TheSamba.com :: View topic - Melville Engineering steel and pipe 54' rhd single

Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:11 pm

Nothing much been said on this subject for a while but as this is where I mentioned my 54 Sc before, I thought I'd post here.(someone tell me if I should start a new thread!)

I'm going to be making a start on the resto soon and I'm stuck which way to go.

As I've said the truck started life as a LHD but somehere way back was converted to RHD.

If I'm going to invest a load of time and money do I change it back to LHD or leave it like it is and accept that is part of the history?

If I leave it RHD is there any point aiming for that 100point stock show winning finish or is the truck always going to be looked on as non-original?

In that case do I slam it and chuck in that big motor I've always wanted and not worry about destroying a rare truck?

Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:23 pm

I would start your own thread to not confuse folks with Todd's truck, which just prompted me to go back and see if he sold it to you.

Good luck!

Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:11 am

bigbulli wrote: Couple old pics from bigbulli.com

Update 24 NOV 2001

"The single cab has landed. Mark Rafferty and I went to Miami last Friday. What a joke we spent 7 hours in customs, you have to show a passport to prove that you are a US citizen. I don't even have a passport but, we got it back ok. The bus is in better shape than I thought it would be! "

Just adding a pic as the old one got deleted....

Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:59 am

Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:16 am

Nice !

Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:14 am

Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:08 am

Damn Todd! Gonna have to start calling you the CHUCK D of Florida :wink:

Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:25 pm

great corner welding, thats the way to do it !

Tue Sep 24, 2013 11:15 am

Great work 8)

Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:04 pm

Very nice. Glad to see you making progress

Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:53 am

I actually helped my mate Ken retrieve that SC down in Albany,
it was aussie delivered,
nearly all RHD of any manufacturer came as UK spec
due to the limited market in OZ,
I have always been a vw nut but was not that into Kombi's back then,
I couldnt afford the $8k Aussie that he got for it (exchange rate was pretty good then around 70c to the dollar),
seemed too high for me haha, silly boy I was,
glad to see it getting some love,
looking like getting my first split very soon if a deal pans out well,
cheers Russ...

Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:14 pm

Wow Todd great work!

Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:19 am

Any updates?

Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:07 am

Had to remove the original bushings for the upper shock mounts because the bolts were cross threaded and coarse thread all thread.
Had new bushings made and welded in by a local machine shop friend. Yes, the detail for the original upper shock lock washer in the outer portion was missed. Oh well.

Original / glass bead

Ballotini glass beads in AE grade provide this type surface. No they were not " vapor blasted"

Powder coated in satin black

Yellow zinc / clear zinc / black nickel plating

After boiling in transmission fluid I got the Pistons to come out and the original cylinders had some minor pitting. I honed the pits clean and found some rubber kits on eBay.

Plated in yellow zinc while I was at it.

This is a fun fact. After different cross matching part numbers the front shoes for barndoor brakes are the same as Porsche 944 for the late 70's to early 80's rear. One hole needs to be drilled for a spring but other than that they fit.

Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:17 am

WOW TODD!!!! You are the man!! :wink:

Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:12 am

Super nice!

Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:21 am

Todd I like the way you do parts.

Tue Sep 15, 2015 1:53 pm

Wow nice!

Which brake cylinders did you use?

Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:06 pm

scvw wrote: Todd I like the way you do parts.

As always, thank you for your kind remarks , Joey. My anal retentivness is disgusting to myself, first and foremost.

Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:07 pm

WOB1 wrote: Wow nice!

Which brake cylinders did you use?

These were original wheel cylinders from the bus. ATE brand...