TheSamba.com :: View topic - Wind-up Window Barndoors

Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:24 am

Cheers LJay,

That's looks exactly like what i have. Interesting as the bus was found in Italy I believe so a possible connection there.

The problem with the mech design is that the top pulley is attached to a thin inner window pressing so when you tension up the whole cable it pulls hard on the top pulley and makes it flex and twist causing the cables to jump from their groves in the cog.

Ive stripped a 70's bug window mech and reckon I can make that work. Its kind of sacrilegious to change it I guess but I need them to be reliable. decisions decisions.

Thu Mar 20, 2014 3:32 am

Would welding a 4-5mm rod along the seam strengthen it up?the frame that the Fiats regulator is mounted on is quite strong in design being so lightweight ,it would be shame to change the design/history but no point having the wind up winda bus that don't wind up! :lol:

Great bus btw,i wouldn't change a thing-love it!

Thu Mar 20, 2014 4:14 am

wouldnt it be mush easier to keep these original winders and make new cables for them and then reinforce the thin inner sash plate with a piece of thicker sheetmetal tack welded inside where the upper wheel attachs and maybe have a machine shop make new wheels with a larger pivot post. this would eliminate the flex and keep this super rare setup close to original, but much more reliable?? im just saying...

Fri Mar 21, 2014 11:21 am

I think its great that within a day of your posting photos of these unique mechanisms, you get another reader of these forums who can identify what they are.

Perhaps some posting on Fiat forums might get you some help in both replacement and ideas for making them work better.

But I get that it is useless to have non-functional winders.

Good luck with your repairs.

Keep posting photos!
Thanks.

Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:35 am

Totally agree I have been looking all over the web to try and find out what they are! Was properly shocked to post and then have the answer within a matter of hours :D

I have already remade the wire a few times and tried refitting them but each time I have either got the tension wrong or the orientation of the cable slightly out of alignment and the cable snags and gets chewed by the winder. Ive spoken to Matt a few times about which ones he had repaired when he had it and I could here the frustration in his voice at the mention of windy window mechs :lol:

Ive ordered a couple of replacement mechs so will see how the cables are when they arrive, in the mean time a friend and I have had a play with the beetle mechanism and have made that work. It is a much neater easier solution. The windows will wind for Volksworld!! Even if two work on the original mechs and two on the new ones :D

Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:33 pm

RockStock wrote:

how it looks now..

nice transformation! 8)

Mon Mar 31, 2014 3:13 am

i've tweaked it a bit :D

Mon Mar 31, 2014 4:36 am

Come on Dave get some more pics up.

Truly awesome!

Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:16 pm

Awesome!

Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:42 pm

Wheres the roof rack?

Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:28 pm

On the wall of his workshop, it is bolt on so can be run when he wants to.

Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:20 am

whata MONSTER bus ! way cool

Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:48 pm

Couldn't believe this was the same bus when I saw it at volksworld. Totally reminded me of chez's.
As my previously top 3 favourite barndoors have all lost their former glory this is now my favourite barndoor. Outside my family obviously :wink:

8) 8) 8)

Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:55 am

Wow that looks great, windows winding up and down are awesome. 8)

Tue Sep 15, 2020 12:24 pm

Stumbled across this information about these buses with crank windows.

https://austrosplit.com/en/research-vintage-vw/vwt1-coachbuilders-1950s/kastenhofer-workshop-vienna/

Edit: it is covered here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=743324

Tue Sep 15, 2020 12:49 pm

kilgore wrote: Interesting as the bus was found in Italy I believe so a possible connection there.

it had also been fitted with fiat rear lights - 850 van I think