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jimeg
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Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 510
Location: PNW
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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 Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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Sadly, but not unexpected, once the radiator came out there is of course more rust to contend with. I had felt it previously with my finger tips, right behind the front bumper on the radiator side is a seam...... Yep...a RUSTY seam! About the worst one that I've found on the car thus far.......
Also some other minor rust mostly beneath the driver area..... Better to get it now than let it eat my Van!.........
Heavy Sigh...... 
I think the key to having these units in the rust belt is a yearly crawl through program. Once a year crawl everywhere and fix any minor items such as these before they become major. That's why I do not like under coatings, they hide the rust until it has done way too much damage.
Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert
Last edited by djkeev on Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16503
Location: Brookeville, MD
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desertrefugee
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Joined: January 22, 2013
Posts: 476
Location: Phoenix, AZ. USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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Heck, I don't even live in the rust belt and you've got me crawling into these nooks and crannies checking mine! (Paranoid I guess).
So far, so good. There are good things about living in a desert.
That said, you have your hands on a nice specimen - and are doing a bang-up job catching and rectifying rust issues before they become problems.
Fun to watch.
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- 83.5 Westfalia - 2.2 GoWesty "power"
- a bunch of vintage motorcycles
- Numerous telescopes of various size and function
"For I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." - Sarah Williams |
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dhaavers
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Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7756
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work!
I love seeing you tear right into the things I've been ignoring on my own rig.
You're a good guy doing great things - very inspiring! Keep it up!
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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geo_tonz
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Joined: August 01, 2012
Posts: 1472
Location: Courtenay, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| djkeev wrote: |
Throughout life, I've found that overall honesty is the best policy.
Sometimes though....... You wonder!
I ordered a cylinder head from Bus Depot.....just one (1)....
Low and behold a delivery comes last night and inside of the box is not one but TWO (2) cylinder heads!..........
Oh......temptation rears its ugly little head...... Unsolicited deliveries are yours to keep aren't they? But why screw Bus Depot over an honest mistake?
I shoot off an email to Fred at Bus Depot.....he's sending me a freight return ticket.......
Oh well! I was THAT close to two new heads! 
Hmmmm..... Maybe if I glass bead the old head.....it will look shiny and new, put it in the box............ Nah.......that wouldn't be right either! 
Dave |
Maybe BD would cut you a decent deal to not have to ship the head back? couldn't hurt to ask...Then you have two new heads. You're a good man to not keep that one! I'd be very tempted, though I guess with a bigger ticket item like that I'd probably end up making the same call.
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 "Ron Burgundy": 1991 Vanagon Multivan (Weekender) 2.1L Auto - Driver/Camper |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Headlamp mounting.
As I've mentioned, the thought of spending $83 on headlamp mounting hardware disturbs me. What further disturbs me is how long will it last before it crumbles like my existing hardware? Not one piece of my 12 mounting points is reusable!
Here is what I have.......
I've read many posts about how to make repairs and honestly some of them are good ideas. What they all fail to consider is longevity when exposed to the harsh environment that headlights are subjected to.
Massive amounts of rain, rain water thrown up by other cars, Winter de icing chemicals dissolved in the rain water water or melted snow and thrown up into the headlamp mounting all this equates massive corrosion and rust rendering many of the work arounds useless for the long haul.
These work arounds are fuel hose and hollow wall anchors, brass plumbing fittings, even soft drink bottle caps!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385347
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=456788&highlight=headlight+adjuster
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=397173&highlight=headlight+adjuster
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=393147&highlight=headlight+adjuster[/quote]
No, I want something long lasting, something simple, something easy to create and something off the shelf CHEAP!
I want nylon, and I want stainless steel without the fragile little connectors to each headlamp bulb.
The brass plumbing plug...... I like that idea! They screw into the housing and a thread is cut for screw with the washers to hold the lamp.....I like that Idea...... The fuel hose concerns me because of decay but not totally eliminated....... The brass plugs will corrode and seize onto the threaded screw, be it ferrous, brass, or stainless steel, I've seen this all too frequently.
Ok..... Here it is!
Nylon thread hex head plumbing plugs!
The top hex is about 1/8-3/16" thick, enough to hold a thread cut into it.
These plugs are available in a variety of sizes.... 1/8" 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" 3/4"......
I found that the 1/8" the 3/8" and the 1/2" all fit into the headlamp bucket without modifying the bucket!
Only the 1/2" plug screws into the housing, the others are sized to slip I tot he existing holes.
I need to hold the nylon plugs in....... Hmmmm..... Nuts on the back side! Brilliant!
But....
They only make a 1/2" pipe threaded nut..... Ok I'll buy them, what about the other two sizes.........
Hmmmmmmm
Bronze pipe couplers! Threaded both ends......cut a little off to make nuts!
My shopping pile........
Ok, I need threaded holes in the nylon plugs....... Easy! Just connect the six points with a line across the center, where they all intersect is dead center!.......
Center punch the center and drill a #3 sized hole (tap drill size for 1/4-20 threads)...........
I used a 1/4-20 tapered tap and did not run it fully through to give some tight threads in the nylon to help prevent vibration from changing the adjustment as you drive........
I did this for all 12 plugs for both sets of headlamps.
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert
Last edited by djkeev on Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:30 am Post subject: |
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The 1/2" plugs I got "nuts" for, the other two sizes, I have to make nuts.
No problem, I've got the bronze coupler..........
I clamped them gently in the vice and sliced off both ends making a pile of bronze "nuts" for the thread sizes I need........
I then put the nylon plugs into the holes as required and threaded on the nuts to hold them firmly in place........(all of the holes are not used)
Front side........
Rear of housing showing the nuts.......
I then took my 1/4-20 stainless screws (I used 3" but they were too long, purchase 2" screws) slipped a stainless steel washer over the screw head......
Slipped the screw into the hole in the lamps.......
Slipped another stainless steel washer on the back.....
And threaded on a stainless steel nylon locking nuts squeezing the lamp gently between the washers........ Loose enough to turn, tight enough to not vibrate........
I then screwed the screws into my modified nylon plugs.........
I mounted the assembly back in the Van.....MAKE SURE THE SCREWS DO NOT PROJECT INTO ANY WIRES BEHIND THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES!!!!!!!!.....
And put the grill back on........
The new screws allow you to adjust the headlamp aiming without having to remove the grill.......just like the factory design!....... You can see the screw heads visible .........
Material list.......
6 - 1/8" Nylon Plumbing Plugs
2 - 3/8" Nylon Plumbing Plugs
4 - 1/2" Nylon Plumbing Plugs
3 - 1/8" Bronze couplers
1 - 3/8" Bronze Coupler
4 - 1/2" brass nuts from the plumbing supply house
12 - 1/4-20 x 2" Stainless Steel Phillips Headed Screws
12 - 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Nylon Lock Nuts
24 - 1/4" stainless Steel a flat Washers
#3 drill
1/4-20 Tap
Hacksaw
Pliers, Screwdrivers and wrenches as needed.
Drill
The whole supply pile set me back maybe $25. Still a fair amount of coin but consider this will last for a mightily long time! If it does fail, it will be a $1.50 Nylon plumbing plug! You win't be buying $83 worth of hardware yet again!
Enjoy!
Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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big swifty
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Joined: August 21, 2007
Posts: 246
Location: Formally in Republic of VT; now in Hollywood, FL
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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GENIUS.
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Evan
1987 Vanagon Syncro // Westfalia pop-top graft // Factory new ALH. 11mm IP. AFN 110 RC 2,3,4 // S7 turbo// Titan P502's
2013 Golf 4d TDI. No mods. Yet.
[1991 Jetta coupe TD. Giles Superpump. Custom tall 5 speed. SOLD |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7756
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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x2! This goes into the long-term "SAVE" file!
Keep it up! Can't wait to see how you handle tan corduroy... 
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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