Author |
Message |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Bus is still kicking, deciding to drop a 2.0 aba engine in and definitely my favorite engine so far.
My son wanted to make the bus our fishing vehicle so I painted both of our favorite fish on the front
Lots of trips in the bus but not a lot of footage of the bus or pictures because it has become less of the focus of our trips out, which maybe is a good thing?
One cool thing that happened though is when we came back to the bus one time there was a guy with an old ass camera that took some really cool tin plate photos of it.
Anyway Syncro split still out there kicking ass. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
BarryL wrote: |
KrisBalfe wrote: |
I ended up getting my bay window Syncro back |
I never knew there was such a thing. |
It was my build just before the split. It’s unexpectedly back in my life now |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
BarryL  Samba Member

Joined: November 01, 2004 Posts: 15363 Location: Casa de Oro, California
|
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
KrisBalfe wrote: |
I ended up getting my bay window Syncro back |
I never knew there was such a thing. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 8:32 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
BarryL wrote: |
You really did that thing up grand. |
It’s still a work in progress but I am happy with the outcome so far! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 8:31 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
SplitBusVanatic wrote: |
My current favourite bus on thesamba.
Would you go Tdi ? |
I’d definitely consider it. I just don’t like the idea of having to go through and mess with the gearing in the drivetrain. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
mtnbus wrote: |
so sick kris !
I almost made it to that show but got sidetracked.
cant wait to see this thing |
It’s my favorite VW thing for sure, definitely recommend making it.
I ended up getting my bay window Syncro back and I have a t3 westy Syncro too. I don’t think I need 3 of them so I may end up thinning the herd. Not sure which one to cut for sure 🤷🏻♂️ |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
mtnbus Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2007 Posts: 812 Location: Colorado
|
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
so sick kris !
I almost made it to that show but got sidetracked.
cant wait to see this thing |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SplitBusVanatic Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2005 Posts: 355 Location: Co. Mayo. Ireland
|
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
My current favourite bus on thesamba.
Would you go Tdi ? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
BarryL  Samba Member

Joined: November 01, 2004 Posts: 15363 Location: Casa de Oro, California
|
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2024 6:25 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
You really did that thing up grand. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2024 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Well, another VWs at the springs in the split Syncro in the books, each year this thing gets a little better. Wishlist for next year… a new not junkyard engine. I guess we’ll see if I can pull that off, other than that this thing is just so great.
There and back again so I guess I can’t really complain.
That credit card of mine keeps taunting me to pull the trigger on a proper engine though. 😂 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
mtnbus Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2007 Posts: 812 Location: Colorado
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
what a beast !
damn, great work |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
cdennisg Samba Member

Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20918 Location: Sandpoint, ID
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:33 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
 _________________ Confusious say it takes it takes two wipes to know you need three, but it takes three wipes to know it only needed two. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Culito 11010101

Joined: December 07, 2006 Posts: 5882 Location: Columbia Missourah
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:29 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Heck
Yeah _________________ © CJ Industries, Inc.
'64 standard w/2.0L type 4
'62 bug
johnnypan wrote: |
...dont pay no attention to Culito,he's a cornhole.. |
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Went with a 1.8 8v gti gasser. The next owner can put a tdi in it 😂
I’ll throw a walk around video together that could be fun after a couple of beers.
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Cbkg Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2011 Posts: 16
|
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2024 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Just found this build, this thing is friggin awesome, well Done! Keep us updated please…TDI would be the cherry on top. How about a van tour video! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SplitBusVanatic Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2005 Posts: 355 Location: Co. Mayo. Ireland
|
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 12:21 pm Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
+ 1 for a tdi.
I love mine. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
vwuberalles Samba Member

Joined: October 18, 2003 Posts: 1491 Location: Richmond, VA
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
EverettB  Administrator

Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 71712 Location: Phoenix 602
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
KrisBalfe Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2004 Posts: 846 Location: SLC
|
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 8:17 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
Over the weekend I attended a camp put on by Utah vw camping and overlanding. Their first annual Christmas tree camp.
It was a good time.
A small gathering and nice to get out at a time when most stay home, had the place to ourselves and didn’t see another vehicle the entire time.
Drive out was perfect, except for a nagging feeling from my engine that seemed slower and somewhat more tired than the last trip.
On the drive home I found out why things felt a bit off. My engine decided it had enough of this. I can’t really complain Otter the overland bus was able to pull me off of the shoulder and come back to grab me later. For an unknown and basically free engine I got a season of camping/driving. Was able to test the bus and it’s Syncro system. Now I have to decide on what to put in there for good. Really leaning towards an in-line 4 VW engine but we’ll see.
Also let me design the camp flyer
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SplitBusVanatic Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2005 Posts: 355 Location: Co. Mayo. Ireland
|
Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2023 1:30 am Post subject: Re: Making my 1961 Riviera syncro |
|
|
I love this bus. I think it’s my favourite bus on here.
The work gone into it is massive. Race taxi.ch vanagon type grafting is no mean feat. I know a little bit of your pain. We put a vanagon rear suspension onto a split back in ‘07. I hadn’t the knowledge or the resources at hand to do the IRS graft using conventional methods. But i did have an abundance of time and an old vanagon wreck as a donor. Now you pushed the envelope a lot further with a syncro full install. Kudos brother. And as the man vin diesel said, its all about family. Keep your updates coming. No matter how small. We are watching. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|