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1971BugGuy Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Ontario, CANADA
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 7:56 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Nice craftsmanship. You're giving me some ideas. _________________ Only a fool or a child would judge a project before it reaches its completion.
1971 Super Beetle
1986 Vanagon Westfalia Weekender |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3549 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 10:48 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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1971BugGuy wrote: |
Nice craftsmanship. You're giving me some ideas. |
Thank you. I had to start with the posted dimensions thread of cabinets here on Samba, then make a cardboard template to start with off that. Slow process since even the factory ones are crafted around the irregular shapes of the back end interior.
Studying classified ads that showed the back side of the cabinet helped as well.
After all that, time to make it and tweak as needed.
I probably didn’t hug the side of the Vanagon as tightly as a stock Weekender cabinet, but that narrow space might yet hold stuff for me that doesn’t matter if the Sun beats down on it through the rear side glass. _________________ '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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digthemlows Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2015 Posts: 36 Location: Sacramento, CA
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 11:24 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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tore out the Adventurewagen interior and all aux electrical and made my own.
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leecat Samba Member
Joined: September 13, 2012 Posts: 773 Location: Regina
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:18 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Finally got on painting my lovely pop-top. After lots of reading on Samba I went with roll-and-tip Interlux Brightside Polyurethane Topside Paint, in 'Blue-Glo' white. Super pleased with the results. 1 quart did 2 coats with 1/5 of the quart left over for touch-ups.
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happy2CU Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2018 Posts: 52 Location: france
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Working on my new interior. It start to smell a lot like the road ...
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campism Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007 Posts: 4485 Location: Richmond VA
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Did not move it around in the driveway as planned because I did not want to disturb this little guy, a neighborhood frog.
I'll do it tomorrow. _________________ '87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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EV (1995, I think) steering wheel installed on the '87.. Took a bit more off the underside than needed, but nobody will ever see that anyway. I can see my speedo again now!!! I guess when I wrap it with leather, that might change. I'll give it a few hundred miles first to see if I like it.
_________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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leecat Samba Member
Joined: September 13, 2012 Posts: 773 Location: Regina
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Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Yanked the 1.9 Waterboxer and 4-speed out of my parts van - I despise this engine with a passion and swore I'd never run a WBX, but the dang thing just won't die. Leaks oil from everywhere imaginable, seeps coolant, is one rusty hunk of junk but you can hop in and drive a thousand miles without a hiccup. Going to swap it into my main van and run it till it dies and then use it for a boat anchor.
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1971BugGuy Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Ontario, CANADA
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Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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bobbyblack wrote: |
EV (1995, I think) steering wheel installed on the '87.. Took a bit more off the underside than needed, but nobody will ever see that anyway. I can see my speedo again now!!! I guess when I wrap it with leather, that might change. I'll give it a few hundred miles first to see if I like it.
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I have the same steering wheel in mine. The only problem (and it's a minor one) is that when I turn on the high beams I have to pull on the base of the turn signal stalk. If I pull on the stalk in the conventional way it flexes too much and hits the steering wheel.
_________________ Only a fool or a child would judge a project before it reaches its completion.
1971 Super Beetle
1986 Vanagon Westfalia Weekender |
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carls2u Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2019 Posts: 13 Location: Eugene, Oregon
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2021 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Has anyone ever mixed the RMW twin peaks bumper with the GW swing away arm system? GW is out of stock on their bumper, and I know RMW has a great bumper but I want the swing away for 2 bikes (and ladder) and spare tire mount. So, just wondering if anyone has tried this before. _________________ To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
'86 Westy |
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vanis13 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010 Posts: 3083 Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 7:06 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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I'd wonder if the sectional/modular design of the RMW would be strong enough for that corner weight. _________________ 83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace
www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make |
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jAndrew Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2020 Posts: 306 Location: Atlanta, Georgia
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Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 8:09 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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leecat wrote: |
Finally got on painting my lovely pop-top. After lots of reading on Samba I went with roll-and-tip Interlux Brightside Polyurethane Topside Paint, in 'Blue-Glo' white. Super pleased with the results. 1 quart did 2 coats with 1/5 of the quart left over for touch-ups.
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I've used that on a couple of different sailboats over the years and it is a real quality product. Pretty easy to get a perfect finish with lasting results. _________________ '89 Syncro Doka |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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new front rotors, pads, bearings and seals. 3.5 hours.
Had been watching the edge grow on the old rotors for a while, there was actually plenty of rotor left, and plenty of pad left too, but I'd run 50K and it seemed like time. Good to get the tires off too, there is an obvious next step of a ball joint or two and, and/of course plus plus plus on front end. I got to try out my 6 ton jack stands, pretty perfect, used stock jacks to get tire off the ground an inch or so, and they slipped right under the stock jack location on click up 1 notch. I've got smaller jack stands too, but didn't want to dig them out of my cabinets (wherever they might be..)
Took it for a spin about a mile, felt fine. Will have to keep vigilant tomorrow out on the highway.
-bobby _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3549 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 7:56 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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bobbyblack wrote: |
new front rotors, pads, bearings and seals. 3.5 hours.
Had been watching the edge grow on the old rotors for a while, there was actually plenty of rotor left, and plenty of pad left too, but I'd run 50K and it seemed like time. Good to get the tires off too, there is an obvious next step of a ball joint or two and, and/of course plus plus plus on front end. I got to try out my 6 ton jack stands, pretty perfect, used stock jacks to get tire off the ground an inch or so, and they slipped right under the stock jack location on click up 1 notch. I've got smaller jack stands too, but didn't want to dig them out of my cabinets (wherever they might be..)
Took it for a spin about a mile, felt fine. Will have to keep vigilant tomorrow out on the highway.
-bobby |
. Plus plus plus ....hah hah, that’s so us, isn’t it.... _________________ '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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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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After tending to our ~15 acres of park (mow mow mow), and the rest being exploited by my kids who are hobby farming, I asked Mrs Black if she'd like take out.. My nefarious plan was to get the bus loaded as if we were heading out on a 4K mile tirp, and do some local miles within easy AAA (know the guys personally) to see what about them brakes.
So, Mrs Blacks fancy tonight was a made-to-order Midwest chain. Idled perhaps 20 minutes... ugh, anyway.. a/c off, just at idle about 78F ambient, the stock needle agreed with my digital readout, engine appeared to be quite worm.. 211F. Noticed (expressly waiting to hear the high speed fan) no #SuperBlower (tm) noise up front. Thus, I begin tomorrow looking at reasons the high speed fan did not come on.
Oh, brakes/bearings seemed to be %100. More to check, no doubt!!
Happy Weekend!
-bobby _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7409 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 10:46 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Rewired parts of the dash to clean up various things and to make connecting future gadgets easy. The busbar has: always hot; key-in hot; key-on hot; dimmable dash lights hot and ground. The space between the two floor vents is spacious and accessible.
Also installed an MB Quart head unit. Simple, bluetooth (no phone talk though) and not ugly. I'd pay another $100 if it had a knob for volume.
_________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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revolution337 Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 372 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 4:17 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Finished up an upper bunk extension. Was able to use from leftover plywood and foam from another project. Only had to purchase the fabric at a local surplus store, for about $4. It is also sized perfectly to be able to be stored behind the rear bunk foam with the top down. Overall happy with the outcome, and certainly a welcome and needed modification to help my 6' 4" self be able to stretch out and sleep better
_________________ 1982 Westfalia AEB 1.8t
2017 VW Golf Sportwagen
2001 Audi A4 4.2 V8 swapped
2000 BMW Z3 roadster
-Mark |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3549 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 10:09 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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jimf909 wrote: |
Rewired parts of the dash to clean up various things and to make connecting future gadgets easy. The busbar has: always hot; key-in hot; key-on hot; dimmable dash lights hot and ground. The space between the two floor vents is spacious and accessible.
Also installed an MB Quart head unit. Simple, bluetooth (no phone talk though) and not ugly. I'd pay another $100 if it had a knob for volume.
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Interesting idea, a remote junction block for the Vanagon.... _________________ '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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hellvetica Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2021 Posts: 40 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 10:34 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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New member here. Been getting my hands very dirty since I got this Syncro, which has been a lot of fun actually. Those years of HS auto shop come right back when you get parts with no installation instructions. haha.
This past weekend I replaced the rusted out original brakes to the Burley big brake kit and installed the Land Rover mirrors. Lot's of seized bolts and angle grinding later, she stops like a modern vehicle. Next item is replacing the front shocks which just wouldn't budge. The rears I replaced rather easily a few weeks ago while I changed out the rusted out exhaust system to a Small Car SS kit.
We then took it camping for a night in the Angeles National Forest. Next must have item is a nice ceramic space heater. Was worried about the van starting up after the very cold night, but it fired right up.
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3549 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Fri May 28, 2021 10:43 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Added the GoWesty Altn. Field circuit harness kit to stop having to rev the engine up to get the system charging. It works... instant charging.
Replaced my Engine Air Filter during inspection of it, found fairly large mouse nest on the bottom side. No signs of mice in the 10cc Air tubing portion of the Oil Cooler kit, and not above the filter either, hoping they left the premises awhile ago.
Topped off oil, and added Techron to Gas Tank
Eye'd up where I'm mounting the Fuel Injection System Fuse holder I bought at NAPA today, I need to fuse that unprotected circuit like others have done in the engine bay. Overdue on that project.... _________________ '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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