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Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:11 am

Ok here goes it. firstly please forgive my bad grammar. secondly this may have already been built but this one is mine. :)

well now down to the goods. I'm planning a bay window bus build on the order of making it a tank! :twisted: i just cant bring myself to do it to a splity. really it is going to be an offroad monster. I'm acquiring a 69' westy that has no interior except front seats. however the body,engine and trans are in great condition. I plan on replaceing the top canvas with a grey wolfsberg unit and paint the exterior a lighter green military-ish color with metal flake and black gloss trims/pinstriping. now this wont be some $5k paint job but should turn out decent.

i am picturing a front roof mounted forward fold down light rack i will custom make and a rear mounted roof rack over the non pop up section in the rear. these will be very military styled.... in my head anyways. i have been looking at doing a 2110 or 2007 stroker and a trans rebuild with a granny first gear but not to low. im going to build my own interior with tips from a few interior pros. im not going to lift the bus much just turn things up a bit but i dont want to make it feel tippy. i have picked out quite a few tall tires and need to make a decision when i get to work on the bus.

i will post pistures as the build continues and try to update often. wish me luck!

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:16 am

Why would you put a granny gear in a VW Bus?

We put one into our '77 J20 with the 401 motor and it pretty much gives you 3 driving gears and kills all daily driving capability. A Bus needs all it can get!!!

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:22 am

cr@M wrote: Why would you put a granny gear in a VW Bus?

We put one into our '77 J20 with the 401 motor and it pretty much gives you 3 driving gears and kills all daily driving capability. A Bus needs all it can get!!!

i wasnt thinking of a ridiculously low gear but low enough i can crawl up some steep stuff. think older reduction bus first gear. and if you gear it right why do you need more than 3 speeds? i dont plan on railing this bus down the freeway at 100+, i had a 450hp evo for that.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:22 am

If you wouldn't do it to a splitty but you would do it to a Bay then that suggests that maybe a Ford would make a better combat tank. It would even have a Ford engine. It could climb mountains and ford streams.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:27 am

Hey, that's an idea. You could hack an old splitty to get reduction boxes to put in the Ford.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:40 am

:cry: wow i didnt expect the negativity sorry i wasted your time. this is an actual project by someone who has the knowledge,time and money to complete it. its not some far fetched idea nor some epic bus simply my attempt at a awesome short offroad exploration/camp"combat look"vehicle. its not like i plan on storming a building! please if you dont like the idea just say so and continue on you way.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:44 am

Why the granny?

I had my old 64 in some pretty steep hills. In first gear it just putted right up them with no problems. Is going to be set up for hunting? What size of tires are going to put on it and the clearance what about that? I went up some pretty rutty roads with the standard tires...185/15. For bad snow threw on a set of chains.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:54 am

CombatBus :

You'll need one of these - Yeah, the Gunnery Sgt. and the gun! :lol:

Seriously, your idea isn't too far fetched. Nothing wrong with non-standard (ref. pics of my interior :roll: ) If it's your bus, do what you want! Better somebody enjoy it than to leave it rot away somewhere. . . .

I have thought about the granny gear also. Not because 1st gear won't get it up any hill I've every tried, cause it will - But more in my opinion for those slow crawls over rough terrain. I hate playing the clutch, and would rather keep the revs up instead of idling along.

-Klauss

Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:00 am

klauss you sound like a dude that gets it. thank for the support bud. thats one of the main reasons for the granny. as for the guns........you guys will see. :D :shock:

Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:03 am

Lets see some pics already!! :D

Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:16 am

That is the opening hole for the spotter not the shooter. Hell no wonder there is no more critters to hunt. :lol:

Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:35 am

You didn't expect negativity? People shoot hot flames about an improperly (or at all) cut fuel sender access hole, and you didn't expect negativity about this?

That said, you won't get any from me. I think army busses are sick. Good luck on your build, and we want more pics, if you haven't heard.

And in case you didn't know.... some buses came with reduction boxes, for your granny gear. I don't know which ones, certain splits, I think.

Also...

... and more about that last one here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=379629&start=20

Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:30 pm

woot woot. im glad to see some pics i hadent seen before. i will be uploading pics soon so keep and eye out. naw i really didnt expect any haters but eh i guess they are every where. i didnt do a splity because i feel they are a bit more rare and dont wanna be the dude that destoryed one.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:47 pm

Daverham wrote: And in case you didn't know.... some buses came with reduction boxes, for your granny gear. I don't know which ones, certain splits, I think.

Every 1967 and earlier Bus came with reduction boxes. :)

Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:50 pm

Wait until there are only a few Bays left and you were a dude who hacked one. Then say something. Seriously, these guys aren't haters ( I HATE that term ) they are passionate about their hobby/bussiness or what ever you like to call it. Do what you want with your Tank ( are ya ganna put mine sweepers on that Thing, I mean Bus ) and thicken up your skin a little. You're still new here, Welcome by the way, Some of these haters have much knowlege you may be able to use. Good luck with the project.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:50 pm

I don't think any buses had a "granny gear". Low gear in the splitty buses was geared pretty low, but not granny gear low.

That was one of the things that made them "mountain goats" and allowed them to go up pretty steep hills even with a good load on and with a 36 HP engine.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:42 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: I don't think any buses had a "granny gear".

yes there was mountain ratio, M 092.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:05 pm

I've met a few old school rednecks over the years who built swampbuggies using the reduction boxes from the splitties. These guys could fabricate a ton of shit! If you raise the bus you could double up on the reduction boxes, but would also have to trailer it out to the woods. I saw a v6 to a corvette rear end tilted 90deg so the axles were up/down not side /side. Top axle welded tight ect.etc.etc. to reduction boxes. The thing could crawl over a house.

Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:11 pm

germansupplyscott wrote: Randy in Maine wrote: I don't think any buses had a "granny gear".

yes there was mountain ratio, M 092.
tell me more! mountain ratio sounds nice fro the pnw

Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:12 pm

So by tank you don't mean a tracked tank?
If you do, I remember seeing one a long time ago.
I think it was a split too.