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Fri Dec 16, 2005 5:19 pm

I have been through quite a search on the site.

I need to convert a 60 Bastard40 to 12v.

I have read that you can place a regulartor to step down 12v to 6v for the wipers, and replace the alternator, dash lights, horn and starter (maybe?). There is a flywheel modification, but can I keep the 6v and keep it in tact?

Where might I find a good source for such things?

I am sure I can find how to do it on the site, but is there a "best way to do it" that someone can recommend?

Fri Dec 16, 2005 5:33 pm

i would recommend looking for a 67 12 volt wiper motor, and skip the voltage drop. a 12 volt gen,. and alt. are easy enough to find as well as a starter. you will need a 12 volt flywheel as well as a transmission that works with the larger flywheel. you can run 6 volt starter on 12 volts, but it will eventually burn out. change your bulbs to 12 volts. your fuel gauge and sender will work for 6 or 12 volt however. search the forums and vintagebus.com and you should be able to find out everything you need to know. ill be doing the same thing to my 66 in future months.
good luck

Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:53 pm

Converting your 1960 bus to 12 volts is quite do-able. If you have
an owners manual get the bulb list and convert all six volt bulbs to 12
volt. Unless your bus was tampered with by previous owner your
wiper motor is a 6 volt SWF brand motor standard from march '55
to Aug '64. Two ways to convert those without converters or voltage
drop. You can buy a 12 volt armature and replace the six volt unit
in the motor. I believe these are available thru an outfit called KYMCO
located in SoCal. Possibly also WolfsburgWest. You can also do what I
did on my '63 bus. I purchased a 1968 (1967 will work also) wiper motor
from a bug and installed it in my bus. These are SWF motors exactly
the same as in your bus except their 12 volt. I've had one in my bus
about five or six years now with no problems. If you decide to swap out the motor you can check again with KYMCO or WolfsburgWest. Also the
bug classifieds in the Samba have motors listed.
A 12 volt horn should be no problem. I've bought two and both were at
swap meets.
As far as the starter goes. I recomend retaining the six volt starter.
I bought my bus already coverted to 12 volt. I've owned it now
11 years with the same 6 volt starter and no problems. A bus
engine in tune fires up in a matter of seconds. That 6 volt starter
will last a long long time. Plus on 12 volts it spins that engine right
up.
Concerning your generator, again KYMCO has a line of conversion
(6 volt to 12 volt) units. But I suspect you could probably use one
from a '67 or '68 or perhaps '69 bug. All are 12 volt. Do some checking
with some of the bug classifieds on the Samba.
Hope this helps, good luck.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:09 am

I am running the 6v wiper motor in my 58 with no problems. However in my Oval I had to switch the motor cause it ran too fast. Your call.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:38 am

I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait and see what the 6v motor does.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:18 am

What about the relays? Are they important to switch or does it really matter?

Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:48 am

abeed wrote: i would recommend looking for a 67 12 volt wiper motor, and skip the voltage drop. A '67 bus wiper motor/unit does not and will not fit in a '60, so don't waste your time or money to locate one. The '67 only part/motor mounts completely differently and cannot be used in anything but a '67!. I don't understand people who recommend solutions that will not work :roll: . The armature swap is the way to go.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:13 am

I'm running a 12 volt starter with the gear from a 6 volt starter on it. This way you can keep the original flywheel, (no clearence issues with the trans) just remember to install the 12v starter bushing in the trans. A local machine shop did the gear swap for me.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:44 am

The Sage wrote: I have been through quite a search on the site.

I need to convert a 60 Bastard40 to 12v.

I have read that you can place a regulartor to step down 12v to 6v for the wipers, and replace the alternator, dash lights, horn and starter (maybe?). There is a flywheel modification, but can I keep the 6v and keep it in tact?

Where might I find a good source for such things?

I am sure I can find how to do it on the site, but is there a "best way to do it" that someone can recommend?

Wolfsburg West sells a component to change your stock 6V wiper motor to 12V.
You'll need to change the flywheel, starter, starter bushing, grind out your transmission case (if it hasn't been done before), generator, battery, voltage regulator, all bulbs (headlight, taillight, turn signal, speedo, domelights, parking lights, license plate light.

Is it really worth it? What's wrong with keeping it 6V?

Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:13 pm

Quote: Is it really worth it? What's wrong with keeping it 6V?

That certainly is something to consider. My chief concern is the headlights (I assume you use cycle headlights?) I hear they do not get as bright.

Are there any liabilities besides headlights?

Finding bulbs?

I found the Blue top battery.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:08 pm

dave 25
i stand corrected i thought if the entire linkage, pivits, and wiper motor was changed as a unit it was compatable.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:58 pm

The Sage wrote: Quote: Is it really worth it? What's wrong with keeping it 6V?

That certainly is something to consider. My chief concern is the headlights (I assume you use cycle headlights?) I hear they do not get as bright.

Are there any liabilities besides headlights?

Finding bulbs?

I found the Blue top battery.

I use the headlights I buy at Schmucks. 6V 5"....I typically use dielectric grease on all the connections. Go through everything across the fuse block, pull one terminal off, wipe the scale away, grease, reinstall. Move onto the next. Grease the connections on the dimmer switch and grease the screws that hold it to the floor. The early busses have headlights which ground through the ring itself to the body....make sure it's making contact. Most of my busses were 12V when I got them and I've converted most of them back to 6V. I like to run Optima red top batteries.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:52 pm

Where do you find these replacements?

Uses the ring? I have yet to pull this all apart, so I will have to look and see.

Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:07 pm

abeed wrote: dave 25
i stand corrected i thought if the entire linkage, pivits, and wiper motor was changed as a unit it was compatable. I found this out the hard way. What you suggested , was also suggested to me for my '63. Searched and found one, only to have it not fit/compatible. Traded to someone w/a '67 for what I needed. An early 6 v motor, w/ a 12v armature, linkage and pivots (even those are different!). No offense intended or taken. Oh,and it's Dave24, not 25! 8)

Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:35 am

You can retain the 12V starter and flywheel and not have to grind out the tranny if you change the selenoid to 12V. the 6V starter will work fine but I have had the 6V selenoid start turning the starter motor before it fully engages the flywheel and chew up your flywheel. I had this happen a couple times before someone told me to change the selenoid to 12V. Now I use a 6V 200mm flywheel and a 6V starter w/ a 12V selenoid on all my conversions. I hate trying to grind the tranny case.

Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:52 am

i have come to the conclusion that 6 volts is not all that bad. if your connections are good you should not have any problems. i was going to convert my 40 horse engine to 12 volts, but i have decided to leave it 6 volt. i called a few places looking for a battery, and they didnt carry them. i found one but had to call a few places first. one guy even asked "what's a 6 volt battery, is that for a flashlight?"

Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:59 am

Quote: one guy even asked "what's a 6 volt battery, is that for a flashlight?

Sheesh, ain't it the thruth. There are so many places that just sell by part numbers or if they've never heard of it it doesn't exist. The human factor seems to becoming the weak link.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:41 pm

im newer to the vw world. so how do you grind out the transmission case?

Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:03 pm

campingbox wrote: The Sage wrote: Quote: Is it really worth it? What's wrong with keeping it 6V?

That certainly is something to consider. My chief concern is the headlights (I assume you use cycle headlights?) I hear they do not get as bright.

Are there any liabilities besides headlights?

Finding bulbs?

I found the Blue top battery.

I use the headlights I buy at Schmucks. 6V 5"....I typically use dielectric grease on all the connections. Go through everything across the fuse block, pull one terminal off, wipe the scale away, grease, reinstall. Move onto the next. Grease the connections on the dimmer switch and grease the screws that hold it to the floor. The early busses have headlights which ground through the ring itself to the body....make sure it's making contact. Most of my busses were 12V when I got them and I've converted most of them back to 6V. I like to run Optima red top batteries.

I ran the 6 volt starter in my westy on 12 volts for years before it croaked! The 12volt armature that WW has hasn't been in stock for close to a year.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 3:59 pm

on my 64 bus the wipers were only a little fast but sometimes it was good!!