that one. I had 3 strip out of my og case recently. Mine is pre case savers so i was able to use oversized studs for a temporary fix until i can build a new engine. I dont know what size case savers those are but you may be able to install one with a larger diameter. What a PITA though.
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[scrivyscriv]

They're 8mm studs so I've got some wiggle room.. Just got to get my parts and tools together to do it. Never had to do a time-sert!

I'm debating on the tools: John at Aircooled.net rents the tool set for $25 plus shipping plus the actual insert, but I can buy the time sert kit on Amazon for around $65. I hope I don't ever need a 12mm time-sert again but I'm trying to decide if I should just rent the stuff from him or buy it outright.

Prolly not even $20 difference in price renting vs. buying
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[Pinetops]

Id probably buy the tool if its good quality in case (pun intended) it happens again.

If another,one comes out it could mean your engine has overheated and the metal has become weaker.
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[Tcash]

Really sucks. Hope it will take a sert.

I can buy the time sert kit on Amazon for around $65
Have link?

Thanks
Tcash

[scrivyscriv]

[scrivyscriv]

John at Aircooled.net is a super guy, he really saved my bacon on this pulled stud! It started out looking like this engine case was going to need a Big-Sert. John worked with me via email to get the dims and pics of the hole and he ended up recommending his 12mm OD case saver set.
He was more interested in getting me the best solution for my problem instead of the most profitable-for-him option. That sort of attitude and integrity go a long way with me - it's why i have bought so many parts from him in the past and will continue to do so. He made some really insightful comments and opinions on my engine build that ended up saving me a lot of money and time in the long run.



None of the sound dampener companies have any literature available for best installation practices.. I'm starting to wonder if they really have any engineering behind their products. most of their galleries are full of people laying sheet after sheet of their stuff, covering up entire panels.
I'm fairly certain that's not necessarily the best or right way to do it.

For the gas tank/firewall/tank cavity, I went with multiple strips of Fatmat vs. rolling out an entire sheet. I'm thinking about doing B-quiet Hliner for the engine bay ceiling, finished off with the werksberg panels, some fiberboard panels, or the '72-only metal panels. just really sick of the drone!

Windshield wiper arm writeup is also in the mix right now.. here's a sneak peek:

Link

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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[scrivyscriv]

So this happened yesterday...

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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[scrivyscriv]

Engine is back in the bus! The exhaust took a lot of my time up, but it's on there and all hooked up. Was able to finally put on my rebuilt alternator and throw on a couple stickers for funsies. The reason I pulled the engine was for a terrible set of pushrod tube leaks from my "well I have them on hand so I'll just use 'em" spring loaded tubes. I mean ALL of them leaked in the worst way and was causing my oil level to constantly drop, it was bad!
John sold me a set of stock style tubes and the silicone seals they say won't leak... So those all went on, and I reset one of the rocker shims to get better valve tip location on one side while I was in there.

I've been considering experimentally running a Beetle FI engine in the bus, and one came up locally for a great deal.. The owner gave me all the FI parts he'd already pulled, free, since "nobody wants fuel injection stuff."

Came back a week later and made an offer on the rest of the (seized-??) engine and got it for core price - complete, and U-Pull-It style. Fuel hoses looked original, heater boots were still crimped on with a factory-style band, and looks like 100% of the parts are all there. The owner was yanking the FI parts off to convert to carb.

He said the PO had told him "the engine's locked up," but while he was removing FI parts, he was able to turn the engine over with a wrench on the pulley bolt. While I was going though the box of misc parts later at home, I noticed the original DVDA distributor shaft was completely rusted solid to the body. Looks like the distributor was keeping the engine from rotating, since the engine spins over like it should so I may have actually gotten more than I was expecting.. it would be great to find good end play and decent compression.

i don't play, i jacked up the front end and pulled the fuel pump while I was there too! No carbed engine would need 37 PSI!

i've got an 18 gallon Rubbermaid tote and a cardboard box full of 'current projects and parts' going...


I finally googled how to repair particle board - my fold out table leg was ripped from the table when I got it, and the mounting bracket was bent in a dogleg. After some sanding and finger painting with Rage Gold, the missing chunks were no more. I won't even try to lie, I did a horrible ugly job repairing this table. The entire underside could use a thorough 160g sanding job and skim coat of Rage to fill in all the low spots. The particle board has held up pretty well for a 45-year-old table but it does need some love...

To celebrate my newly repaired and functional table, I got the only thing any good Memphian knows to get from Tops BBQ: a fat, greasy double cheeseburger and fries. If you ever pass through Memphis, do yourself a favor and grab one of 'em on the way through!! I pulled in to my oil stained parking spot at work and nommed my burger under the bright yellow light of my three bulb Rivi light.

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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[scrivyscriv]

Getting some work done on the old vdub today!

_________________
Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[TomWesty]

I think you have to remove that red cap to the left of the fan belt to pour the Prestone in.
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