TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1968 double cab lots of brazing. Factory?

Wed Oct 25, 2023 6:37 am

I have been restoring my 1968 double cab with an August of 67 manufacturing date. As I have been repairing various parts of the truck I have been finding a surprising amount of braised welds. Some I know for a fact are repairs that have been done (sloppy done and signs of repair), but in other places I feel they are factory. I know volkswagen used brazing for the roof areas on the A pillars, and on the double cab rear separator gutter area below the rear window, but has anyone seen brazing used around the nose and fresh air vent?

I didn't have any spot welds that are normally found here, just a couple simple tacks of brazing (it made removal very easy) but I found it very odd since every other bus I have seen has many spot welds in this area.

Was brazing used more in 67 and retired with later bay window buses? These welds are super strong and rust free, I have the ability to replicate them but I would like to do so only if it was something done at factory. I will try to post some photos later today if anyone is interested.

The more I look at this early 68 double cab the more I see signs of an early manufacturing process where you can tell they didn't quite have the bay window design fully figured out in 67.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:05 am

VW was spot welding in the 1940's, very hard to find much brass on any year.

Sounds like your bus was in a body shop long ago.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:38 am

They also used brazing in the rear corner where the shelf meet the hatch rubber channel I don’t know about the front vent area

Wed Oct 25, 2023 7:36 pm

busdaddy wrote: Sounds like your bus was in a body shop long ago.

I think you are totally right. I am seeing more signs of this nose being off to fix some damage.