Converting a 2WD Westy into a Syncro Westy

[bmwmango]

Straub Beer:

No sugar
No salt
No preservatives

....and no headache the next day.

Long Live Straub's Eternal Tap!
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1990 Westy converted to a Syncro Westy
2009 BMW R1200GS
1990 BMW K75
1986 BMW K75 Parts (Deer 1, Beemer 0)

[K58]

more Vanagon porn...I Love it!

[Sir Sam]

any updates on this?
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'91 Carat Westy

87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon

[SO42]

[mightyart]

[caravellecr]

[caravellecr]

just to clarify... what i want is only to change the shift box not all the syncro transmission!

Thanks...

[bmwmango]

The shift box will work from a Syncro in a 2wd Vanagon. Don't know about a Caravelle, but it should work. The linkage will not work as the rear part of the Syncro is different than that of the 2wd.
To adjust the linkage, I made a 23mm spacer out of 1/4" aluminum flat stock and used grease to hold it in place.

Sorry for the lack of posts. Computer's been down and have been on crazy hours at work. Plus I just bought a new scooter: R1200GS.

Not a VW, but still a boxer engine!

I hope to start posting again soon.
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1990 Westy converted to a Syncro Westy
2009 BMW R1200GS
1990 BMW K75
1986 BMW K75 Parts (Deer 1, Beemer 0)

[SO42]

[WLD*WSTY]

Great job! Your attention to detail and willingness to take the extra time to clean and POR everything will pay off for you big time. I wish I had done it myself when I did the first Syncronize back in '99, but I was doing a Subaru conversion at the same time, so it was a bit hectic. I hope you get it finished before winter sets in. This will be the best guide for future Syncronizers!

Larry Hamm

[bmwmango]

Sorry for the delay since my last posting.

Here are some shots as I assembled the Syncro front end on my Westy.

That POR is nice stuff.

Some more shots of the underside.

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1990 Westy converted to a Syncro Westy
2009 BMW R1200GS
1990 BMW K75
1986 BMW K75 Parts (Deer 1, Beemer 0)

[iceracer]

bmwmango:

When I saw the pic of the bottom of your van, I thought how the heck did he get a pic of mine! I am finishing up a resto on an 86 syncro and also painted the entire bottom of my van with por15 grey. Looks awesome. Keep on posting.
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86 Syncro Wolfsburg edition
63 Beetle (The Iceracer)

[SyncroChrick]

Has there been any update on this project? I am curious to see how you retrofit the fuel tank filler on the rear fender.

is there another thread/webpage that shows that?

[kpbo]

Here's what I did for the filler.

Transferred measurements from the donor Syncro onto cardboard template, then onto recipient van. Drilled out the tight radius corners to make cutting easier, then went at it with a jigsaw.

I don't have a photo of it, but I salvaged the sheetmetal filler 'box' from the Syncro. Drilled out the spotwelds that connected it to the vehicle skin, then ground it down and hit it with POR15. This was then mounted to the recipient vehicle using stainless steel rivets and seam sealer (ideally, this would have been welded in to the recipient, but I didn't want to repaint the van at this point).

Finished product:

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1987 Syncro Westfalia w/ 'AHU' TDI

[SyncroChrick]

thanks - it looks really good!

[bmwmango]

Forgive me Samba. It’s been many a month since my last confession.

Remove the plastic cover on the fuel filling point. Remove all the hoses. The clamps will probably be rusted, PB Blaster is your friend. Soak them and have an ice cold Straub and contemplate life. Grind off the welds holding the fuel filler box to the side of the van.

Remove the metal pipe running to the fuel tank. Note: you will have to remove the shock to get this pipe out.
The fuel filler box has an elbow which comes out of the bottom of the box and protrudes through the wheel well (shown with the red arrow). This elbow protects the fuel filling hose. Grind off the welds holding the elbow to the wheel well and remove the box and elbow in one piece.

Using a cut off wheel on my grinder, I cut out the wheel well of the donor van. I used this as a template to transfer the oval hole to the Westy’s inner fender.

After drilling three holes, I used a dremmel tool to remove the remaining material.

Tape off your cutting area, transfer the measurements for the recipient’s opening, drill the corners and cut out the rectangle

Clean up the edges and install the box and elbow. Mig weld the box to the outer skin and the elbow to the wheel well. Paint the bare metal. I sealed the wheel well with silicone.

Here is a shot of the fuel filler box mig welded in.

I cleaned up the fill pipe and painted it with POR 15. I also installed a new grommet for this pipe into my fuel tank. A little lube goes a long way in getting this pipe in. Also note the vent hose at the top of the photo. You will have to drill a hole through the wheel well for this. Protect the hose from the metal edge with a grommet and seal with silicone.

I drilled a hole in the frame and used a self tapping screw to hold the fill pipe.

Connect the hoses using new clamps.
Attach the plastic cover. I cut the factory cut out from the donor van with about 4” of
from the donor van in case I wanted to use it later. The factory one has a lip bent into it
for the plastic cover, but the cover still works without this lip.

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1990 Westy converted to a Syncro Westy
2009 BMW R1200GS
1990 BMW K75
1986 BMW K75 Parts (Deer 1, Beemer 0)

[WLD*WSTY]

bmwmango,

A guy's got to be an idiot to take on this job!

Nice documentation, great pics, can't wait to see how it turns out. I hope you're driving and enjoying by now!

Larry Hamm

[EL31415]

swapping top vs swapping bottom that is the question ?
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1985 Westy

[RicoS]

[ALIKA T3]

Awesome conversion,I love it.

Very helpful,a friend is actually doing it on spare time too