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Doka / Sinka body shell questions.
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Crankey
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:10 pm    Post subject: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

I have a couple questions about the body shell, different reasons for each I spose...

The gate loop at the rear of the cab has no seal or gasket...where does the rain water go ?? Why is there no seal there ? I stuffed gummed foam tape around the loop to body gap and I think it stopped water coming in there. Never seen anyone mention it before.

Then what are the vents on the rear cab corner ? Do they vent the cab or do they lead towards the engine compartment ?

Another question is , what about doka/sinka air scoops ? We have threads about van scoops but no specific doka/sinka scoops.
I feel like I want a scoop on the driver's side since the air box will go in the driver's side tail light cubby.
But I also wonder what happens to all the rain that gets scooped up ? I'd think along with air, all the vans and trucks would scoop up more water too.

What can a doka/sinka owner do that wouldn't be looked at as a previous owner nightmare mod ? You know like a full radius cut out rear fender on a split window bus ??
I had honestly looked at trans am front fender vents put on backwards over the louvers in front of the rear wheels...cool, kinda funny but made to screw on at the front (rear edge on the trans am) and a tab hooking the body edge at the rear and painted contrasting black like some land rovers or other SUV's with vents on the front quarter panels.
But in reality the trans am vent doesn't fit just right. So I could take the shape as a design que and make one like it.
I remember TriStar Eric has a scoop at the rear directly into the tail light cubby. It looked fine, didn't really stand out boldly or try to look like a factory made air intake, just subtle nicely made and painted to match the bodywork.
Personally I'd like something over the louvers ahead of the rear wheel as I mentioned that looks somewhat like factory trim and painted black like my bumpers. Probably something that doesn't even require cutting out the louvers but just a couple of screw holes ahead of them.

Part of the whole scoop thing is looking at the dog leg body panel that includes the louvers I can't see how to cut the pinch weld seam at the top just under the truck bed. Like cut the actual spot welds and pull the panel mostly intact. I just can't see how to get to those spot welds. I really wish these panels around the rear wheels could bolt on like a bug fender.

Then, another thing I saw on a van here, probably in one of the van scoop threads was a member made grills for either side of his rear license plate on his van and cut a few holes behind them for venting the engine heat coming off the exhaust..good idea I think. So I feel like maybe making a grill that matches the look of the front grill that goes the full way from one tail light to the other across the full engine hatch. Same area some people have painted black. Then cut open the hatch between all the inside pressed stiffener panel. Seems like a logical mod that wouldn't be too destructive. I have a spare engine hatch just in case.

There's a few threads about the engine lid in the load bed. I have an answer for that. I've posted that before but the pictures went away with Comcast personal web pages so I'll take new ones and upload here so they can stick around for future reference.
I have seen the load bed modified to accept a metal van hatch section and that looked great but requires a lot of cut and weld which is more work, but looked pretty cool and factory legit. It'd be cool to see how that was done if anyone has documented the process.


Any thoughts welcome here, including no answer but more questions from other folks about doka/sinka body idiosyncrasies.
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Crankey
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Here's my engine lid.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

There's a piece of square tube with the side cut away.
(tube isn't bent that's some kind of parallax camera distortion)
A block of steel with 2 holes drilled and tapped for 1/4-20 screws. 2 flat head allen's in these holes. Their tool hole is accessable through the 2 holes in the square tube and as you screw them outward it forces the block to clamp the body edge wherever you need it to.
You can see the gas strut pivot screwed into the tube there and above it how it's attached to the lid with a piece of 3x3 aluminum angle.
I wasn't sure where the gas strut would need to be anchored so that's why the clamp was made aside from avoiding drilling holes in the body.
Strut pushes the lid open when it's up and pushes it down when it's down.
There's no latch, between the strut and gravity that's all you need.
I do think a latch accessed through the rear hatch would be nice but haven't needed it.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The hinge is thin material stainless piano hinge welded to 1/8" stainless plate that was cut to fit like you see there. Flat head ??mm screw countersunk almost flush, it's as flush as need be without loosing ability to actually chinch it down tight.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I added the rubber foam gasket to mate up with the stock gasket. Just closed the lid and traced the edge of the hole with a sharpie and followed outside of the line sticking it down.

It's almost flush. Certainly more flush than plywood and way less hassel opening the lid.
There's the dimensions of the plate too. I got it from a local metal remnant yard. Probably cut to size with a skill saw and trimmed corners with a cut wheel on a grinder.
I will probably add a thin steel square of steel sheet with hard core 3M vhb tape to attach magnetic things like a work lamp to the underside.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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16CVs Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

I always like it when people make a useful mod and do not alter the body in any way, very thoughtful and how you hold the hinge down in stock bolt holes and the anchor for the strut is clever.

I have drop in bucket in my engine hole with a lid. All metal fabricated that just clears the hoses and fit securely with no added holes, as a bonus when I need to get into the engine (Arrgh) I can use it as a step.

I have looked a those holes as well in the receivers and figured VW knew what they were doing, My truck gets driven in all weather and actually washed once in a while and it seems to be water tight.

Stacy
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Crankey
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Thanks Stacy I believe I've seen your tool stash tray under the hatch. I like it.
Also agree about extra holes. I will do it if I need to or feel it's worth it. Concidering VW would do it without hesitation due to preciousness of the doka.

I do need to drill some holes in my rear gate for the folding step.
The step I have dosn't align with the holes already in the gate so something needs to compromise. Maybe new holes in the step but even then the holes in the gate need to be bigger.
Not a fan of the trans am scoop 😝? Yeah I get it that's why it hasn't happened.
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Those scoops on Eric’s Tristar were 911 mirror housings. His now lamed policia van uses dash cluster covers as air vents. He’s a clever guy that Mr Dedier.

Stacy
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daytripper1600
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Excellent engine lid with some brilliant hardware. I may have to replicate that for myself, thank you. Mine came with a wood lid to match the wooden bed gates so it had to go. Keeping the new lid bolted in place will get tiresome eventually.
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Crankey
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Quote:
Keeping the new lid bolted in place will get tiresome eventually.

Most definitely.
Good luck with your project !
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Crankey
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 10:26 am    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Question about the gate hinge parts on the side of the bed, are these induction welded on ?
There's no screws or mig weld bead...they don't look plug welded either. So I'm guessing induction weld similar to the loops to attach a canvas cover on the side gates.

Sort of curious how strong they're welded on. They seem very solid.
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turbotype1
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:39 am    Post subject: Re: Doka / Sinka body shell questions. Reply with quote

Crankey wrote:
Question about the gate hinge parts on the side of the bed, are these induction welded on ?
There's no screws or mig weld bead...they don't look plug welded either. So I'm guessing induction weld similar to the loops to attach a canvas cover on the side gates.

Sort of curious how strong they're welded on. They seem very solid.


Mine are definitely spot welded along with other beads ....
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