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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 12:28 pm Post subject: How to open the hidden area under the RearSeat/EngineCover |
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Does anyone recall a posting that show how to cut open the
area behind the rear seat to expose a compartment
where you could put a battery or in my case I'd put the starter battery
and the ecu cluster for a eTDI conversion leaving the area under the rear seat for storage only ..???
then the passenger / driver storage will be 2 deep cycle batteries
or at least maybe recall who posted the how to _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold)
Last edited by tclark on Sun May 15, 2011 2:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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purplepeopleeater Samba Member
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Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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You mean under the drivers seat right? |
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pjinaz Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2008 Posts: 70 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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No, I think he means the rear seat.I'm pretty sure it was Andrew Libby. Wasn't the title something like
"Haven't you ever wanted to do this" _________________ 85 Westy Weekender |
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pjinaz Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2008 Posts: 70 Location: Arizona
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Bingo we have winner, yah that is exactly what I want to pull off
what did you use to search that with .. _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold) |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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OK I did the dirty deed today
But not quite as dramatic as mr libby
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=397722
but still very cool
I simply cut out the top of the cargo area
http://members.shaw.ca/trclark/vwvan/cargo/P7160017.JPG
used aluminum 1" square stock to make the new box frame
http://members.shaw.ca/trclark/vwvan/cargo/P7160018.JPG
& welded in a angled stainless steel support
to replace the support we loose when cutting out the hatch
then used door edge to face off the cargo access door
http://members.shaw.ca/trclark/vwvan/cargo/P7160020.JPG
next week end I drop in the new cargo box
freeing up the under rear under seat storage
The new cargo box will be screwed into the box frame eg the aluminum 1" square stock , so i can remove if i want better access to the tranny, starter etc
EPDM be applied to box frame for the water tight seal
and grommets for the battery cable exits
now I am less than 12" from battery + to the solenoid & maybe 24" from tranny ground
I am not sure how much space i will loose by not opening up the rear side & using that to access the new storage compartment
but the space i have will easily handle by larger 1000 cca battery & the ecu & relay with space to spare ..
might be able to keep some other spare parts in the box as well
total time actually working about 5 hrs
looking for parts hinges, the metal stock,caulking blah 4 hrs
time spent measuring figuring how big to cut & getting the kahoonas to let the zip cutter fly end less
ps I can see RMW offering kit for this entire project shorty including a simple template you line up the zip cutter with...
seems like such a no brainer vw should have done it day 1 _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold)
Last edited by tclark on Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:16 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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240Gordy Samba Member
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Joined: May 15, 2008 Posts: 2354 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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Yes nice work. Yup some kind of kit would be
A best seller! Battery box and the wiring to hook er up for
Us electrically challenged types.
How would access to the starter and solenoid be through there? _________________ Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
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Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Great work. Fun to see other implementation of the idea. |
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tencentlife Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006 Posts: 10078 Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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Let's just say the sales to the Syncro crowd would be, uh, booming? _________________ Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
Please don't PM here, I will not reply.
Experience is kryptonite to doctrine. |
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vannin Samba Member
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Joined: January 07, 2011 Posts: 89 Location: N.S.W. Australia
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Great idea, not quite as radical as the other post but still very useful
What are the limitations under there? Do you have rough measurements where the hatch is made?
Nik |
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Syncroincity Samba Member
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Joined: April 15, 2007 Posts: 1557 Location: New York City
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goffoz Samba Member
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 1486
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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tencentlife wrote: |
Let's just say the sales to the Syncro crowd would be, uh, booming? |
![Laughing](images/smiles/icon_lol.gif) |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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vannin wrote: |
What are the limitations under there? Do you have rough measurements where the hatch is made?
Nik |
OK we have 32" long by 9 1/4" wide & 8-8.5" deep..suits my needs for ecu & wire harness from under the seat & moving the battery above the solenoid
Now this is a westy so we have the cabinet interference it could be longer (maybe 36+ inches if you do the Libby, the depth is kinda funky you have the top of the solenoid interference so 8" deep is for a flat cargo box if you box that in we could go an honest 10" deep in the rest of the box then sterp back up at the edges again to 8"..
and the 9 1/4 width not much you can do here except change you framing & use angle bar you could get another 1.5-2inches wide so max I say is
36-40" Long, by 10.5-11.5 inches wide & 8-10inches deep
I wonder what andrew's opening is ?
You can also following the line of the rear seat & go for maybe a 45 ish angle of the box & get more width toward the bottom of the cargo box _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold)
Last edited by tclark on Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Antron Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2004 Posts: 289 Location: Greenville Mi
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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as a syncro owner.. id be tempted to cut a panel just to access the starter if i thought it would be a help for the god awful job of starter changes !
For once Im jealous of the 2wd van owners ! thats impressive storage
Bob |
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vannin Samba Member
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Joined: January 07, 2011 Posts: 89 Location: N.S.W. Australia
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:45 am Post subject: |
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I was eyeing this up today. Mine is air cooled so maybe different? There is the blower motor (new to T3s) but looked like a good bit of storage Im just looking for somewhere to house the 2nd battery anything else is a bonus.
I did think about in the cavity infront of the left side brake lights is there any reason not to do this as well?
Thanks Nik |
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James 93SLC Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2009 Posts: 937 Location: NE Ohio
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 5:35 am Post subject: |
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Did you use a plasma to cut that? Those cuts are so straight and clean.
_________________ -------------------------
91 Vanagon Carat
93 Corrado SLC
-------------------------
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/slc.corrado
--------------------------------------------------------
tencentlife "Sometimes a pooka is a problem and sometimes it's just a pooka" |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:49 am Post subject: |
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James 93SLC wrote: |
Did you use a plasma to cut that? Those cuts are so straight and clean.
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tclark wrote: |
time spent measuring figuring how big to cut & getting the kahoonas to let the zip cutter fly end less |
just a used $25 angle grinder with a zip cutter blade & wet towels every where
/me has badge of honor in the driver seat when i got lazy & did not stop all the flying sparks a few weeks back when I was doing the body work
you are also looking at the finished project covered with door edge
http://www.brandsport.com/trmg-2205-b.html 3/8"
and urethane caulking to seal the 1" stock to the corrugated rear cargo bay
and fill the voids on the alternating high section(s) of the cargo bay _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold) |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
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Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:08 am Post subject: |
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A metal cutting blade in a power jigsaw will cut as clean and straight and doesn't cause any sparks. |
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goffoz Samba Member
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 1486
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:18 am Post subject: |
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Andrew A. Libby wrote: |
A metal cutting blade in a power jigsaw will cut as clean and straight and doesn't cause any sparks. |
Ditto that...and use a fine tooth blade, and a slower recip speed if you hav a variable.
What I like to do is take the ends of hacksaw blades and trim them to fit my jigsaw (use a dremel and a separating disc.)
These cut real smooth, and last longer ...and I can make them length appropriate for the job |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:22 am Post subject: |
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tclark wrote: |
vannin wrote: |
What are the limitations under there? Do you have rough measurements where the hatch is made?
Nik |
I wonder what andrew's opening is?
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Andrew can you post your dimensions of the storage space you created
either here on or on the other thread just for comparison
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=397722 ?
I am kinda curious how much smaller in the end this version will be _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold) |
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