Quality of Brazilian Bus ?

[JeffL]

On to reassembly.

I got the rebuilt transmission back today. It was really worn out, ran hard.

We found it was a basic late 60s bug base transmission with a 4.375 ring and .89 4th.

What was interesting is the gear reduction ratio is 1.20 not the standard 1.26. I counted 10 times and even did an overall input to output revolution count test for overall ratio. 20/24 teeth. He said the lower outer bearing is different than the German boxes

Should run 62 at 4000 rpms with the current 14 inch tires.
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[JeffL]

[BarryL]

It is supposed to be 1/8 NPT tapered pipe thread. You will be lucky but maybe try a new stock one and see how sloppy it is. On a normal unmolested hole you can crack the case by over tightening it.

[JeffL]

Deleted
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[JeffL]

[Clara]

[BarryL]

I think you are asking in the right thread.

[JeffL]

Looking at a 75 Brazil Split Window with a lot of shifter play. It’s already in the US. I read posts on German loose shifters and first steps are to check all of the bushings , coupler, and locking plate. Are these early 60s shifter assemblies?

If this is the wrong forum let me know. Maybe it is specifically on quality. Thanks
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[Kpm1593]

Hi Everett
I imported a 72 Brazilian split window that had the full conversion to a 23 window with a sliding vinyl ragtop. The vinyl top is in poor condition. I actually had to heat it up to stretch out to re latch it closed., after I left it open for a period of time. I would like to replace it. Do you know if the after market tops, like Stayfast versions, are the same size and fit as the ones being sold for the 55 to 67 german models? The outside dimensions of the current top are 70" x 45".
Thanks for any info you can provide,
Kevin M

[EverettB]

Feel free to email me the pics if you are having trouble and I will add them here or tell you what is going wrong.

My email address is below.
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[DockRoach]

I'm having trouble downloading photos. If you Google 97 Brazilian bus for sale you should see some engine photos. All 97s came with dual carbs
The air cleaner setup is really cool. I will keep her stock. There's a photo of my van in the gallery. Cheers, DockRoach

[Stocknazi]

[DockRoach]

Proud owner of a 97 corner window factory upright 1600 with original factory dual carbs. This is my 9th air-cooled VW and it is the same quality as any I have owned. No rust issues, all original metal. The underbody has ORIGINAL paint and is almost perfect except for some scratches from a shop lift sometime in the past.

[viking874]

Everett had posted the measurements for an original German safari frame in another thread:

I measured an original frame I have and I get:
X = 22 1/2"
Y = 17 1/2"
Z = 24 3/8"

That's for the frame. The measurements of my Brazilian GLASS are the same as the German frame.
_________________
1975 Brazilian Split Window
1970 Ghia Coupe
1971 Super Beetle
2010 Meyers Manx
1985 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
1988 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ62
1986 Mercedes G Wagen

[viking874]

pictures of brazillian windshield measurements along with CE safari frame placed in windshield opening. Frame pushed towards center to show total size of gap along outer side. If you look at German bus safari fit I think you'll see much tighter fitting safari frames.
_________________
1975 Brazilian Split Window
1970 Ghia Coupe
1971 Super Beetle
2010 Meyers Manx
1985 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
1988 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ62
1986 Mercedes G Wagen

[tkgeorge_99]

I put safaris in my brazil bus without any issues. Seemed to fit fine, so I believe they are same size.

[TinCanFab]

[LAGrunthaner]

Wow viking874 that is very interesting, I wonder if the front windows are the same size? I'll assume you removed the front window glass without breaking it, post that size here. I have some new glass (because I cracked mine in my German bus) I'll take a look at the size.

Another good Brazilian thread is:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9408999&highlight=#9408999

[viking874]

has anyone put safaris in a brazilian? I bought CE frames for mine and they are too small. was wondering if anyone else has similar experience
_________________
1975 Brazilian Split Window
1970 Ghia Coupe
1971 Super Beetle
2010 Meyers Manx
1985 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
1988 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ62
1986 Mercedes G Wagen

[Flensburger]

My grandfather and his much younger brother were two of many quality mangers at the VW factory during the hey days of the Type 2. According to them two, talking about equal quality between the Type 2 and the Bug was simply preposterous. The production of T1 was nothing more than a “great” state controlled project. As part of a German - Yugoslav end-of-WW2 compensation deal. Many parts on the car were with help of Yugoslav steel made. It was not anything new because the Yugoslav steel from a town close to the Austrian border was during the German occupation of Yugoslavia used for production of military vehicles and much more. The T1 was nothing special and, considered a major flop yet always presented in the light of media as a success of the economic boom. The quality was appalling simply because the van literally was allergic to any kind of climate-weather but sunshine. It was meant to be something you would drive in a radius of 30-50 km. Soon the VW realized the bitter dead-end and turned the game 180-degrees. The cards were placed on the popular believe by outsiders that anything coming from Germany must be of high-end quality. Soon an aggressive export doctrine to the USA market began but also to various nations (e.g. Scandinavia) as military vehicles. In the USA it became quickly a flop too. The car was literally --by USA standards something that barely could move itself out of its own way. The ones with less money in their pockets but in need for space choose to invest in one of them. The decision to move production to Brazil was nothing more but VW's Latin-odyssey. Most of the components were form the same place. Either from Germany or Yugoslavia. Put differently, there was no major difference between the ones made in Germany and those made in Brazil. My granddad who lived almost to be 100 used to say, it was the same pile of garbage. I use only to disagree with him about the word garbage. But the van is in the low-end category of cars ever made. Equivalent to the Yugo-car. He considered anyone paying those ridiculous prices to be loonies who should try buying a Yugo for 40.000 Euros. Reflecting over the cultural aspect of the T1: the bottom line draws a conclusion how the car in USA was a poor man's choice, in South America the working-class choice and in Germany a major quality flop.

I paid mine in full-working condition, in 1978, only 100 DM. Production year 1964.