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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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 Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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| Matt_H wrote: |
| Shoyrtt wrote: |
| Matt_H wrote: |
I thought this was my van for a second ! 
We should definitely swap notes, meet my 1959 Project : )
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That looks great! I like to see I'm not alone with the swap. You see a lot of Bay and Vanagon people who do this, but not so much in the Split world. |
A few more photos here https://www.instagram.com/the.cornish.one/
I started planning mine way back in 2015 and had a few threads on here about it, but sadly they all got lost (as well as my profile) so I'm now here looking like a newbie  |
The photos on your IG account look good! I'd really like to get this bus running and driving by the summer and then I will start the bodywork. A Frankenbus doesn't need to be pretty. |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 12:26 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Made the shifter rod adjustable
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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The stainless exhaust is finished. Lots of cutting and tig welds to get it nice and tucked in.
Last edited by Shoyrtt on Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Matt_H
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2022
Posts: 25
Location: Cornwall, UK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 11:43 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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| Shoyrtt wrote: |
Radiator in place. Fans, plumbing and ducting are next.
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I can't see anything in your setup for a heater matrix ? If you see my bellypan picture, you'll see the takeoffs for the heater, and a box with the control valve in it |
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Matt_H
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2022
Posts: 25
Location: Cornwall, UK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 11:52 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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| Shoyrtt wrote: |
The stainless exhaust is finished. Lots of cutting and tig welds to get it nice and tucked in.
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Nice !
I wanted mine to be as quiet as possible so I took it forward so I could have a bigger silencer box and a side exit exhaust:
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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| Matt_H wrote: |
1. I can't see anything in your setup for a heater matrix ? If you see my bellypan picture, you'll see the takeoffs for the heater, and a box with the control valve in it
2. I wanted mine to be as quiet as possible so I took it forward so I could have a bigger silencer box and a side exit exhaust:
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1. As far as the heater, we haven't started that yet. Just a mock up of the radiator location and you can see the angle iron used to lower it slightly and provide some protection. I like the takeoffs you have in place along with the box. Slick setup!
2. We talked about having the muffler forward, but I was concerned about another heat source under the bus near the cooling system. I live in the inland desert of Southern California (about 80 miles east of LA) where our summertime temperatures can reach 115 degrees (46c) so my thought was to run it out the back similar to an ACVW. My guess is the Chinese stainless muffler will be pretty loud, so I might need to change it in the future. Back in the 80s, my Cal Look bug had a stinger exhaust without the baffle, so I'm used to a noisy VW. |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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A progress picture of the radiator set up. The dual fans are in place and holes cut for the coolant lines.
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:11 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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I ordered one of VW Jim’s remote brake booster kits that we are waiting on from the UK, so next up is to start the 3.5” steering box raise. Headed to the Winter OCTO meet today to look for more parts. 
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Another update on the steering box raise. Nice and beefy.
The front 1/3 nose piece that came from Oregon did not have a clutch, brake or throttle pedals so I bought cut out from a wrecked bus that had all three. It was a little rusty and it took a lot of persuasion to get the pedals free. The brake push rod is not cooperating at the moment and might need to be replaced.
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:26 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Another update on the old pedal assembly. I didn't notice that the return spring for the brake pedal was missing. I searched here on the Samba for a replacement spring and even reached out to a couple of vendors that I have used in the past to see if they had one. No luck. I could buy a used brake pedal unit with the spring for $120, but that was about it. 
I did a quick search and found this on eBay. Hopefully it will work.
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69827
Location: Phoenix Metro
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Everett, thank you for the information about WW having the spring. I thought I knew every page on the WW website and somehow missed the fact that they have "Bus Chassis Components" which also included the brake push rod I also needed to replace. I bought a used rod from Corey and paid more than the WW price. Its good to put some German parts on the bus again.
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=211721205E |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 7:44 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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The brake push rod came in the mail. Here is the old repaired piece, side by side with the possible replacement. Which one is correct? Does the rod length correlate with the master cylinder that is being used? Long rod on a single circuit and a short rod on a dual?
Edit: I found this thread which helps answer the question.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=438127&highlight=push+rod |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:32 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Pulled the steering box and sent it off to Wolfgang to get rebuilt. I picked it up at one of the swaps at Prado Park a few years ago.
https://wolfgangint.com/steering/1347-steering-boxes-211415049bwg.html
Here is the area without the box and a different view of the fab work that went into the raise.
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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The VW Jim brake booster will be located up front. Sean made a custom bracket for it to rest in. The only picture I could find online shows the unit mounted in the engine bay which would require lots of brake lines running from the master cylinder to the booster and then back up front, but would have a short vacuum line. Mounting it up front seems to make more sense as far as it will have a more traditional brake line configuration. The vacuum line will just be longer.
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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Murt
Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2017
Posts: 304
Location: Suffolk, England
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| Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 12:11 am Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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Hi @Shoyrtt
I bought one of their Speedos as well, and just thinking about getting round to installing in the next few weeks. Thinking I may wait now and hopefully see how you get on ?
Weather is awful here in the UK at the moment, it's snowing here as we speak !!! As I said, hopefully you'll document your install ? and let us know how well it went. Apparently videos I have seen say that no other fixing rings are required including the original bezel ?
Cheers, and all the best
Dave
_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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| Murt wrote: |
Hi @Shoyrtt
I bought one of their Speedos as well, and just thinking about getting round to installing in the next few weeks. Thinking I may wait now and hopefully see how you get on ?
Weather is awful here in the UK at the moment, it's snowing here as we speak !!! As I said, hopefully you'll document your install ? and let us know how well it went. Apparently videos I have seen say that no other fixing rings are required including the original bezel ?
Cheers, and all the best
Dave |
Dave, I'm not sure the install will happen in the next weeks. I am curious to see the backside of the original VW speedometer to look for a date stamp to determine if the nose was really from a 62. I think I saw the same video you did about the Speedhut unit not needing the fixing rings or the bezel. I'll keep you updated, but you might be ahead of the game my friend!
Jim |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2023 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: The 1959 Franken Project |
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The bus is looking a little heavy in the rear now that she is off the lift for a bit. The engine and trans have to come out soon to install the gas tank and the shifter rod, so we need a notch or two with the torsions to deal with the weight.
I just got word that Wolfgang has shipped the rebuilt steering box. Clutch and brake pedals are in place as the work continues.
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