71 tintop project

[sebgi1]

Hi everyone, couple months ago we brought home a nice Neptune blue tintop.

Really solid overall, nice jackpoints, nice frame, good cargo floor. Unfortunately PO did try to install a subaru engine and hack off everything in rear. I mean almost everything he removed the luggage shelf and tank floor, notched the frame on the passenger side chopped off the wheel tub. He made enough room for a Cummins engine.

There is nose damage on the driver side around the turn signal housing.
Lots of the cut up parts sat on the floor next of 2-3 box of new parts and a nice type 1 engine
It will be a big project… probably missing lots a parts but it is part of the challenge.

plan was to store it and restore it in a couples years.. but you know how is it.

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SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

The first thing to do was hunting a donor for the rear section..and I did it…2 hours away I found a 69 which the only good steel was the one I need. I went with my son and load this 4 flat tires beauty.

This is the notch in the frame

Then sawzalled the rear end of the 69

I also needed a section of the frame to change the notched one.

I found out there is a lot of small variations of the pressing and of measurement between the years. Fortunately the external shape was the same.

Among the differences:
spare tire well size,
pressing around spare well
Wire loom pass through frame in 69 not in 71
Boxed frame below luggage area not space the same for enlarge spare well
Bracket to hold insulation not the same
Torsion bar ears not exactly the same casting
Ect.

The gas tank in the 69 was almost mint

Lots of spot weld grinding, maybe 4-5 days

Dry fit. Will have to modify the closing panels each side of the firewall
I also removed and close the spare well area.

I fix up the belt nut rust on the cut up wheel tub and prepare a backing piece for the left side also

Wheel tub in place.. lots of welding and fitting to come

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

I had some time and was not in the mood of welding so I pulled the main harness that was cut at the torsion tube and redone it with some original color coded wires I had from previous bus parting. I had also an other 71 harness but it was not exactly the same (2 wires less)and part of it was melted. All went well but I have a question.

I have a small black wire that origins from the 8 pin plug next to the yellow and I don’t know where it suppose to go..
On the wiring diagram on the bottom right there is a note which says the wire 14 have been change to black but that number refers to which wire?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_71_fixed.jpg

Edit: bus comes with bn4 so it is suppose to have wire for that?! This is probably the wire missing in the other loom. this one and the small red wire from the fuse box to the test socket. Make sens?
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SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[Adam]

Cool project and nice progress. Keep it up!

[sebgi1]

I finally answered all my questions. The small black wire is effectively for the Bn4 it goes from the relay to timer. From the 8-pin terminal it is grey to the timer.

I also added 2 mores wires for futur needs. Now I’m waiting for the pvc sleeve to come in before doing all the crimp terminals.

I pulled the remaining harnesses: headlight one seems perfect, brake one will need attention as it is really mangled. I will take care of the fuse box and the hanging bunch of knotted wire later.

In the next weeks I will try to do as much work on the body metal as I can to speed up things a bit. First thing will be to move lots of things to get the rotisserie from storage to the shop. That’s a lot faster to work on rockers and underside with the bus on its side.

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

some progress… the hacked wheel tub has been tack welded in place, there is still two holes to repair and a small corner to fab up, before completing the final welding

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

i just spend couple hours in the shop

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

I removed, bagged et labelled almost every bits I could put my hand on. Before leaving, I blowed air in the frame members, outriggers and crossmembers, to clean them up, there was lots of sand,dirt and treenuts.

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

Small progress…

I made the bottom of the D-post . Back part was still good

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[sebgi1]

I have some time to tackle some repairs. I’m working right now on closing the engine bay. The y pipe has been cut at the ends.

Can someone provide the dimensions the pipes should have from the floor edge?

_________________
SEB

Dogs are the most precious and valuable possession of mankind. VWs are second!

'73 Neptune blue safare camper
'71 Neptune blue tintop

[W1K1]

thats someone trying to dump the bus on the ground, not a Subi swap

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[sebgi1]