UN-Official 2WD DoKa thread

[purplepeopleeater]

Really nice, more pix

[tpinthepack]

Very nice also. Hey is the rear bumper modified to allow the rear engine hatch to open? Are they stock Carat type bumpers just modified or an aftermarket option. I like it.
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TP in the Pack (I am a cyclist)
1968 Manx N.O.S. w/ Barrett Chassis
1960 Single Cab 1914 w/ 40 DLRA's
1990 Vanagon DOKA
1972 Super Beetle
1979 Super Beetle Convertible
2011 Porsche Cayenne

[taigagreen]

[Welchmaster]

[Crankey]

nice score Joel ! another Doka in Seattle !

[Bman]

Joel, What kind of towing mechanism are you using to tow that Doka, and do you have close up picks of it? Also how does it attach to the towed vehicle and control its steering?

Is that a stock engined Westy pulling it?

I'm interested in getting a similar setup so I can go out and rescue Vanagons.

Thanks.
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~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[Bman]

Allo Doka Land, recently found the answer to my own question about the rear bed plugs shown above. Those rear bed plugs are the same ones used on a Baywindow Westfailia on the rear panel to the left and right of the engine lid door.

Yes I know poor phone quality photo....

Part number: 211 813 395

I found these at Always Veedub in East Portland, price is cheap enough $2.75 for two.

Will be plugging them into my Doka as soon as my body work and paint is done.
_________________
~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[Bman]

Just spent a few hours trying to weed through the Lift Spring threads here on the samba. Man, is it confusing, half the crowd likes the Go Westy Progressive Springs, the other half say Syncro.org Schwerk springs. Most of the conversation is around the Westfailia camper models which due to the heavier weight requires a stiffer spring; however I have found little to no inforamation on Doka owner lift spring experiences.

Who of the 2WD Doka crowd has any experience with lift spring modifications to your trucks, and do you have any opinions, experiences or preferences that you can share?

Personnally I want to lift my 2WD Doka up as much as possible, but still keep it within the design alignment capabilities. Currently my OEM suspension is tired and rattling at each bump in the road. So my secondary preferences is for ride comfort. I will be replacing my shocks as well.

What manufacturesr do you recommend? I've still to make up my mind on which to buy (GW, Syncro.org), but wonder which spring can give an adequate load handling for carrying cargo in the Doka bed (it is after all a truck and I use it as such).

I know GW suggests their zero lift springs for tintops and dokas, any experience with these, adequate lift and ride comfort?
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~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[Welchmaster]

Great question Bman,

I am in the same boat as you. I want to replace the springs and shocks while i am working under the doka.

i would like to have a stance similar to a 16" syncro doka on my 2wd. I think the taller stance looks better.

any one out there completed this?

thanks!
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________________________
90 2wd Orly Blue Multivan weekender. "Van-Duzer"

"Further up, further in!"

[Bman]

Feel free to expand on the spring/suspension requests at any time....

In the meantime, I spent yesterday evening dismantling my Doka gate hardware to prepare for powder coating, I am thinking to go black with them; however, I am wondering about theses black handles:

Does anyone know how or if these latch handles can be removed from the latch assembly:

I would love to replace them, they are cracked, but the EKTA does not list them separately from the latches. I'm not sure if the poweder coater can bake the latches with these on. Anyone out there deal with this?
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~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[Welchmaster]

[Bman]

Welchmaster, besides yourself I often get very little response on this thread on these little matters. Maybe I need to post in the syncro thread.
_________________
~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[16CVs]

I posted a while ago about taking the handle of off the latches . There is a casting dimple on the back ,that has a locking pin on the inside . You drill through that to release the pin and then pry the handles off . I had to put the handles in a vice and use 2 pry bars to move it up an inch at a time . It wouldn't help to add some lube down the handle before attempting to remove it .
I would not have them powdered ,it adds too much material . I had mine to in Black Cad, only because mine were on a Tristar . You be better to have them done in silver Cad ,that way they will look stock .
If you look through my posts ,i believe I posted photos of exactly where the dimples are .
Once plated you will have to clean up the edge of the plastic as it gets chewed up . They will hold fine without the locking pin . They are a bitch to get back on .I used hairspray ,just like in my Bicycle to days it really helps .

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[Bman]

Thanks Stacy.

I will do a search of your post for that process. You advise against the powder coating, but mention a Black or Silver Cad; is this a different coating process?

How did the hairspray help in getting back on? Was this to hold it in place?
_________________
~Bryan
1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




2WD Doka build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=503578&highlight=
FaceHook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VW-T3-DokaSinka/129026087217120?ref=hl

[strawhouse]

Cant believed that I missed this thread... oh the 2wd Doka

Mine is a 88 that came over from Germany... its a 1.6TD that I changed over to a 1.9TD

Try to find my Doka!

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Pacifist with a gun

[holmsen]

my home during the moose hunting

[fred g]

I am looking at a German military surplus 2WD Doka here in the US.
35,000KM, Diesel, mint new "tent" on the back, no seam rot or blowout.
There are rust blisters on the gravel pan (behind and just under the top of the front bumper) but the seam is good. The body and bumpers are straight and true. The body is covered with attachment point hardware. It looks like it was white before it was green.

Split bench seats front and back,no splits in the dash. Clean interior w/ rubber mats but no amenities. The floor is pretty clean but needs a coat of paint, The glass is perfect. Tires are weak and the rims are rust blistered.
The treasure chest doors and gates and hardware are uber-nice. The bed and gates are wood with aluminum track, all in nice shape. The underside is rust free and clean with old (OG!) undercoating. The edges and lips on the bottom edges are clean, straight and rust free as are the bumpers. It (and one just like it) are owned by a highly reputable high end garage and will be thoroughly gone through before the sale. I have made no commitment or even driven one. Price is now 12K down from 14.

So, Yes/No/Maybe if... Waddya think? Lots of Golfs in the yard too. What about with nice tires and rims? My friend says the salt air here will eat it alive. Are they rust prone? What is the engine worth? If I put in a larger engine and good tires and shocks are they safe @80mph? AC? Can I tow a T1 on a tow bar with one comfortably? How is the heat and defrost? Good in snow with appropriate tires?

How much do they cost in Nurinburg? What would it cost to import one? What might one be worth here? How long is a piece of string? I'm excited about this can you tell?

FG

I was thinking about a Mopar minivan in the same price range to use for travel and work which would be much more comfortable, but ZERO fun.
My heart wants the Doka but my ass wants the minivan... Rob Zombie, Duff McKeegan and Dee Dee Ramone all drive minivans. It takes a man who knows who he is to drive a minivan.

FLAME ON! FLAME ON!
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71 Kombi Rusty the 'Afront'

"Buy the ticket, take the ride." H.S Thompson

[Crankey]

[Bman]

[Crankey]

yeah, what he said...
there is alot of room for an engine swap so if you feel you can afford to have it done or do it yourself, it's totally doable. there are good kits available and alot of advice here...guidance in process too.

I too have driven mine @ 75 and 80 MPH on original suspension bushings...I get a little steering wheel wiggle. I think if I re-bushed the front end and got an alignment...fresh bushings on the steering rack 80MPH could be smoother. but side wind would be a factor at higher MPH. maybe lower springs will help that.

personally I think snow driving comes down to skill with an older 2wd car like this. new modern all wheel drives I would think do better, but my 85 is about the newest car I've ever owned so hard to tell. I did ok with a set of Blizzacks on my 17" wheels. you can always add a lump of weight into the bed.

heat is fine, never had a problem with my heater. the windshield has a tendency to rust at the bottom corners letting water into the cab, this causes it to fog up in the winter mornings. fix any rust there so it's solid and you should be fine. I haven't experienced AC in a vanagon yet but I may someday. a little more hassle retro-fitting it into a doka but it seems like with the smaller cabin it would work well.

original seats arn't the most comfy things, but fitting Recaros isn't hard at all, a set of good used Recaros and some seat slides from GoWesty, the bolt in process is easy. more time spent cleaning up the area under the old seats than actually bolting the new ones in.

hard to say if the price is right, it's highly dependent on how fat your wallet is. how will you feel with all the money gone and this thing in your driveway. you defiantly get alot of positive response from the passers by... these cars make people smile at you and give you thumbs up. but you can't get home on a thumbs up. still positive comments from random people can some times make your day brighter. hard to quantify that but you won't get it if you drive a non VW van or 'generic' minivan. any rear engine VW van will get you positive feedback.

when my rig is in the shop I barrow the ford van from my work, it looks like the iconic child-catcher van. windowless grey van. I hate it. loose power steering, grabby power brakes sloppy drunk suspension...and no waves from other vanagon owners.

if you buy one, it will be an on-going project to some degree. for me 95% of it has been work of my own choosing...when and what I want to do to make it how I like. if I hadn't done anything from how I bought it (nearly all stock) it would still be getting me to work and back just fine.