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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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 Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 9:28 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| soissisc wrote: |
| What happens if one pot goes bad, or a wire breaks? |
Then the system just won't be able to level itself automatically. I will have to do so manually (which is how I've been driving it for the past few months without them installed). In the event of a sensor failure, the remote will tell me which corner the problem is on so diagnosis is easy. I've never heard of someone with a sensor failure unless they installed them in such a way that it overextends and breaks.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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soissisc
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2007
Posts: 632
Location: Western Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:31 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Cool, your bus is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
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Mark
68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up) |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:37 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| soissisc wrote: |
| Cool, your bus is awesome. Thanks for sharing. |
Thanks!
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Looks like I've been MIA on here for a little bit again. After installing the height sensors, I've just been driving daily, no issues. I haven't been up to much on the bus until recently, except for some maintenance items such as replacing a leaky wheel cylinder and an oil change.
I have on and off been looking for a westy jump seat that was local so I didn't have to pay the big shipping price. They proved to be pretty hard to find, or real expensive. I was thinking that I was just going to end up making one since originality for it isn't a huge deal since the bus was never a camper. A few weeks ago I checked the classifieds out of the blue and found one local for what I think was a really good price. I went and picked it up that day and did a partial restoration on it as it was pretty tired. Luckily, all the wood was salvageable except for the very top piece that has that hole in it. I was able to make a new piece and attach the old laminate to it. The vinyl on the top of the backrest is pretty bad, but it's not a huge deal to me, especially because the yellow of the foam is a very similar mustard yellow.
I had been pretty content with using my coleman cooler as a seat when I needed it, but i wanted the jump seat for a specific reason. I wanted to put a diesel parking heater under it. I had got a heater thinking that I would be able to squeeze it under the bus in a few spots but none of them worked out in my situation. It would definitely work on a bus where you don't have to worry about something hanging 1/2" below your frame. So I've put my heater under the jump seat and it will blow HOT air back down under the floor into the stock heater tubing and go up through to the stock vents up front so I can finally defrost the windshield as well as heat up the whole cabin, and do it quick.
The heater runs on diesel so it needs a separate fuel supply. I chose diesel for two reasons. One being that a diesel heater is cheaper than a gas one, and two being that diesel is far less volatile. I got a 4-quart fuel tank for the diesel supply and it will go in the engine compartment on the opposite side of the battery.
The install easy enough so far and looks like it won't get much harder. The only difficult part will be that I have to make a coupler/elbow to mate the heater outlet with the stock heater tube, while snaking between the bottom of the floor and the the clutch and e-brake cable tubes.
Other than that project, I have finally started working on the "doghouse" that will cover the beam. I made template and mocked up a design that worked and have transferred it and cut it out of steel sheet. I still have to bead roll in and work on the access door. It will have a large access door held on with quarter-turn fasteners so I can do things like grease the beam, adjust alignment, check on the bags, etc all without jacking up the bus.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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Spike0180
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2015
Posts: 2269
Location: Detroit, Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:15 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Will you require a fuel pump for your heater since the fuel tank wont be higher than the heater? If so, what kind of fuel pump are you using? a carb fuel pump? ... no... this is diesel. You must be using a high pressure fuel pump with a return line. Well, I'm interested in pictures when you having it all together. I'd like a heater like that in my bus.
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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" |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:58 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| Spike0180 wrote: |
| Will you require a fuel pump for your heater since the fuel tank wont be higher than the heater? |
The heater I got came with everything need to install it including a pump, exhaust with muffler, intake, ducting, controller, and mounting hardware. I'll definitely update when more progress is made on it.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3574
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:21 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| Trashman wrote: |
| soissisc wrote: |
| What happens if one pot goes bad, or a wire breaks? |
Then the system just won't be able to level itself automatically. I will have to do so manually (which is how I've been driving it for the past few months without them installed). In the event of a sensor failure, the remote will tell me which corner the problem is on so diagnosis is easy. I've never heard of someone with a sensor failure unless they installed them in such a way that it overextends and breaks. |
Um, no. I will add what I’ve seen with servicing Land Rovers that have Air Suspension systems over the past 2 decades. Potentiometer style sensors can Fault in a height sensor application much like Air Flow Meters by getting a worn spot in the resistance section. They also get loose with play and moisture can creep in through the pivot joint with the seal aging.
Keep water out of the system at all costs. Once you hit freezing temperatures it can be stressful to fight erratic valve operation due to water icing up and preventing or restricting air flow. Land Rover has used regenerative type air dryers in their systems to exhaust moisture back out through the dryer in hopes of prolonging it’s life, but they still need to be changed from time to time due to saturation.
Air Bladders / Air Springs, UV exposure shortens their life, the more Sun you see, expect dry rotting of the rubber bladders to happen faster. Dust and mud against the rubber as it rolls up or down depending on your height needs of the vehicle act as little knives, cutting into it and also helps shorten the spring life.
Then you can get a leak that’s not visible to the eye, as the air spring folds over that section of the bladder at a given normal ride height and hides it.
It might only reveal itself over a large bump where the spring extends momentarily. We also see these when lifting a vehicle on the service rack and a normal acting system suddenly empties a whole strut/air spring with the suspension hanging down and the air spring no longer compressed like it would be on the ground. The only warning we get beforehand with those failing air Springs is an intermittent high pitched squeak of the air trying to leak out of the bladder over certain bumps while you’re driving.
Not trying to rain on your parade, just giving you 2 decades of real world air suspension issues that are never in the sales brochures... 
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Thank you for being the first person to give me shit! I can't believe that it has taken this long! In all seriousness I genuinely appreciate the feedback. But I am curious in what you're disagreeing with me on. The fact that a broken pot in my system puts it into manual control mode or that I haven't heard of someone with this system have a pot go bad that wasn't due to improper installation?
I appreciate your insight and experience but the way I see it is that every type of suspension on a car has its pro's and con's. In my scenario, the pro's for air suspension outweighed the con's for it. I am still very aware in how the system works, and know what things to maintain and check-up on.
With regards to water in the system, I have my compressors intake inside of the bus where there shouldn't be any more moisture than what is normally in the air. To combat this I have water traps in-line before the valves, which I empty often. I also do not see freezing temps where I live. Starting the bus with dual carbs without chokes in that temperature is more of an issue at that point.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:02 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| jlrftype7 wrote: |
| Dust and mud against the rubber as it rolls up or down depending on your height needs of the vehicle act as little knives, cutting into it and also helps shorten the spring life. |
I also have double convoluted style air springs, not the sleeve style so there really isn't any rolling. In addition, I have the air springs mounted inboard of the frame front and rear, so debris from the wheels isn't a problem like on a land rover. Dust is obviously always and issue.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3574
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:43 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| Trashman wrote: |
Thank you for being the first person to give me shit! I can't believe that it has taken this long! In all seriousness I genuinely appreciate the feedback. But I am curious in what you're disagreeing with me on. The fact that a broken pot in my system puts it into manual control mode or that I haven't heard of someone with this system have a pot go bad that wasn't due to improper installation?
I appreciate your insight and experience but the way I see it is that every type of suspension on a car has its pro's and con's. In my scenario, the pro's for air suspension outweighed the con's for it. I am still very aware in how the system works, and know what things to maintain and check-up on.
With regards to water in the system, I have my compressors intake inside of the bus where there shouldn't be any more moisture than what is normally in the air. To combat this I have water traps in-line before the valves, which I empty often. I also do not see freezing temps where I live. Starting the bus with dual carbs without chokes in that temperature is more of an issue at that point. |
You misunderstood me. Not giving you shit, just advice on what failures I’ve seen with Air Suspension once it’s in service for some years.
Pros and cons on all suspension designs, yes. If it works for you , congratulations.
Give us feedback once you have a few years on the system.
Last thing, keep an eye out for Rodents or Mice chewing on your height sensor wiring or any plastic air tubing if you have the flexible plastic tubing to the springs. Seems to be more of a problem for us with stored vehicles or when food gets scarce in the area for the rodents, so they pick on your car.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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No more work on the heater since last time I updated, but I've been up to a little bit. I did a Hella E-code H4 conversion a week or two ago, and between the conversion and a proper headlight alignment the difference is... night and day. Wish I would have done this one way sooner. I wish I could have gotten some before and after shots but my camera just wasn't able to do it. Here they are installed at least.
I also finally got some real air filters on the carbs rather than those more race style, velocity stack filters. I'm collecting parts for an engine build and I definitely am going to want to protect all those new parts. I haven't adjusted the carbs yet to work well with the better filters yet, but I did take a test drive just to see if I could actually feel a difference, and boy could I.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12846
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:41 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Lose the wire mesh stone guards over the headlights & the visibility will get even better.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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JoinTheRukus
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2019
Posts: 7
Location: San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:52 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| One hell of a build thread Trashman! Thank you for sharing and documenting the details. |
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erwinsm
Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2006
Posts: 156
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:45 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| I respect your talent with this build !! Please tell me that you are retired . The amount of time put in this build is just phenomenal !! I have a full time job and kids . That says it all .That is why my 68 Bay is still stock . |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 10:21 am Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Thanks guys! Far from retired here. Don't have kids yet so thats where all my time comes I suppose. I still don't have a ton of time being that I have my regular job as well as I'm about to finish getting two BA degrees and I'm now starting to work out business stuff and patents to try and get a business off the ground for myself. I think the main reason I'm able to get so much done is a lot of careful planning so when it comes time to do something, I have everything I need and already know the possible hold-ups I might encounter and have a plan ready to solve it.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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arg1970
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2016
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| Dude you're bus is so sick keep it up do you have an Instagram for it ? |
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AirKooledGarage
Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2012
Posts: 314
Location: Wisco
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Loving this build!
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1973 Bus
1974 Long Body Buggy (sold)
1965 Manxish buggy (kids car)
1961 Patina Bug |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:32 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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| arg1970 wrote: |
| Dude you're bus is so sick keep it up do you have an Instagram for it ? |
I do! I have it linked in my signature on my posts
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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Trashman
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2016
Posts: 280
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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Long overdue but better late than never. Got some headers for the bus. Of course they bolted right on but hung too low for my application. Nothing a little heat and persuasion couldn't fix  I have a single glasspack on it that I cut the tailpipe off and welded on a new section to exit the side of the bus, tucked up near the body right in front of the bumper. Did it now prepping for the new motor. Still working on it as the parts roll in as I can afford them. Things are looking good.
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe" |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12846
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: 1968 Deluxe Build |
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That header wrap works too well, it retains too much heat & causes the pipes to become brittle & crack really quickly. Expect metal failure in 6-12 months.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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