TheSamba.com :: View topic - SA Double-Bubble

Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:19 am

NASkeet wrote:

The VW 1600 Type 2 exhaust system for that engine, might possibly be different from those available in the USA, for North American 1968~71 VW 1600 Type 2 engines!?!

https://www.justkampers.com/vw-t2-bay-window-parts...ngers.html

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/volkswagen/t2-bay/exhaust.html

Wow thanks for all the links!
I didn't know the exhaust would be different, although it looks like the difference is just that peculiar 1-peice tailpipe (which they note is backwards compatible) and even more peculiar restriction plates in the "heat pods" on the muffler (WHY???)

So far the bus muffler and heat exchangers I already had on-hand seem to be fitting fine, so that's what I'm rolling with.

Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:46 am

NASkeet wrote:
The "build plate" doesn't give any recognisable hints regarding the model-year, unless 2642 087 087 is the chassis number indicating a 1974 model-year, but if the British & South African bodywork model-year features are identical, the shape of that welded seem between the two front panels just above the front bumper, suggests to me that it is of exclusively 1973 model-year. The shapes of the two steering-column mounted stalk-switch paddles, indicate either 1973 or 1974 model-years.

Yes, from what I have learned so far, the 1st segment of 4 digits is as follows

2 - type 2
6 - truck
4 - model year (64 or 74)
2 - decade modifier for previous digit (1970-1979)

SA Buses were built from CKD kits so I suppose it's possible the kit was produced in Germany during the '73 M/Y run but then not assembled in SA until the '74 M/Y and given that serial #.. ??

Fri Nov 15, 2024 3:35 pm

been a minute since I posted an update on the SA double-bubble..

With hardly hours to spare, I did manage to get my flaps, thermostat, new fuel lines, etc all installed and motor back in in time for the big fall St. Louis show "Volkstoberfest" put on by Russ & Jodi Gelbach of Air-Cooled Antiques.

Took home 1st place Bay! Hooray!

I spent the next couple of weeks driving it almost daily on my commute and any errands..

working on evening out that trucker tan!

and also assembled and put on a repro 4-bow roof rack from CIP1.
Major setbacks involved the bullshit Chinesium hardware. I had to order new stainless screws from McMaster-Carr and chase the threads on a couple of those upright bits.. and replace a couple of the 13mm M8 bolts.

Luckily my shop has a huge overhead gantry crane so I was able to get it on myself.

also in those weeks I installed new front door seals from Wolfsburg West. They fit great and it was an easy install

:?: - Who knows where I can get new seals for a late bay doublecab 3rd door? The seals for a splitty door are much thicker and do not fit!

the next big thing on the social calendar was our annual Missouri Micros fall cruise, which takes us on 2 ferry crossings (Mississippi River and Illinois River) a nice farm/pumpkin stand, and down the Great River Road from Grafton to Alton IL..

While we were on our way to meet up with the crew, the wife says to me... "something smells like burning rubber"... and then the motor seemed to get a lot quieter..
I looked down.. GEN LIGHT ON!
I pulled over right away so hopefully little/no damage was done, but our day was definitely over. :(

the pulley even wore into the alternator and CUT THROUGH one of the ribs! Obviously it had been going bad for a while and I'm just too damed deaf to have picked up on it! :cry:

One of our club mates who was caravaning with us but bailed out right away after he could barely go up to 50mph, came to rescue the wife and our dog while I sat on the side of the interstate and waited for the tow truck.

After getting towed back to the shop, Wife and dog met me back there and we swapped for the '70 AutoStick Ghia coupe and met everyone at the brewery at the end of the cruise.

Truck is now tucked away probably for the rest of the season.. may as well do all the work I knew was coming anyway. gonna drop the engine and trans.. install a new alternator, install all new shifter bushings, new shocks, and the front end needs tie rods and possibly ball joints.. and new heater control cables / free up the fresh air intake flaps / defrost etc.

Damn.. those 2 weeks were a lot of fun! Can't wait to get it back on the road!

Sat Nov 16, 2024 11:44 am

Turk.380 wrote: been a minute since I posted an update on the SA double-bubble..

Luckily my shop has a huge overhead gantry crane so I was able to get it on myself.

While we were on our way to meet up with the crew, the wife says to me... "something smells like burning rubber"... and then the motor seemed to get a lot quieter..

I looked down.. GEN LIGHT ON!

I pulled over right away so hopefully little/no damage was done, but our day was definitely over. :(

the pulley even wore into the alternator and CUT THROUGH one of the ribs! Obviously it had been going bad for a while and I'm just too damed deaf to have picked up on it! :cry:

One of our club mates who was caravaning with us but bailed out right away after he could barely go up to 50 mph, came to rescue the wife and our dog while I sat on the side of the interstate and waited for the tow truck.

During the late-1980s, I used to use an electric overhead travelling gantry crane, to move 2 metre x 2 metre masonry cavity wall test-specimens in RSJ - rolled steel joist frames around the guarded hot-box thermal-transmission test laboratory, at Celcon Blocks (manufacturer of AAC - autoclaved aerated concrete building blocks) in Grays, Essex, England.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_overhead_traveling_crane

In April 1991, whilst driving home on the M25 London orbital motorway, from RMCS - Royal Military College of Science, for the Easter vacation, my 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 suffered alternator-shaft seizure, completely disabling the cooling system and the alternator's radial bearing-housing supports were cut through by the pulley, in exactly the same way as yours.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Military_College_of_Science

I was alerted to the shaft seizure by the sudden illumination of the ignition warning light and rapid increase in the reading from my VDO Cockpit cylinder-head temperature gauge, which increased by circa 100 ºC in the time it took me to coast to a halt on the motorway's hard shoulder. During that short period, the oil-temperature underwent no perceptible change!

This was one of several reasons why my father and I chose to substitute a VW Type 4 style air-cooled engine.

At that juncture, I did NOT have a voltmeter, which in light of various experiences, I would also regard as a vital gauge! Voltage regulators have been known to fail, resulting in excessive supply voltages of 17+ volts even at engine idling-speed; resulting in the battery's sulphuric-acid electrolyte boiling off, resulting in the battery plates buckling and damage to the surrounding paintwork in the engine compartment. :cry:

I have yet to get around to transforming either my NOS VDO Cockpit -30~0~30A or -50~0~50A internal-shunt ammeter into an external-remote-shunt ammeter, whose shunt can be inserted directly between the alternator and battery without any need for long, thick cables to & from the dashboard.

Sat Nov 16, 2024 4:48 pm

I like your gauge/switch panel. Very nicely done.

Mon Nov 18, 2024 2:27 pm

Had a few hours at the shop yesterday.. when I wasn't busy doing property upkeep I managed to get the motor & trans dropped.

As you can see it's a 3-rib. We'll check on any maintenance it may need while it's out. already I may want to replace the front shifter rod bushing & seal.

took a crack at separating the front shift rod half and of course that didn't even budge. then found I was out of MAP gas.. so called it quits for the day.
Stopped at the harware store for gas Cyl..

in the mean time it's soaking in PB Blaster.

any hot tips for separating the front shift rod section without destroying it? I don't think I've ever accomplished that feat.. :?

Wed Nov 20, 2024 1:41 am

Turk.380 wrote: speaking of 3rd doors.. There's no door seals at all on this bus and I'd like to rectify that. The front doors are readily available, but I haven't found anywhere listing a bay window dcab 3rd door seal.. much less a RHD one. It looks like it *might* just be plain square seal like a splitty, but I haven't seen another one to compare it to yet.

anyone got a lead?

First, as a fellow RHD DoKa owner, congratulations on your find. That's very cool. And, given the odd M-code plate, is that a TKD (totally knocked down) vehicle, assembled in South Africa?

Re the crew cab doors... Indeed they have unique seals, and right is different from left. But if you ever find one let me know!

Since on the RHD DC the stock crew cab door is on the left, you have an opportunity, here. An opportunity that I took on mine, and that was to install another door on the right. The problem was finding a B-pillar, right side door, and the C-panel. But once found with a lot of patience and just damned luck, I now have a 4-door DC.

Also consider that you could upgrade the engine to a Type IV, something I also did. I have a 2.0-L FI engine in there, rebuilt by Painter's Grinding in Denver. Runs great! Heck, you could even Subarize it.

Have fun with this!

Keep an eye on the original bed for issues under that plate that got put in there. And the gates, too.

Turk.380 wrote: hoookayy... well, in trying to keep this thread on-track...
Yes, please!

Turk.380 wrote: A few lights were not working so I turned to that.. the front turn signals it turns out, do not have parking lights. Instead it has "city lights" in the headlights..
which are also entirely secured via the chrome headlight ring! the bucket, adjusters, and ring are all one assembly.

I had the same thing in my Irish RHD DC. I finally managed to source the correct headlights from Germany, and replaced the turn signals with buckets that supported turn signals. Funny how we are working through many of the same issues!

Turk.380 wrote: How about a good resource for late-bay RHD specific spares? I'd like to keep a throttle cable, clutch cable, heater control etc on-hand..
I have a pretty good collection of spares, and can get you part numbers if you need. Indeed Just Kampers and VW Heritage in the UK can help.

Take care of that RHD steering box, though. There were new ones available a Looong time ago, and I kick myself for not getting one at *only* $500, but I think you'd have trouble finding a replacement now.

Also, let me know if you want an original VW PVC tilt for that bad boy:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2614031
It's full height, which would go well with your roof rack.

Wed Nov 20, 2024 2:54 pm

jtauxe wrote:
First, as a fellow RHD DoKa owner, congratulations on your find. That's very cool. And, given the odd M-code plate, is that a TKD (totally knocked down) vehicle, assembled in South Africa?

Yes, South Africa

jtauxe wrote:
Re the crew cab doors... Indeed they have unique seals, and right is different from left. But if you ever find one let me know!

uuuhgg.. OK, I guess I'll float this question over on the Kaapse Kombi FB group.. thanks.

jtauxe wrote: Since on the RHD DC the stock crew cab door is on the left, you have an opportunity, here. An opportunity that I took on mine, and that was to install another door on the right. The problem was finding a B-pillar, right side door, and the C-panel. But once found with a lot of patience and just damned luck, I now have a 4-door DC.

I have found myself wishing that the 3rd door was still on the right/starboard side.. but this sounds like a lot more work than I'd be interested in doing to it.. cool mod though!

jtauxe wrote: Also consider that you could upgrade the engine to a Type IV, something I also did. I have a 2.0-L FI engine in there, rebuilt by Painter's Grinding in Denver. Runs great! Heck, you could even Subarize it.

ppphhhtt!!! I'd rather lick my dog's butthole!!! The only reason I opted to go after this late bay dcab was that it was an upright motor!! :lol:

jtauxe wrote: Keep an eye on the original bed for issues under that plate that got put in there. And the gates, too.

It's some kind of super-thick hard rubbery bedliner material. from underneath it all looks perfectly fine. the gates, who knows for sure. I've never seen liner like this before but pretty sure I've seen it on several other Afrika or South America trucks before.

jtauxe wrote: I have a pretty good collection of spares, and can get you part numbers if you need. Indeed Just Kampers and VW Heritage in the UK can help.

If you have some #'s handy for all the control cables, and maybe a brake pedal return spring - that may be RHD-specific too? I would appreciate it.. just to make sure I'm going after the correct bits.

jtauxe wrote: Also, let me know if you want an original VW PVC tilt for that bad boy:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2614031
It's full height, which would go well with your roof rack.

HOLY MOLY! Yeah I saw your ad a while ago and tried to convince a buddy in ABQ that was coming up here for the BNNTA weekend to haul it back for me but he didn't bite. 8)
That afore-mentioned bedliner stuff is covering the mount holes in the bed so it may be a chore.. but man, that would be SO EFFING COOL

Shoot me a PM about shipping to St. Louis!

cheers mate!

Thu Nov 21, 2024 5:44 am

orwell84 wrote: I like your gauge/switch panel. Very nicely done.

The pieces of sheet-aluminium were off-cuts I salvaged from the scrap-bins at university.

The push-button switches, are six of eight that I salvaged from a Citroën Visa car at my local car breaker's yard sometime during the early or mid 1990s.

www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-cars/psa/visa/visa01.html

https://citroencarclub.org.uk/visa-ln-lna-axel-c15/

The gauge-panel has two-pole changeover switches so that in one case I can switch the cylinder-head temperature gauge between separate thermo-couples on the left & right hand cylinder heads.

Thu Nov 21, 2024 6:08 am

Turk.380 wrote: Had a few hours at the shop yesterday.. when I wasn't busy doing property upkeep I managed to get the motor & trans dropped.

Keep in mind that if your vehicle has been re-registered outside the Republic of South Africa (e.g. USA), displaying the International Index Letters ZA for South Africa, would be illegal under International Motoring Law.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_vehicle_registration_code

https://www.autotrader.co.za/cars/news-and-advice/...know/14120

In the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, the GB sticker has been super ceded by a UK sticker since 2021. :cry:

This is one of my GB stickers, which was provided by Hoverspeed for European travel; Hoverspeed being an amalgamation of the two rival companies Seaspeed & Hoverlloyd, operating Mountbatten Class, Saunders Roe SRN4 hovercraft across the English Channel, carrying passengers, cars, vans, lorries & coaches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR.N4

Thu Nov 21, 2024 7:47 am

NASkeet wrote:
Keep in mind that if your vehicle has been re-registered outside the Republic of South Africa (e.g. USA), displaying the International Index Letters ZA for South Africa, would be illegal under International Motoring Law.

yhheeeeaa.. nobody gives a fk about that in USA

Sun Nov 24, 2024 10:15 am

Turk.380 wrote: NASkeet wrote:
Keep in mind that if your vehicle has been re-registered outside the Republic of South Africa (e.g. USA), displaying the International Index Letters ZA for South Africa, would be illegal under International Motoring Law.

yhheeeeaa.. nobody gives a fk about that in USA

One gets the impression that there are many in the USA, who regard laws, rules & regulations as something to be ignored! :shock: :twisted:

Should any USA registered vehicles stray outside the USA, bearing a non-USA International registration sticker (e.g. ZA) and lacking a USA International registration sticker, the drivers might find themselves in "hot water"; which could potentially involve significant fines or even having the vehicle impounded!

Sun Nov 24, 2024 12:11 pm

NASkeet wrote: Turk.380 wrote: NASkeet wrote:
Keep in mind that if your vehicle has been re-registered outside the Republic of South Africa (e.g. USA), displaying the International Index Letters ZA for South Africa, would be illegal under International Motoring Law.

yhheeeeaa.. nobody gives a fk about that in USA

One gets the impression that there are many in the USA, who regard laws, rules & regulations as something to be ignored! :shock: :twisted:

Should any USA registered vehicles stray outside the USA, bearing a non-USA International registration sticker (e.g. ZA) and lacking a USA International registration sticker, the drivers might find themselves in "hot water"; which could potentially involve significant fines or even having the vehicle impounded!

California just cares for Emi$$ions, You can import pretty much anything. RHD, Diesels, Synchro, Customs, cars that were never meant for the USA market. Look at all the type 34's and notchbacks that reside in the USA!!!

Don't know about other states.

Sun Nov 24, 2024 12:32 pm

ALLWAGONS wrote: NASkeet wrote: Turk.380 wrote: NASkeet wrote:
Keep in mind that if your vehicle has been re-registered outside the Republic of South Africa (e.g. USA), displaying the International Index Letters ZA for South Africa, would be illegal under International Motoring Law.

yhheeeeaa.. nobody gives a fk about that in USA

One gets the impression that there are many in the USA, who regard laws, rules & regulations as something to be ignored! :shock: :twisted:

Should any USA registered vehicles stray outside the USA, bearing a non-USA International registration sticker (e.g. ZA) and lacking a USA International registration sticker, the drivers might find themselves in "hot water"; which could potentially involve significant fines or even having the vehicle impounded!

California just cares for Emi$$ions, You can import pretty much anything. RHD, Diesels, Synchro, Customs, cars that were never meant for the USA market. Look at all the type 34's and notchbacks that reside in the USA!!!

Don't know about other states.

One can also import overseas registered vehicles (including LHD) into the United Kingdom, but they must comply with British regulations (including MOT roadworthiness criteria) that were in force at the time the vehicles were first used (i.e. registered or manufactured - corroborating documentary evidence required!) in the first country of use.

Any vehicle first used after circa 1966, must have orange direction-indicator lights at both the front & rear.

Any vehicle first used after circa 1979/80, must have rear fog lights.

Custom cars and kit cars especially are subject to very stringent regulations, including an SVA - Single Vehicle Approval inspection, which is rather expensive.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-approval/individual-vehicle-approval

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-approval/individual-vehicle-approval-manuals

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-approval/inspection-fees

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitbuilt-vehicles

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconverted-vehicles

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-altered-vehicles

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/reconstructed-classic-vehicles

Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:33 pm

NASkeet wrote:
One gets the impression that there are many in the USA, who regard laws, rules & regulations as something to be ignored! :shock: :twisted:

Should any USA registered vehicles stray outside the USA, bearing a non-USA International registration sticker (e.g. ZA) and lacking a USA International registration sticker, the drivers might find themselves in "hot water"; which could potentially involve significant fines or even having the vehicle impounded!

Well, If I ever take a wrong turn at Albuquerque and find myself accidentally on another continent, I'll keep that in mind.
As for North America, not only is it about a 3-day drive for me just to GET to another country, but I'm pretty confident that approximately 99.999% of police in the US have no idea such a law exists, nor how to write a ticket for it.

Anyway..

haven't done much more on the truck in the last week, but I did miraculously manage to separate the forward section of the shift rod without resorting to a sawzall!! :lol: :lol:

I feel like I should go buy a lottery ticket or something..

Still no luck on finding RHD 3rd door seals. :cry:

Mon Nov 25, 2024 3:12 pm

Turk.380 wrote: I did miraculously manage to separate the forward section of the shift rod without resorting to a sawzall!! :lol: :lol:
Nice work! 8)

Sat Dec 07, 2024 2:12 pm

Turk.380 wrote: NASkeet wrote:
One gets the impression that there are many in the USA, who regard laws, rules & regulations as something to be ignored! :shock: :twisted:

Should any USA registered vehicles stray outside the USA, bearing a non-USA International registration sticker (e.g. ZA) and lacking a USA International registration sticker, the drivers might find themselves in "hot water"; which could potentially involve significant fines or even having the vehicle impounded!

Well, If I ever take a wrong turn at Albuquerque and find myself accidentally on another continent, I'll keep that in mind.

As for North America, not only is it about a 3-day drive for me just to GET to another country, but I'm pretty confident that approximately 99.999% of police in the US have no idea such a law exists, nor how to write a ticket for it.

I'm not sure about 99•999% of police in the USA, but I recall a sheriff near Lake Henshaw, in California, failing to notice my father accidently dislodging a piece of timber from the porch of a general store, which he hit with the roof of the excessively wide Ford Honey RV he was driving.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Henshaw

The sheriff was so fat, the belt holding up his trousers would have gone around me plus twice around the gasworks. :shock: It's doubtful whether he could have chased after any felons displaying incorrect vehicle registration letters! I suspect that he would probably have indiscriminately fired his massive revolver, which was weighing down his trousers.

Of course, only special, dedicated rapid-reaction firearms units of the British police carry firearms, which they may only do when on duty.

Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:01 am

Turk.380 wrote: jtauxe wrote:
Re the crew cab doors... Indeed they have unique seals, and right is different from left. But if you ever find one let me know!

Oooh! Oooh! Lookie what I found:
https://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/b...oor_parts/
Look at parts #2: German quality double cab side door seal Bus LHD and RHD

And other good parts as well...

Sat Dec 21, 2024 12:00 pm

jtauxe wrote: Turk.380 wrote: jtauxe wrote:
Re the crew cab doors... Indeed they have unique seals, and right is different from left. But if you ever find one let me know!

Oooh! Oooh! Lookie what I found:
https://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/b...oor_parts/
Look at parts #2: German quality double cab side door seal Bus LHD and RHD

And other good parts as well...

It seems that the British have come to the rescue yet again! 8)

Custom & Commercial
Unit 32, Bookham Industrial Estate,
Church Road,
Great Bookham,
Leatherhead,
Surrey,
KT23 3EU,
United Kingdom

[email protected]

https://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/b...rhd_37964/

https://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/b...lhd_36649/

Whilst it is doubtless useful to obtain the replacement parts one needs, these seem inordinately expensive to me, for just extruded rubber seals, which are probably of a cross-section common to several vehicle applications!?!

Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:01 am

NASkeet wrote: Whilst it is doubtless useful to obtain the replacement parts one needs, these seem inordinately expensive to me, for just extruded rubber seals, which are probably of a cross-section common to several vehicle applications!?!
True. And in fact, the crew cab door seals are NOT just a single extrusion in cross-section. Like other door seals, there are thicker and thinner parts in the profile, and a proper one must be molded.