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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:34 pm Post subject: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Hey guys,
After 4+ years of overlanding from South America to Alaska I am now coming to a turning point. I must give away my current Bus (as promised) and find a new vehicle to continue.
The roads coming up will likely be even worse as I am looking to drive to Asia and as such my thoughts are turning to what steps I must take over the coming months to build a bus as strong and capable as possible.
Putting budget aside for a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what mods you would make to a stock VW Bus.
I'm especially interested in:
Strengthening / upgrading suspension
Best possible over engineered braking option
Bullet proof engine - but which one?
Security
Camping mods
Any advice and links to products greatly appreciated.
_________________ Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife |
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TomWesty Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2007 Posts: 3482 Location: Wyoming,USA
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:46 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Skills in 5,4,3,2,1........
But seriously folks..... My vote if you want to stay air cooled is a mildly modified 1600 dp with dual carbs. No FI. Otherwise, go Subaru. The guy from Belgium might be helpful on this. Don't recall his name, but he has travelled extensively with his Orange bus with a type 4. He I usually in a convoy situation though and not on his own. _________________ If you haven't bled on them, you haven't worked on them.
Visit: www.tomcoryell.com and check out my music!
Last edited by TomWesty on Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12721 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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http://earthroamer.com
[/thread] _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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aerosurfer Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2012 Posts: 1602 Location: Indianapolis, IN
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Google U N I M O G
There is your answer _________________ Rebuild your own FI Harness..My Harness
77 Westy 2.0L Rockin and Rolling Resto!
72 Sportsmobile (sold)
79 Tran$porter... Parts car money machine (gone) |
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skills@eurocarsplus Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007 Posts: 16859 Location: sticksville, ct.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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TomWesty wrote: |
Skills in 5,4,3,2,1........ |
buy a suburban. call it done. you could eat paper and shit money and you'll still never have enough to build the bus you want. sorry.
the build alone would take a few years. and unless you just found a leprechaun on your vacation, judging by all of your financial issues you REALLY don't have the $$$ to build it.
starting with a clean bus, you will need 100K+ to build what you want.
buy a suburban. they would love to read a thread on your travels. how unfair of us to keep all of the stories in the vw world
plus GM parts are everywhere, cheap _________________
gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
Jake Raby wrote: |
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
Brian wrote: |
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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timvw7476 Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2013 Posts: 2200 Location: seattle
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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aerosurfer wrote: |
Google U N I M O G
There is your answer |
umm,..... $$$$$, plus diesel familiarity.
Brave new world, here Hasta comes!
+ most are speed-limited too. Crawlers, mechanical llamas, actually. |
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TomWesty Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2007 Posts: 3482 Location: Wyoming,USA
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Big expensive wussmobile! (If I had the dough I'd roll one!) _________________ If you haven't bled on them, you haven't worked on them.
Visit: www.tomcoryell.com and check out my music! |
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timvw7476 Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2013 Posts: 2200 Location: seattle
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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TomWesty wrote: |
Big expensive wussmobile! (If I had the dough I'd roll one!) |
What's a picture of a 500hp starter-house doing here? |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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Spike0180 Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2015 Posts: 2269 Location: Detroit, Michigan
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Late 80's water cooled syncro westy.
Or a e250 econoline that every business uses in the USA. Those things are bulletproof, cheap, and tons of room for sleeping.
https://www.carfinderservice.com/used/pictures/e250/ _________________ Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp
Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"
Last edited by Spike0180 on Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51121 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Spike0180 wrote: |
Late 80's water cooled syncro westy.
that's definitely still on the 'none Bus options' list |
skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
starting with a clean bus, you will need 100K+ to build what you want.
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I'd never be able to self fund a project like the one we have lined up next. We will be looking for equipment sponsors. THere are already a number of organizations interested in the project. so like I said above, I'd love Anyone who knows anything about bus mods in the categories mentioned to share info and links
Skills feel free to share your dream $100 shopping list with us all.
Brian wrote: |
4x4 would be the luxury among luxuries
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4x4 would be useful, there will be many on road miles also. perhaps a limited slip differential would make a good compromise?
The reason I would like to stick with a Bus is because I feel that the vehicle connects us with people' that we encounter and opens up social opportunities like no other. a big part of my travels is learning from interactions with inspirational people that we meet, the bus is a great facilitator for this. _________________ Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife |
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chabanais Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2002 Posts: 4866
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ultralite Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 570 Location: GA
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:53 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Well this guy made it around the world 3 times in a '55 Beetle: http://youtu.be/Cw92qL0sUmo So one could argue that a stock Bus would do the trick.
I agree with Skills that a Suburban would be a great choice, I'd take one anywhere. There are folks who have put a Westfalia top on them as well.
But I see what you're saying, it's true that the Bus just seems to connect people. And for some folks, that's the real fun in travel.
Why not a stock 71 with disc brakes? Type 1 simplicity with good braking... _________________ Godspeed
'76 Beetle (sold)
'69 Beetle (sold)
'72 BMW 2002 (RIP)
'69 Westy
'02 BMW wagon AWD w/stick shift(sold)
'67 Beetle (sold) |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51121 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:57 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Yep, that or a landcruiser wagon would be my #1 choice, but far too tough and reliable for Ben's needs, can't make good video if it never breaks, who'd follow along?. Surely they don't tune in just for the adventure, scenery and skilled cinematography and writing do they?
Watch any news footage from far away in a remote and underprivelidged land where the fighting is in a hostile environment, it's the choice of jihadists worldwide _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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HastaAlaska wrote: |
... The reason I would like to stick with a Bus is because I feel that the vehicle connects us with people' that we encounter and opens up social opportunities like no other. a big part of my travels is learning from interactions with inspirational people that we meet, the bus is a great facilitator for this. |
Then you should use a Toyota. VW buses are almost non existent in Asia. Most of the few that are there have been converted into food stands.
Toyotas are common and what most people drive other than Volvos and Mercedes. They are also the choice of ISIS and there are many spare parts available.
Aloha
tp |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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The Toyota Hilux is probably the best designed vehicle to exist. There is a good reason that every other country utilizes them.
Yes, LSD would help. There's that one dude on here that has the orange bus that does what you're talking about. _________________ Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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Cap10323 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2016 Posts: 604 Location: Ohio
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Typically, I'm all for people adventuring in Busses. But seriously, you are absolutely delusional if you think that you can get a bus and build it up to drive around the world.. You've already spend truly absurd amounts of time and money (not to mention exploiting dozens of people) getting your clapped out bus from South America to Alaska..
C'mon man, Lets be reasonable here.. Skills is totally right, Buy something newer, Watercooled, more reliable, and easier/cheaper to find parts for.
I'd vote for something with 4WD/AWD, Solid axels, and a large iron-bore engine.
If you ABSOLUTELY MUST have a VW Bus, Buy a Synchro westy and put a 2.5l subaru engine in it.. |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Aloha
tp |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?! |
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Cap10323 wrote: |
You are absolutely delusional if you think that you can get a bus and build it up to drive around the world.. |
Anyone would think I'm the first person trying to this?!
Tom Powell wrote: |
Then you should use a Toyota. VW buses are almost non existent in Asia. Most of the few that are there have been converted into food stands.
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You make a good point. The Thailand VW club is pretty small compared to the USA. Parts would definitely be hard to find. This is part of the reason I am asking about upgrade options before hand.
I appreciate everyone's advice about the Toyota, for me this is as much about human connection as it is mechanical challenge. I 100% agree a modern water-cooled 4x4 would be the best option for driving around the world. But I am driving principally to connect with people. The Bus is the best tool for that, but I need advice on strengthening it mechanically.
I was wondering how long it would be before that popped up. _________________ Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife |
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