'83 Vanagon build thread : from the bottom ----> up

[poiz87]

[charleslabri]

Ah good call on the size. 4x8 sheet ain’t going to cut a 5x7 slot
_________________
-------------------------------------------------
An example of my labor in action:
https://www.instagram.com/wileythewesty/

My Build Thread:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730525&highlight=

[DuncanS]

Note the number of plys--this is the real stuff. No paper thick top veneer which will dissolve with the first muddy trip. Stained and varnished, it looks fantastic; no need for an additional topping so that expense can be put towards the more expensive Okoume.

Note 5 x 10--waterproof so it won't delaminate behind the sink in the GALLEY. I've heard that typing in caps is the equivalent of shouting at the recipient. Yes, I'm shouting as using KITCHEN in a T3 is ludicrous. I know this won't change anything, but guys, unless you have a 30 foot Winnebago or even bigger with full bedrooms and showers and Sears friges, you don't have a kitchen--you have a galley. Even on a 75 yacht, it is a galley.

Sorry, but this has bugged me for for 10 years on this site.

Duncan

[DuncanS]

From the web.

Why is a kitchen called a galley?

It is named after the food preparation area on ships, which are traditionally narrow, cramped spaces called galleys. Galley layouts are often when space is limited since they offer a high proportion of storage and preparation surfaces compared to circulation space, or when the kitchen area is long and narrow. May 29, 2021


Condensing it--named for food prep areas when space is cramped, narrow and limited.


Duncan

[poiz87]

Figured Galley was just military slang, especially for marines/sailors on the ships. Kind of like scuttlebutt, head, etc.
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Body is done painted. Now getting to painting the trim and bumpers.

Decided to cut-out the remainder of the rear area on both sides of the rear license plate holder. Originally drilled holes to help with ventilation, but noticed not much heat was dissipating. Added some cheap $4 gutter guard piece to prevent any debris getting into the engine bay and messing up the fan.

Here's a few pics of the rear hatch and the fiberglass that I believe is original. No moisture damage or rot. I plan to check out the sliding door this week to see if there is any rust.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[DuncanS]

Please don't use fiberglass batting. Condensation can build up and be held there which is an invitation to rust. Ask those who have pulled their galley/kitchen to discover really bad things going on behind. Since there is so much glass there and the effect of the insulation is minimal, I recommend you go with some thin closed cell flex mat and maybe some sound insulation. I also recommend this:

[poiz87]

You're right, fiberglass insulation can hold moisture for sure. During this build I tore out the interior and fixed rust and panels that were rotted. Most of it was behind and under the sink/fridge area. My guess is due to water leaks/spills from the faucet, city water, and water jug hook ups. And a bit from condensation, but I think mostly from leaks by human error allowing water to end up on the floor of the van. Besides the kitchen and floor boards at the front seat footwells, no other water damage or rust has been seen in the van, nor any of its panels. Another option is to wrap the fiberglass insulation in trash bags.

The point of these photos are to show what 3 years has done to the van panels with the fiberglass insulation open to the elements on a van parked outside for 12 seasons in Georgia/Florida weather.

These photos are of the sliding side door. I do have sound deadener adhered to the panel.

I've been looking at ideas for extra storage and will use the rear hatch and sliding door cavities for extra use.
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Decided to cut the panels into sections to allow items to be stored in the recessed cavities of the rear hatch and sliding door. Temporary solution that was free, just used windlace over the edges and a few additional screws to secure it.

Put in a new bigger battery and upgraded the 75 amp alternator to a new 90 amp alternator.

Had a problem with keeping the clutch fork engaged. I replaced the slave cylinder years ago, but never replaced the clutch master cylinder. The clutch master cylinder was the culprit. It was causing the van to creep forward while in gear, even though the clutch pedal was to the floor. I could watch the slave cylinder slowly lose pressure off the clutch fork if I had someone press and hold the clutch in.

Finished up the day with some cheap $30 Lowes carpet roll. 6'x7' piece allowed me to wrap the front end of the van, and still have a foot or so leftover.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[DuncanS]

Unless you protect the latching mechanism from stuff fouling it, the door WILL get jammed and you will spend a very long time trying to free it and open the hatch. You have to surround the mechanism on both sides and the top to prevent this from happening. I know because I thought I had done it, but not carefully enough.

Duncan

[poiz87]

Thanks for the info Duncan. I'll definitely enclose that latching mechanism before I start loading up that rear hatch with anything.

I went to North myrtle beach for st Patty day festival and celebration over the weekend and stayed at a local RV site. I did not get any photos of the van, but I did get some photos of some work I got done on it before and after the trip.

Didn't want to cut and drill anything in the van at first, but after much thought and contemplating, I decided it would be best for comfort and securing items.

Installed a power bank setup on the front dash, had to cut a square on the metal dash and get it in, but it's nice to know voltage while still having a 12v cig source and 2 usb ports with a rocker switch.

I had issues with my brake lights coming on, so I replaced both brake light switches on the master cylinder. Problem solved.

Installed this netting at the face of the bench seat. It's actually like a modified bucket as it opens like a book from the 2 bungies at the top allowing you to drop what you want in there without it sliding out at the bottom or sides.

We had a tough time remembering to keep the phones charged at nights. I put this wall outlet which includes 2 normal wall plugs like stock but now with 2 USB ports that run off the shore power hookup.

Saw some photos of storage ideas, in-particular venture libre products where they use snaps to secure bags and such. I modified some cheap bags and storage items to make it work so I'll have a place for my traveling tools. Plan is to add more items under the hanging bag and more on the fridge door.

Was able to find some cheap sized bags off Amazon that fit under the rear hatch closet area. These came as a set and slid in. Good for organization.

Many of the tools I had for my old off-roading bug got soaked and started rusting. I dumped then in this corrosion eating compound for half the day and the surface rust came right off.

Official St Patrick's day is this Friday. Plan is to take another trip this weekend for the festivities, but this time to Savannah. One of the best times I've had for st Patrick's day is there in Georgia.
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Got a shipment in from GoWesty with small odd and end things. So I went to work on the van again.

Out with the old, in with the new.

New gaskets and escutcheon for the sliding door handle.

Bolt covers for the windshield wipers shafts.

C-clips for the rear struts at the hatch.

New side view mirrors. I don't recommend the cheap JP Dansk versions, as they don't fully swivel and the angle on the arm doesn't match the originals. But now I can at least see the reflection. Blind spot replacements on the way.

Shureflow faucet and adapter plate.

Nice new stickers for the side outlets. Still unsure what I will turn the last outlet into since I removed the original water tank. I've seen air compressors, solar outlets, and other ideas that seem interesting.

Did the latch for the side door sliding window. The original plate was stripped out at the 2 counter sunk bolts. So replaced it with a new gasket. Now the window latch secures along with adding the guides for the sliding window, which are a must to keep the window raised to allow the locking mechanism to function properly.

Also got 2 new bungees for the glovebox.

Speedometer doesn't work, so I mounted an aftermarket OBD2 gauge over the speedo. Provides all kinds of data.

Finished the day by installing more organizers on the rear closet shelf with button snaps.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[DuncanS]

I redid the carpet in my '87 and it looked 98% factory. There are three tricks. First wash the carpet after rough cutting it to size in the biggest commercial machine at the local laundromat. Hot water and use twice the detergent. This will break down the sizing on the back and make it very flexible and able to go around corners. You can actually stretch it after this treatment and mold it around the fender area without cutting.

For the area forward of the gear shift, you need to make an angled cut from the floor up to behind the air duct diffuser--or whatever you call the plastic gizmo which slides in and covers the space under the radio. A small scrap triangle gets added with some super tape or the iron-on carpet joining tape. Another joint is needed where the side area joins the the floor area. After that, all will lie flat. I also recommend carrying the carpet all the way back from the gearshift zone to the step in the back where the carpet will be held in place with the metal strip. I have no idea why there is a joint across the walk through other than to reduce the size of the OG shaped piece. Use carpet cement to hold it down and it will be there forever.

Tip two--Do not use loop--only cut pile. There are thee problems with the loop. First, after washing it will not be as flexible and shapeable as cut pile due to the backing used in the manufacturing process. Secondly, it is almost impossible to vacuum all the crud out of it as stuff gets caught under the loops and wants to live there. And last, the way the carpet is made is the loops are formed from a continuous thread and once a loose end is free, the entire row will want to come out like the yarn in a knitted sweater. This can be solved with hot glue or with a soldering iron melting the thread so it can't become free, but I would not advise using loop carpet. Since you already have it and the 30 bucks are gone, try the washing and see what happens. You have nothing to lose.

Tip three--Since all this takes some time and you want a decent finished result, do not use cheap carpet. Go to a carpet store and see if they have any remanants of a commercial low cut pile you could use. It is even worth ordering a piece and paying list price. You can get the color and pile you want and it is far cheaper and better than Sewfine or the Brit alternative. Don't bind the edges. This just highlights the fact it is an aftermarket make-do. Seize the edges with carefully applied carpet cement or with a soldering iron.

With patience you will have an OG looking brand new replacement. Do it on a nice summer weekend and by Monday it will all be in and done, both front and back. Oh, don't wash the back piece as you need it stiff so it won't bunch and wrinkle.

Duncan

[poiz87]

Hey Duncan. Sounds like you did it right. Those angle cuts seem to be the trick to have it hang over properly. I just went the cheap route and bought a 6' x 7' piece of carpet from Lowes and made it work. Once I added all the extra dash trim pieces and glovebox, it covered up a lot of the imperfections. It was an easy $30 fix to make the floor look better than how it was with just the rubber mats.

Before the weekend started, I did a few additions. Made a cheap swing table with 3/4" galvanized steel from Lowes since I don't have the original front table pieces. Cost about $40 for all the pieces. Gonna add some cup holders to the wood piece and modify the metal to mount a TV when not driving.

I adjusted the Koni shocks all around to get a smoother ride.

Added all the storage pieces I can handle on rear shelf.

Finished the week up with a third brake light.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Found this shifter on Amazon. Sturdy and has the shift pattern for the VW on top. Threaded to take a 3/8 standard shifter, so I drilled it out and tapped it for the m12x1.5 threads of the shifter extension rod.

Added somemore snap-on pockets over the cabinet doors. This time on the fridge door. Set of 2 off Amazon. Should hold some of the cooking utensils nicely.

Got the original speedometer working again. The cable was broke on the old one, likely from a kink.

Added some wind and rain visors I got from busdepot. It's nice to have the windows cracked slightly on these spring days.

Worked on the sink to get the city water hook-up set right. I decided to do a new hose, but when tightening the hose to the outlet, the city water hookup plastic housing cracked! Busdepot has a newer version for sale at 40% off that has a metal backing. Will order soon

Setup the hose for city water. Used a 4' hose that comes with the dishwasher hookup assembly. Also got the check valve 3-way for the shurflow hookup.

Bought a 5 gallon jug that will fit under the sink cabinet area for fresh water along with the submersible water pump.

All hooked up. Just got to mount a few things and secure it.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Going camping at Uwharrie National forest in a bit. Still waiting on everyone to wake up to head out. Figured I'd post some updates till then.

Got the TV mounted. Found a that the passenger side front seat has an extra bolt hole, likely for a seat belt mounting hole for a jump seat. So I used that for a 24" TV. It also swivels outside so the TV can be view from the sliding door area.

Added the blind spot mirrors. And used the GoWesty side view mirror no-flop fix. Which is only just 2 pieces of sand paper Emory cloth and a nut. Highly recommended to stop the window from moving those side mirrors while driving.

Added cup holders to the center console.

Found a neat rear license plate bezel.

Added some candy cane reflectors to the engine deck lid. Just in case we breakdown on the side of the road for caution signs.

Went back to stock acceleration pedal. The subaru pedal I used was too stiff after I cut the shaft shorter at the fulcrum. Now I can drive without a foot cramp.

Added a switch to allow the radiator fans to turn on when I want. Did some samba research and found that a Toyota fog light switch fits in there with very little modification. If I had a spare VW switch, I would've used that instead. The light isn't blinding at night when switched on either.

Finally got a glove box lock with a key that works. Probably could've found a locksmith to rekey the old lock instead. But kept it simple with a $30 part instead and saved me the time and legwork of finding a locksmith.

Added cupholders to the passenger and driver side doors. In my opinion, this seemed to be the better place that won't get in the way of any mechanism on the door. And less likely to break from someone getting in/out of the van. While still being able to grab your drink while sitting and driving.

Finally encased the ECU. Located behind the passenger tail light. Never caused any problems in that location. But it's a good piece of mind knowing water shouldn't effect it. Buy i always bring a spare, just in case.

Added a new driver side grease dust cap at the driver side. The old cap was starting to round out a bit at the speedometer square hole. Just need some wheel caps that will fit over the dust cap now.

Finished up with adding heater hoses all the way to the front of the van for when I start the AC/heater upgrade behind the dash. Thinking about going with the vintage air setup as many people have done. Took a while to figure out how to bleed the system. All it ended up taking was some 2000 RPM reving to get the water pump to push that fluid to the front and get rid of any air pockets in the lines. Added a mechanical coolant temp sensor for piece of mind. Plan is to modify the top of dash to help with mounting stuff on a flat surface instead of it at an angle.

_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

Went to Uwharrie National forest last weekend. Got a few pics of the van for once while at a campground.

Got back and decided it's time to work on the poptop and get it freshened up. Got new rubber seals, poptop tent, and some fiberglass paint.

Here's what the luggage racked looked like before.

Cleaned it up and painted with rustoleum semi-gloss white fiberglass paint. Cheap and can be found at the local hardware stores.

Decided to just do 2 coats. Can do more later if needed.

Also added grommets to the holes in the luggage rack. Then drilled 5 holes in the grommets to help water drain and leaves out from under the luggage rack.

Cut the old tent to take out the main poptop.

Here's how nasty the poptop looks.

Got a sunburnt back and all the old insulation material off the poptop. This took me all day with a scrapper putty knife... painful day.

I bought headliner material from hobby lobby, 3 yards of beige. Not sure which adhesive spray I'll use just yet to get that permanent stay. But hopefuly this weekend I'll have the poptop and bumpers painted and put together. It'll be mostly indoors with this rain and cold coming in. Happy Easter fellas!
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[poiz87]

The camper poptop took a while to complete, but it's on and looking good for spring camping. Freshened up the front and rear bumpers as well.

For the bumpers, I sanded down the old beat up chrome that was poorly attempted to be painted black some years back. Sprayed it with some black wheel paint. Hopefuly it holds better than what was on there before. I drilled holes where the end piece attachments mount to the bumper and used plastic trim push-in bolts to secure it in place.

Finished removing all the old felt material on the poptop and then used permatex headliner spray glue with some cheap headliner material to make it look fresh again. Biggest thing for success is to follow directions on spray can! 2-3 coats, 5 minute wait time between coats, sprayed on both sides of the surfaces you want glued together. I did 2 coats, in opposite directions, on each surface - which used a total of 2 cans. Just under $100 in materials. I don't think the headliner will be coming down anytime soon.

I ended up with 2 coats of paint on the poptop and luggage rack. It ended up only using 1 quart of paint to complete. A 3rd coat mightve made it pop more. But I can always add more coats at a later time and am satisfied with the end results. Added a new Westfalia decal to the rear as well.

Sanded, cleaned, and painted the roof top and gutter rails before putting the tops on.

Secured the poptop tent to the poptop with Staples from a pneumatic gun. My cheap harbor freight gun and small air tank did the job.

Saw this neat van over the weekend at surf city, NC parked by the beach near the local bars/restaurant.

Finished product! Lots of aches, pains, and time during this process, but it came out how I wanted it and am proud of the work.

I think I'll be taking a break for a while when it comes to upgrading the van, but we will see. Next big ticket items are radio/speaker setup and heat/AC. Time to enjoy the van while the weather is good though!
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=

[rogertj]

Great build!
_________________
Roger
Had a Carbureted ABA after engoing the heck out of it now going for ABA 2.0 Jetta EFI ill put a garrett in to the tin can later or maybe go electric?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[poiz87]

I got a bit restless over the past 2 weeks and decided to do some things with the van while I had some free time.

Derusted the propane tank, painted it, tested it, and all works great.

Also added a shutoff valve under the sink to allow a hookup for 1 pound bottles to provide a flame to the stove top. Stove and fridge work great.

Cleaned out the flu side, just in case criters were in there.

Upgraded the city water hookup with a fan to push that hot air from the fridge to the outside. Turns on with a switch and with the fridge temp sensor.

Decided for more room in the van. So took out the 5 gallon water jug from under the sink and put a 7 gallon tank under the van. Just have to add an external water pump to the system and she should be set. Also thinking of adding a propane heated shower near the back hatch.

The transaxle started to drip on me over the past few months. I used Redline gear oil and I think it just started to wear down over time and thin out, causing a leak. Either that, or it just wasn't sealing at the seam that connects the bell housing to the main case. So I got all new seals, pulled the trans out, and now no more leaks. PITA to pull the trans and lift it back in the van with the engine still mounted, but I did it. Whew! I did some research and Upgraded the fluid to swepco 210. Thick fluid and should hold up better to the 140 hp subbie engine. No leaks anymore!

Redid the exhaust while I was under there. Went with a Thrush muffler on Amazon. Wish I went with the Hush muffler instead, as the performance Thrush muffler is a bit deep and drowns out a bit too much. Especially for being exhausted out the driver side with the windows down. Some more fabricating later on is in the works.

Took the van on a 4th of July vacation to Helen Georgia and also hiked the Tallulah Gorge. The gorge was amazing and worth the adventure if you're up for a challenge. Just be the first 100 to arrive to get free permits to see the bottom of the gorge, highly recommended - but be prepared to get wet and lots of walking/climbing up and down.

On the way there and back, I noticed I couldn't go over 65 mph without my coolant Temps rising too high for my comfort (~215*F). I haven't had this problem before, but I guess I haven't driven it much in the summer months at 90 degree weather. My radiator is still mounted in the rear behind the engine. So I make shifted an air dam scoop for the radiator, which helped a bit, but not by much. So it's the lack of cool airflow getting to the radiator coils. Proven, because once it rained and cooled off to 70 degree weather, coolant temps shot down to the 190s.

I have heater hose lines routed to the front of the van that i hooked up to a mechanical temp sensor, so I'm getting a universal heater core to mount to the front of the van - behind the vent louver. Hopefully this will allow a bit more air to pass thru some coils to help cool the system on these hot days. If it works, I'll fab up a way to use it as a heat source for the winter months as well, so I can have heat while driving too.
_________________
1974 bug build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776585
1983 vanagon build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732001&highlight=