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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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blakeck2
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2009
Posts: 939
Location: Los Osos, CA
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 Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like Bens van 
Where did you get that dash organizer with map table?
_________________
1986 Vanagon Syncro GL, westy interior, GW 2.4 and all locked up
1973 Thing |
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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| blakeck2 wrote: |
Looks like Bens van
Where did you get that dash organizer with map table? |
Ben and his van were my inspiration 
The dash organizer is available at bus depot. I specifically installed an earlier dashboard for it:
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=46193
Its a sweet accessory. I installed it with hinges so the whole unit hinges up, and there are electronics hidden under it. The secrets behind that project will be coming to thesamba soon.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia |
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blakeck2
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2009
Posts: 939
Location: Los Osos, CA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| edgood1 wrote: |
| blakeck2 wrote: |
Looks like Bens van
Where did you get that dash organizer with map table? |
Ben and his van were my inspiration
The dash organizer is available at bus depot. I specifically installed an earlier dashboard for it:
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=46193
Its a sweet accessory. I installed it with hinges so the whole unit hinges up, and there are electronics hidden under it. The secrets behind that project will be coming to thesamba soon. |
Nice! His van is very envious and now so is yours.
All yours needs is some power mirrors or LT on the outside and itll be perfect 
_________________
1986 Vanagon Syncro GL, westy interior, GW 2.4 and all locked up
1973 Thing |
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Destructo
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2006
Posts: 405
Location: Westhampton, MA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:26 am Post subject: |
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Edgood, I noticed you had General Grabbers on your rig. I was thinking about a set but wanted to know if you think there is anymore road noise than normal. Also, do you think it affects your take off power (starting from a complete stop) One sweet looking ride my man!
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1985 Wolfsburg Edition Westfalia Camper Bostig conversion
Dude, where's your van? |
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2694
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:31 am Post subject: |
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| Destructo wrote: |
| Edgood, I noticed you had General Grabbers on your rig. I was thinking about a set but wanted to know if you think there is anymore road noise than normal. Also, do you think it affects your take off power (starting from a complete stop) One sweet looking ride my man! |
I have general grabbers on my syncro westy. I just replaced my BFG AT tires for those last year. I notice no additional road noise, however, I do notice power loss over the BFG's, which is weird cuz they are almost identical tires. Love the grabbers for sure, great off roading tire! |
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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:42 am Post subject: |
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| Destructo wrote: |
| Edgood, I noticed you had General Grabbers on your rig. I was thinking about a set but wanted to know if you think there is anymore road noise than normal. Also, do you think it affects your take off power (starting from a complete stop) One sweet looking ride my man! |
They are noisy on the highway... along the same lines as any other all terrain tire. I really wanted the Firestone Destination A/T's but they were on backorder for weeks and I got sick of waiting.
They're pretty good overall. I run them at max inflation of 44psi on the road. Aired down they become a little less stable. Good for off roading though. They're rated at 1764lbs at 44psi, which is about the minimum that I wanted.
So far I've used them in mud and sand, they are good in both. I really got them for their snow traction...we'll see how that works out come winter.
I definitely noticed the power "change" with the bigger tires. I wanted bigger tires to lower highway RPMs with the subaru as well as ground clearance/off road benefits. Although people consider it a power loss, I felt that these tires made the stock gearing more appropriate for the subaru engine. I noticed it in all gears. Starting off feels more "right" as well as the power band through all the gears. I almost never need to downshift from 4th on the highway.
I have a '97 Subaru EJ22 which puts out around 140hp and 145ft/lbs of torque. I have zero complaints about power or acceleration with these tires. I am happier with them over the stock 14" tires.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia |
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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:03 am Post subject: |
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| candyman wrote: |
| Destructo wrote: |
| Edgood, I noticed you had General Grabbers on your rig. I was thinking about a set but wanted to know if you think there is anymore road noise than normal. Also, do you think it affects your take off power (starting from a complete stop) One sweet looking ride my man! |
I have general grabbers on my syncro westy. I just replaced my BFG AT tires for those last year. I notice no additional road noise, however, I do notice power loss over the BFG's, which is weird cuz they are almost identical tires. Love the grabbers for sure, great off roading tire! |
The grabbers are definitely made of a softer rubber compound than the BFGs, which is why I think they are rated lower and do better in the cold and snow. Their stiffness suffers a little from this though.
I had BFG's on my old truck and once they were 10,000 miles in they were terrible in the snow. I've heard other people swear by them though. thats just my experience.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia |
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vwkelso
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2005
Posts: 133
Location: Northern Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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very very nice job man! getting ready to do the same to my syncro. good inspiration here!
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86 Syncro
73 Westy
69 Sand Chariots Vaquero |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6345
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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awesome work!!!  |
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akyrie
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Driftless, Wisco
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:58 am Post subject: Swapping to Westy topper, can you roof the old Van? |
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I know this sounds like a beast job, and why do it. But I was just curious if you remove the topper of a westy, does that old westy become parts only? how hard would it be to make it usable without an uncontrollable amount of rain coming in?
I am looking for a westy topper for my GL(reasons being I don't like the kitchen stuff, and my gl is real sweet.) I wouldn't mind trying to put a roof type thing back on the old Westy if it were feasible. I have been shopping around and my neighbor is talking about wanting to get a van, I was thinking that I could buy a westy and give it to him after I removed the top.
This might all be wishful thinking, but it would be nice. (also if anyone lives in the midwest and has a topper they don't want let me know.) |
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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:29 am Post subject: Re: Swapping to Westy topper, can you roof the old Van? |
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| akyrie wrote: |
| I know this sounds like a beast job, and why do it. But I was just curious if you remove the topper of a westy, does that old westy become parts only? |
I didn't just take the fiberglass top off, I cut the sheet metal roof off the donor westy. Yeah... at that point the donor is scrap metal.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Ed,
Steve Rose directed me to this thread.
He assured me that your van is even nicer in person.
It really looks great in the pictures.
Nice job.
Next time I'm out to see him, I would love to see your van in person.
dylan |
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akyrie
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Driftless, Wisco
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the advice, could you estimate the approximate hole size in the donor van after the top has been removed? curiosity calling. |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17103
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| akyrie wrote: |
| Thanks for the advice, could you estimate the approximate hole size in the donor van after the top has been removed? curiosity calling. |
Here is a good estimate of the hole.
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akyrie
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Driftless, Wisco
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Haha, Thanks a lot. That would be a hell of a job to put something other than another topper on it. I guess I will keep thinking on how to accomplish a topper on my little passenger. |
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edgood1
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 2049
Location: Plymouth, MA
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chojinchef
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2011
Posts: 1539
Location: Central Massachusetts
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| Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Awesome work.
Took me until the last post to reply: They have a Transporterfest in Brookline? Would have expected in the Peoples Republic of Cambridge, but Brookline?
Will have to keep an eye out for the van, now that Edaville is closed (again) and my son cant go, I dont see myself on the South Coast too much.
Thank you for all the posts, very impressive.
_________________
Its a mistress; an expensive, whiney, needy bitch of a mistress. She is a chunky, dirty girl with bad skin, little motivation and yet she always makes me smile. She sure has been around before shacking up with me. She has a direct line to my wallet, plays with my emotions, is consistantly jovial yet with a sarcastic and sardonic side, is consistant in her inconsistancy, and every once in a while gives me a great ride and a fantastic memory. |
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Radiopool
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2011
Posts: 2
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 12:03 pm Post subject: VERY COOL! |
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Very cool man! Super inspirational! I'm doing a conversion from my 7-passenger to a Westy pop-top now.  Here's the blog:
http://syncrorevival.wordpress.com/ |
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paperthinsumo
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2011
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:54 pm Post subject: Finished a conversion myself |
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I just finished tearing my cars apart and putting them back together. Fun project. I didnt take mine all the way to the front window, just to where the rear bolts on the front luggage rack are. This helped reinforce the overlap, and also kept me away from the front window and corners. Got into the brazing on the back a little and I can see how that would be HELL. Anyways, thanks for the pics and advice throughout the thread. Took 3 Days to do the interior, and 2 weeks to do the top. Worked on it 8-12 hours a day lots of work but well worth the effort. no more sore lower back hunched over the stove
http://wandrerwesty.blogspot.com/ |
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