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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 10:53 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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Wow I can see the floor again.
After months of just throwing boxes of parts in here I got sick of the mess and honestly couldn’t find the burley upper arms lol so I wanted to get started on the front suspension today but it’s raining pretty decent, so I decided to just organize everything I could so I at least knew where stuff was, which now feels much better. I can see in the van again. My plan is to try and bang the whole front end out on Friday/saturday. New front axles, lower and upper control arms, new bilstein b6 struts and new schwenk springs. I also bought bearings bearings to do but pending time that might get shelved til a later date, obviously pending condition of the current bearings. Hoping for good weather that’s not too hot/beaming sun so I can get everything done. |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2025 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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So Friday I spent some time organizing tools; then I started to pre assemble some parts and realized I don’t have new bump stop bushings or strut bushings, ordered those and dust covers for the front struts. I also realized I should replace the spring seat bushings as well. So ordered all of that. Going to try and again do it all at once instead of multiple times.
Went and visited a buddy and used this press to press in the new ball joints in the ball joint brackets. Now that’s done I’m a step closer to being able to install the new control arms. I also installed the upper and lower control arms.
Progress is slow but I keep realizing I need more parts every time I work on it a little bit. |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2025 4:54 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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Received my powerflex bump stop bushings and strut top bushings. Also got a new upper strut washer and dust covers. Now I’m still waiting on the new spring bushing.
Looks nice and solid and is made to accept after market springs. Supposedly just came out in april so I’m curious if anyone else has installed them yet.
Also got some powerflex control arm bushings as I did not like the go westy ones, the fit was off. The plastic sleeve mushroomed everytime I installed. After emailing them they said oh it’ll be fine once installed. Sorry I don’t like that answer so I ordered the powerflex as most of the van already has powerflex bushings anyway. |
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4Gears4Tires Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018 Posts: 4390 Location: MD
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2025 8:18 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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That's some good progress, man! The GW lower control arms look really nice and beefy. Won't have to worry about them for 4 decades at least. _________________ '87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| That's some good progress, man! The GW lower control arms look really nice and beefy. Won't have to worry about them for 4 decades at least. |
Thanks. Hoping once the spring bushings come in, sooner than later I’ll have it all installed and aligned.
I wanted the Burley lower arms but at $2500 for the set I could not justify the price. The go westy’s were pricey enough at $1000 for the set. Like you said these should last a long time. |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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| I’m going to have a bunch of old parts up for sale/grabs, upper and lower control arms, I also have the OG bumper with hitch built in, no cover it was rotted. If anyones in the tristate area and wants some parts hit me up, I’d rather not scrap them but I sadly don’t have storage where I can just shelf them til another day. |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 6:48 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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These are technically still on back order as they’re having an issue with the tooling for the mold, but I was given the “pre production” set used for photos for the press release. Hoping to get home installed ASAP. I now finally think I have everything I need to do the front end refresh. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 24347 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2025 11:24 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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I’ve got some space around Port Jefferson area. Pm me for contact. _________________ 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊 |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 6:45 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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Going to try and work on the van after work, I might have 45 mins before it gets dark but really just trying to prep for tomorrow. I have the day off for a holiday so I’m gonna try and get as much done as I can.
As I’ve been thinking about and contemplating my front end refresh and axle replacement due to it clicking, I’m curious if my diff mounts being so shot are affecting the angle of the axle cups causing more stress. I’m gonna place an order for them soon but for now it is what it is. |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2025 12:10 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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Curious if anyone’s used FAS’s engine mount system? The hydraulic mounts look like a nice upgrade to a solid bar mounted to the body. |
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Daehtihs Samba Member

Joined: August 08, 2024 Posts: 7 Location: Boston
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 12:25 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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| I converted to his engine cradle system. I have a 2.0 Tico inline 4 cyl. The hydraulic mounts are great. I've put 4,000 miles on the van since it was installed. Works great, no complaints. |
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khughes Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013 Posts: 914 Location: Phoenix AZ
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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| chillzombies wrote: |
Curious if anyone’s used FAS’s engine mount system? The hydraulic mounts look like a nice upgrade to a solid bar mounted to the body. |
There are a lot of us here with FAS conversions, and we all use that mounting system. It's extremely good at taming vibrations and resonances. In conjunction with their exhaust hanger system there are little to no vibrations noticeable inside. I had the exhaust hanger system on my Tiico for several years and it tamed most of the resonance issues with the Tiico exhaust (mine was pretty horrible). I'd really suggest doing both if you want the smoothest, quietest ride. _________________ '86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin) |
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chillzombies Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Long Island, New York
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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2025 11:29 am Post subject: Re: My 87 syncro build |
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| khughes wrote: |
| chillzombies wrote: |
Curious if anyone’s used FAS’s engine mount system? The hydraulic mounts look like a nice upgrade to a solid bar mounted to the body. |
There are a lot of us here with FAS conversions, and we all use that mounting system. It's extremely good at taming vibrations and resonances. In conjunction with their exhaust hanger system there are little to no vibrations noticeable inside. I had the exhaust hanger system on my Tiico for several years and it tamed most of the resonance issues with the Tiico exhaust (mine was pretty horrible). I'd really suggest doing both if you want the smoothest, quietest ride. |
So I’m thinking of purchasing one and making custom mount brackets for the 07k 5 cylinder or possibly the 1.4t. Both have a lot of after market support at the moment. Sadly no one sells mounts by themselves, only boxeer sells the 1.4t mounts but with the kit only it seems. |
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