7 seater Caravelle Syncro to camper

[vik]

Thank you. I would prefer to be finished like year ago

Bullbar - Well I sold it already. Had multiple issues with registration, weight etc.
As always - knowing what I know now I will do some things differently
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

It is about the time to let the engine run again. Exhaust is back on. I thing I can call it V2 version as flexible pipe was added to prevent braking welds. Still it is not super nice job with nice bend pipes. But it does the job.

I realized that I might have a fridge sticking out a lot as the cabinet is much less deep due to much more comfortable Westy seat. Worst case - it will be changed to ARB style fridge behind passenger seat.

Front is welded in.
List to do before painter
- bleed brakes
- install new starter battery
- fill up coolant
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[ALstew]

Do you know if he will ship to the US? I have been messaging with him on instagram and he said he was going to check with DHL but never got back to me. And I don't want to keep bugging him. Thanks.

[vik]

Today after many months the engine run again.

Obviously there has to be something to spoil the moment.
As I´m still in the dash out situation the instrument cluster is connected only trough the flat connector. Before this rebuild I installed foil replacement and as far as I do remember all worked.
Now
- I do have tach(rev counter is working)
- alternator/battery light is working
- turn signal indication is working
- clock run
the bed:
- There is no oil light, temperature bulb is blinking like there is no connection and fuel is not showing anything.

QUESTION: where shall I start? All connectors seems to be plugged in.
T7a connector?
Testing instrument cluster?
Continuity on wiring between sensor and the flat connector?

_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

[quote="ALstew"]Do you know if he will ship to the US? I have been messaging with him on instagram and he said he was going to check with DHL but never got back to me. And I don't want to keep bugging him. Thanks.

[quote="vik"]

Sorry I had to miss your post.
Well I don´t know. It is the customs thing.
I know this shop sells his filter case too https://www.be-vanlife.com/shop/t3/luftfilterkaste...r-a53fa02/ but I have not purchased from them anything.

Recently a fellow from Germany is putting an turbo subaru engine in. He just send me today a picture a intercooler water exchanger done by Zanzinger - looks super cool.

_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[ALstew]

Thanks!!! And thanks for posting that picture. This is the best spot I have seen to mount an intercooler for this type of conversion. I bugged him again and he said he could ship some stuff and will get back to me after his month long road trip.

[vik]

[vik]

Finally!!!
The rust issues has been taken care of.

End of next week to the painters and than 100 small jobs to make it road ready again
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if there any special trick to install grommet on the front doors for cables?
And second if the step rubbers shall be somehow glued to the step?

Other than that I´m almost ready to take it to the state technical inspection (which is due every 2 years here). There is still some work to be done, but the front interior apart from the drivers door is finished and I needed to order one of the headlamp adjusters as it was broken and some other small parts.

To wrap it up:
- all new window seals
- right middle and rear windows are now sliding type
- original locker switch valve was sourced and installed for front locker
There are more items on the custom office from US ready for me
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

After so many setbags, delays, frustrations and sometimes unrest within the family my Bus is road worthy again. I was almost considered to name him Mrs. Colombo.

BUT, there is always a but. CEL and after when I go to full stop my engine stalls. I got these codes which one is clear and the temperature might be linked to the MAP/MAF sensor in the intake.

I still try to make some kms before the winter with salted roads will be here and with I will see if I measured right and will have 3cm clearance in the garage doors
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[dobryan]

Love the 'Mrs. Columbo' reference from the original Columbo series ...
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Traveling after Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[vik]

I did not solved any technical problem today
Nor I visited some super nice pictures location worth sharing.
Or even no upgrade was done to my bus.

But I´m super happy
- first time in my garage
- it fits

To put some context - Originally we planned different doors (basically 4 panels where 2 are interconnected if it make sense). But locally nobody wanted to make them. So we went with the classic section type door which take up space on the ceiling. And this was not taken in consideration when the plans were drawn. Anyway 3cm is enough.

Cold weather is litle late this year, but I wanted to get it under the roof and off the road before the salty stuff is all over the place.
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Garage starts to look like a workshop slowly.
First tasks for me at the moment is to get the interior redone. I throw out all the 3x12mm wooden screws which are useless. As example whole rear unit was held together with those and L brackets.

Original material is 15mm birch plywood. I find it too soft for pocket screws so I went with Festool Domino I do have access to.

It cuts mortise and use hard wood tenon. You can see that on picture above. All glued together with PU glue and on some places supported with L brackets and screws.
The main unit with kitchen is getting to shape too.

Rear unit has new rear doors with dividers for good access. Will post more pictures later.
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Small update from my garage. There is lot of stuff going on with the cabinets, but that I will post later, no pictures

But when I looked under the back I have found a liquid. Once in the engine bay it was obvious - coolant leaking from new bottle. Maybe after 200km? I don´t remember where I purchased it. Do not want to deal with this again soon so this was slightly impulsive, but change it today. No spill. I was trying best I could to get air out of the hoses after refill. And it looks good I think.

_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[4Gears4Tires]

All that expense to go to an aluminum tank and it retains the stock blue cap? That just seems odd.
_________________
'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[vik]

Hi
I took my syncro out for first trip to Mikulov - wine region here. About 300km one way to find out if all is good.

This is not my image. I was there for stone walls workshop.
First nigh I stayed here

and on a way I found a space where the 2 red armies met in May 1945

The good
nothing fall off
The westy bed is much more comfortable than the one we had before.
12V system works good.
The bed
There might be one bowden from the heater bend as I still get some hot air from the vents
The ugly
Propsahft will need to be rebalanced as I get a vibration around 90km/h (off city speed limit)
Error 24 is probably related to issue with VSS or cable between VSS and ECU. When I look for speed I get 0 or random low speed.

There is still some interior parts like overhead locker I need to do. But first these issues has to be sorted along with complete oil change for engine and drivetrain after the rebuild. As we changed so many times it takes some time to dial it in fully.
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Sorting my stuff out...
Propshaft was dropped and I delivered it to the shop rebuilding these. I thought balancing would do, but they pointed me to the play in UJs as well the coupling (donut) was overdue replacement with many cracks forming. This is how I picked it up

Installed and have no vibration anymore. Done

Error 24 - After cleaning intake, replacing the idle valve still nothing. Friend pointed me out to VSS as when the Subaru ECU don´t see speed when braking with the engine it sees so many conflicting information that it throws up a code.
1. changed the VSS as the old one had tip slightly filed away. Again don´t ask me why it started to rub after several K km. No change
2. Tested the VSS manually turning the input shaft and checking speed on FreeSSM diagnostic. It was working. When driving - nothing. Than by accident I noticed that when the lights are on - VSS is off. Made short test ride without lights and it seems all is working. VSS was grounded on gray wire with blue stripe which is always present with bulbs. Not sure why as I was not installing this. Routed to the ground tree. Done Need to make proper test drive, but wish me luck.
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Well, clock is ticking. On Friday we are planning do depart for 3weeks of Balkan fun. The idea on way there is following:

Other than this last minute final maintenance.
- engine oil and filter change ✔ (Motul/Bosch)
- gearbox and front diff oil change ✔
- poptop new gasket ✔
- greased shiftier and replaced nut for self locking ✔
And so many small things like insurance and so on.

Changing the gearbox oil was dirty.

And obviously the engine protection had to be removed. Magnet (this is from diff, but the gearbox was similar) did not had anything worrying after the rebuild.

Last thing to do before we will start packing was the poptop seal. The old one was falling and it was really dirty around

Major spares are in the Bus along with tools. Lets hope I won´t need them.
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

This is not a dead thread
We took advantage of local bank holidays and went to Italy to show our 8 year old Venice.
We took advantage of great camp site out of Venice lagoon directly on the beach where I met fellow Samba member David (Mud$hooter) with his tastefully done Syncro Hightop.
After some beach time (water was still quite cold honestly) we went to Venice. Unfortunately weather turned to cold and rainy so we left early and visited some interesting places along the way and had good luck for nice overnight spots. Last few nights were not great as temperatures dropped to 3C and rain. In the poptop without thermal insulation was really cold.
Thermal springs in Villach (AUT) was great to heat up again.
Saltzburg castle was really ineresting. Unfortunately the Hangar 7 from RedBull was closed. Last stop before home was Passau where Donau and Inn are merging.

First night above Mondsee (AUT)

Camping spot

Venice - Best stuff was outside the city center anyway

Camping by memorial for Alpini- Terrazza sul Tagliamento (italian mountain divisions) above river Tagliamento where in summer you can do some driving. Due to the rains it was not possible at all. Around this point north there were some heavy fighting during WW1 up to the mountain tops. There are some parts of the fortifications possible to visit.

Above same river

Goriuda waterfall

And Passau:

_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress

[vik]

Preparing for summer:
Aftermath of the Italy is one broken rear CV booth. This has to be addressed before we will go in July. Not sure where. Either central France or Balkan countries again.
Anyway - Since 2011 I have AC kit in a box. Well I build a house and rebuild few things on my Syncro. So this is the plan
- Noise/thermal insulation of drivers area
- AC install
- I´m booked for exhaust repair as I do finally have the correct holders
- few bits and bobs around based on time

#1 the insulation.
Driver side had some factory insulation which was cracked and moisture got under it. Over this was a cork layer broken in multiple places. I did 2 layers. First was polymer/Al sandwich followed by closed foam

¨

Heater core is connected. Now I need to tight down the unit and order the AC lines with fittings
_________________
T3 Syncro camper in progress