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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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 Posted: Thu May 01, 2025 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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Finally all one colour (sort of). Welded some small chunks of round stock to the Mercedes 16” steelies so I can fit stock hubcaps. Looking a bit less of a mess.
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17051
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2025 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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Added a rusty used rear cargo carrier, built a front receiver for my winch:
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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu May 15, 2025 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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Bewinched.
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 4038
Location: MD
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| Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 9:33 am Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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Well you know your hitch welding is solid. Good job! Pics on how you did it?
_________________
'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition |
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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| Well you know your hitch welding is solid. Good job! Pics on how you did it? |
This is one part I didn't really photograph, but I will take some pics and post them. I think I will make a new thread at some point with both the rear hitch and front receiver build info.
Short answer is: there is a front bracket that I rosette-welded to the heavy pinch seam on the bumper support, and then a 1.5" heavy wall square tube that runs horizontally behind the grille, and that horizontal member is welded to a couple of 1/4" thick vertical tabs that are welded to the unibody at the back of the bumper support (in front of where the spare tire sits).
Kind of hack to weld on permanently, but it's stealthy enough that I don't foresee ever wanting to unbolt it. The welds will have burned off any protective paint inside the bumper support cavity, but I've hosed a bunch of fluid film up in there to slow down any rust. |
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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 12:25 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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A bit more finish on the interior: some vinyl edging to finish the bench edges, slider doors finishing the under seat storage, and a pull-out for dishes in the cupboard. The big drawer has a bit of organization for food and bulkier items. I added an overhead shelf and mounted the lighting under, kept it short to allow room to get your face over the sink. There is still far less storage than in a Westy without the side cupboard or rear cabinet, but the queen-sized bed is proving to be worth the compromise.
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 8130
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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That's a very nice interior. Well done.
Was it coincidence that you posted about adding the winch and then got stuck in the sand or did you intenionally get stuck in the sand to try the winch?
_________________
- Jim
| Butcher wrote: |
| This is the main fault with DIY'ers, they get together on these forums and pat themselves on their backs spreading bad information. |
Guilty as charged.
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 8130
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 1:10 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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That's a very nice interior. Well done.
Was it coincidence that you posted about adding the winch and then got stuck in the sand or did you intenionally get stuck in the sand to try the winch?
_________________
- Jim
| Butcher wrote: |
| This is the main fault with DIY'ers, they get together on these forums and pat themselves on their backs spreading bad information. |
Guilty as charged.
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Jung1
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2023
Posts: 82
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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| jimf909 wrote: |
That's a very nice interior. Well done.
Was it coincidence that you posted about adding the winch and then got stuck in the sand or did you intenionally get stuck in the sand to try the winch?
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Hah! I’ve been planning this trip to camp on the beach for a while, so the winch setup was preparation. Nothing intentional about getting stuck, I was just optimistic about how well a 215 width tire would do in soft sand. I’m at 15psi in the rears here, if I wanted to stage a stuck I’d probably pick somewhere without the tide coming in  |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3603
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Less slow, less heavy: Ecotec powered camper project |
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| Jung1 wrote: |
| Finally all one colour (sort of). Welded some small chunks of round stock to the Mercedes 16” steelies so I can fit stock hubcaps. Looking a bit less of a mess |
Wish I lived near you, I’d be over begging for the same on my MB 16” Steelies
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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