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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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 Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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I had to harvest the wheels and passenger car tires from this bus today to get the "orphaned '87 2wd" through inspection tomorrow (the tires are brand new and despite being the wrong load rating, will get me on the road until I get the proper tires on the Ronal Alloys).
In doing so I put 4 "spares" on that all hold air but otherwise suck. They'll keep it rolling though. In doing so I snapped some pics of the rusty bits. There are a few bits that are concerning but overall, all repairable. Not "that" bad.
In my neck of the woods we call this a "pretty nice looking trailing arm"
This is a complex meeting of several pieces, these are the areas of real concern but anything can be fixed! : )
[img] http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb382/Phishman....jpg[/img]
This exhaust is actually quite problematic, as it's totally ruined. I would love to run this engine a bit and get a sense for it's compression, power, oil pressure, and overall condition. However, since the exhaust is completely broken off at this point, it's prohibitively loud to do any diagnostics at all. Even if I were to weld this pipe to the other (Obviously this whole exhaust will be replaced....) The muffler has holes in it. It would still be a bunch better i imagine though.
Does anyone think this can even be welded though? It's pretty much rust to rust, and i doubt i can grind away much before it vanishes.
[/img]
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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outwesty
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2006
Posts: 1074
Location: Tahoe City
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| Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
Are these really recognized as THAT bad?
Someone's got to be running these with success. All the vendors sell them.... |
I'm a fan of rebuilding stock axles as you are but when I got my syncro the front axles were missing (just had outer cv in to hold bearing in). I ordered two EMPI front axles for $120 shipped and they have been doing well. I use my syncro offroad more than most and they have been good so far...I did add more grease when they arrived. 8k and climbing. |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Being "SYNCRO de mayo", I chose to take this opportunity to pull this bus in and start working on it! I have patiently waited since last fall, saving and planning and now i'm in a position to start working on it.
My little brother, who is a current college freshman has sprouted a new appreciation for vanagons, having driven them from time to time (when asked) over the years and growing up around them. He has taken to skiing as a new winter activity, and the idea of having a syncro that he would be able to take on ski trips excites both of us.
The plan here is to build a syncro that is completely rust proofed and capable of lasting 10 years of "normal car use" on PA roads before being completely ruined, and will be thoroughly "ENJOYED" off of the public roads from time to time. : )
Anyways, I am excited to spread the joy with my younger brother Grant, and teach him all about the workings and mechanics of the vehicle.
Today, we pushed it in, and started disassembly.
I forgot how much I hate rusted fasteners!
I mixed up a batch of penetrating fluid using the 50/50 Acetone/ATF formula and put it in a spray bottle. Sure enough IT ROCKS! Way better then PB Blaster.
Overall, I think the condition is at or possibly better then I recalled upon previous investigations and I believe this will be a project that should be ready for winter.
Today we got the engine and transmission out.
Here are some photos.
Here's Grant, in his grand introduction to Thesamba,
Smiling next to the first engine he'd ever pulled (Mostly by himself). The transmission is attached, I handled that portion.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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luVWagn
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1340
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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Cleaning up the transmission is mostly sorted.
Grant handled most of that by wire wheeling and wire brushing by hand the entire transmission after first scrubbing it with degreaser. Then once it was all shined up and the oxidation layer was removed, the steel parts were acid etched, painted with an etch primer, then with a layer of Wurth Rust Guard.
Everything is then being coated in Eastwood Heavy Duty Anti-Rust, a black wax based spray that never "quite" hardens and should self repair and stick will. I was worried about painting the transmission first, as I've read that people have found the magnesium to corrode just as fast under even an epoxy paint, and then the paint just flakes off. With the wax based coating, it will seal it off and shrink with the metal if the metal chooses to corrode away somehow (i have my doubts! It's fully air tight!).
Anyway:
And after alot of work:
I will snap a picture of the transmission with the first coat of the black wax on the top side of the transmission. It will then sit for a few days to cure before being flipped over and the bottom side coated.
This transmission will be receiving Swepco 201.
The next step, as illogical as it may seam, is to see what we've got body wise to work with. A friend of mine who details cars has offered to stop out and buff it, and it makes sense to me to have it buffed before giving it the bedliner bottom treatment, as that way they're not buffing up to a hard line. So....
We pressure washed and degreased the body today. Quite a bit of work.
Here's Grant getting at it with the wand.
After a good bath, this baby looks pretty good! Its in good shape. Hopefully tomorrow it will be buffed and AWESOME!
I brought home a set of rims for it as well!
A set of Audi 200 rims. They're 15'' rims, which wasn't the plan but we'll make due with what life threw us. There is some concern about fitment though, as they're ET45, but hopefully they'll work.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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I had the bus buffed in anticipation of body work. Somehow it makes sense to me to have the initial cut restored to the paint before putting hard lines in it with bedliner that can't easily be buffed up to.
It turned out GREAT!
This is now officially a good bus to work on and will turn out awesome!
The hope is to get the bedliner on it next week so that it can be hardening and adhered before I go adding a bunch of highly whicking and paint repellent non curing items to the underbody, as it would be a pain to try to paint over the seams after that stuff has made it's way through.
But first, I have to fix the rust spots. God, I hate fixing rust, but i've become sufficiently good at it, i guess.
I'm starting with the worst of the rust, the horizontal seam behind the front bumper. I've become accustomed to seeing these seams have some rust on many vanagons, and have seen plenty worse off then mine. However, I want to fix this such that it doesn't return in the 5-10 year proposed lifespan of this vehicle. Rule #1 in rust repair is remove stuff until you're past the rusted bits.
I chose to start by spreading back the rusted seam with a chisel, and was quite surprised at what I found!
Not only was there rust between the two layers, between the spot welds and on both sides of the metal in the areas that were quite rusted, but the same rust existed between all the spot welds that showed no rust!
Meaning, even the cleanest seams actually were riddled with rust!
The game plan is to chisel off the top lay of the horizontal seam back to where it meets the vertical panel, and then simply weld the vertical panel down to the horizontal piece. This will then be coated with brush-able seam sealer on both sides (where accessible) and the outside will be topcoated with Upol Raptor bed-liner. The inside will be coated with Eastwood Heavy Duty Antirust sprayable wax, and the inner cavity coated with an inner cavity spray. That should stop things for a while!
The 15'' Audi 200 rims test fitted on the red sunroof syncro with the G60 brake setup that this bus will be receiving. These are the stock brakes that went with these wheels, but they clear by a hair, Truly a hair. It's SHOCKINGLY close.
Anyway, the fit on the front is pretty good! No issues.
The rears however, do not fit. I would either need to run about a 20mm spacer and thus put in longer studs, which I don't fancy the idea of, or have the centerbores machined to clear the hub. Hopefully I can find someone who can/will do this for me. If I must run spacers and longer studs, I'll have to come up with some longer studs which are quite pricy when it's all said and done, and can be a pain to change out. : /
The paint job now shines!!!!
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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luVWagn
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1340
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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| Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
I had the bus buffed in anticipation of body work. ...
The paint job now shines!!!! |
Did you do the buff yourself, or just at a detailing place? I'm wanting to get my van nice and clean, as well as shiny, but don't have the buffing disc type tools or attachments right now, and don't know what i'm doing either :p
_________________
'91 Syncro 16 Reimo Hightop Conversion, eTDI |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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epaddler
Samba Member
Joined: July 18, 2010
Posts: 222
Location: Slippery Rock
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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Well, there's too much water in the rivers for me to work on the boats (yep, that apparently can happen....) so I had a rare day off today! It was productive.
First, ,we built a box out of mostly 3/4'' plywood and 2x4s (and a top of 1/4'' plywood) all harvested from a dumbster. WINNING!
This heavy duty crate is on casters and is designed to be big enough to fit a Dressed Longblock WBXer and a complete exhaust stashed away for another day. Eventually I hope to have a spare WBXer built up, and this way it can be protected and things can be stored atop it.
The lid reads "Maximum Contents 95 Horses".
So, moving on to the Syncro fuel filler neck. This completely unavailable piece has to be repaired no matter what it takes, and mine looked crusty.
I wire wheeled it down then tossed it into my brand new blast cabinet! What a great tool! I've been using them for years for projects like this, but having one at home is just spectacular.
Upon cleaning it up, NO HOLES! Actually, plenty thick throughout, great!
Except that the little mounting bracket was pretty much rusted off. No good, lets fix that properly.
I used my fancy Foredom Hand Tool (Think bench mounted dremel with a flex shaft and precise foot control) which I use for making wedding rings to meticulously grind off the welds from the sides of the bracket, and then a small sharp chisel to break off the bracket.
I cleaned up the area under it and removed the welds completely, being sure that I did not grind away any actual metal of the pipe, just the welds from the bracket.
I made a new bracket out of a piece of mild steel and ground it on the belt grinder to get it to the same relative thickness. I then drilled a pair of holes and connected them with the grinder. I sure wish I had a mill, but i'll make due with precision jewelers tools. : )
The original bracket assumes the curve of the pipe, so I took this opportunity to hammer it out on the anvil to get exactly the same curve. Simple.
I still need to remove the shock and place the bracket and pipe on the vehicle, so that I can tack it in place. Then i'll remove it, finish weld and grind, and coat with 2 coats of WURTH Rust Guard followed by a coat of Eastwood Heavy Duty Antirust (Wax).
Then after a few days in the sun, it should be ready for re-installation.
The Eastwood Product on the transmission has already cured more or less (in about a week) and is really spectacular. Not sticky, just a bit soft. Awesome!
I also welded most of the front panel today, but do not have a means of grinding the welds that will fit in the area, yet. A die grinder and 2'' sanding disk will be here this week to solve that problem, then i'll show the finished product. It seems like it turned out pretty well, and should last.
Grant spent most of the day washing the gas tank and playing with the new blast cabinet, getting several brackets cleaned up and with a coat of WURTH Rust Guard on them. Nice.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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We've been using the fancy new blast cabinet to clean up some parts. These parts are degreased, hung, and painted with Wurth Rust Guard.
Working the rear passenger corner to get the metal as straight as possible and fixing all the parts I can before I we paint the bottom portions with a topcoat of Upol Raptor.
The very ruined corner has been straightened, quite well I must say, using hammers and dolly's from my Harbor Freight auto body hammer kit. This is the best i've done to date, it will require almost no filler to get proper before painting! : )
The seams have been picked out using dental picks and will get soaked with SEM Rust Mort before getting a coat of UPOL Etch Primer, a layer of Seam Sealer, and then top coated with UPOL raptor if below the line, and touched up with touch up paint and an air brush if above the line.
There was a pretty substantial crease/dent above the lower quarter, and since this will fall below my paint line I've chosen to attempt to fix it. Sadly, there is no access to the back to get a dolly back there, so....
I cleaned up the metal, and welded on a series of Finish nails. I then pulled them out meticulously with body weight and a pair of vice grips. It worked spectacularly at removing the bulk of the crease and a thin layer of filler and a spare coat of primer will make it proper.
Today was productive!
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10251
Location: N. Idaho
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| Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice, very detailed. I hope you don't get tangled in too many details and can get the old girl back on the road to enjoy before winter in PA!!
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it's been a while!
I have been super busy working all summer ( I work primarily seasonally) but have made some progress on this bus. It's certainly overdue for an update.
Life has thrown me some curves and I sold the 2wd bus to a persistent party helping significantly towards the syncro fund ($SYNCRO).
First, the nose has been welded up, ground down, brushable seam sealer applied, a coat of paint, and will be covered in the UPOL Raptor soon.
Rust ground off the fuel tank area, everything cleaned with POR Marine Clean, Etched with POR Metal Ready, and painted with POR15 (2 coats).
It will be getting 4 coats of Wax based Eastwood Heavy Duty Antirust.
Here's the rusty sending unit.
Astonishingly these nuts came off effortlessly and the interior stud plate and studs are in good shape! (Though will be replaced with stainless).
Broken Rollover Valves with torn gaskets that were gooey and gross.
Does anyone know if this Internal Filter is available?
There's nothing at all wrong with this one but wasn't sure if it's an available part while i'm in there.
The only thing wrong with this tank is that the two "NUBS" that the vent line holders connect too are not perfect. One has a knick in it but is completely useable, though the other is broken off. : /
I still have the piece and i'm thinking of epoxying it back together. Otherwise I imagine it will be fine without it, as all it really does is help hold the vent lines together and routed while you lift it all up, right?
The broken one.
The other one.
The vent lines will be Gates Barricade J30R14 3/16'' (4.8mm) line as is used by Vancafe in their gas tank installs. The fuel lines are goodyear 5/16 (7.9mm) J30R9 rated hose with SS Oetiker clamps.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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SyncroBilly
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2014
Posts: 230
Location: New York
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by SyncroBilly on Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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I've got some spare hardware taken off and collected from vanagons over the years which i've sorted through, cleaned up, and is off for Zinc plating.
Installing some new parts on the gas tank. It's astonishing how much money it costs to do the gas tank/seals properly on a syncro as opposed to a 2wd. I'm easily $600 into it right now, not even sure really. I don't want to tally it all up....
I'm going to make an effort to share every product and proceedure i'm using throughout this build. Even though I am far from an expert, I have done my research and found which products have worked for me over the years of working on these vanagons. These are not necessarily the products you should use, and I may find in a year that all these were the wrong products, but rather then hiding what i'm using, i'll save you the time if you want to utilize the same products. That's what these forums are for, right?
I have found this product to be spectacular for use throughout vanagons. I use it as a dielectric grease on all electrical contacts, It's my lube of choice for all rubber parts, and in a pinch it works as a good anti-seize and even grease.
I installed the VW OEM Rollover valves which I sourced through Vancafe into their respective seals using a bit of Super Lube, it's great stuff and makes things go easy. It's rubber safe, and a great addition to any toolbox.
Here is the internal "Expansion tank" portion of the fuel tank, it's really a baffle more then anything. Notice the factory line in place is curved and directed towards the tanks internal fuel filter. The factory line was 15.5'' long and the proper fuel hose I purchased from gowesty, designed to be submerged and properly rated for our modern oxygenated fuels is 20'' long. I found that I had to open up the hole a bit to get the hose through this baffle, and chose to go with the full 20'' provided, as the routing seemed fine. I attached this return line to the new sending unit ($200!!!!!!) using a stainless steel Oetiker clamp.
The line they provide is Cohline-2190 7.3mmx14.5mm which is rated to E15 ethanol and Meets VW TL 522 56 standard.
The clamps I used are:
Oetiker 16700013 Stainless Steel Hose Clamp, One Ear, 7 mm Band Width, 9/16" Hose ID, 12 mm - 14.5 mm Hose OD Range (Pack of 100).
They're available on amazon for $27, so $0.27 a piece.
They do seem quite tight though, and I may be moving up to the next size up.
Does anyone know if this piece is available, anywhere?
Someone needs to make them....
It's a hose retainer and mine is quite rusty.
A bit of blasting will show that this suckers nearly swiss cheese.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Signalocity
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2012
Posts: 573
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
Does anyone know if this piece is available, anywhere?
Someone needs to make them....
It's a hose retainer and mine is quite rusty.
A bit of blasting will show that this suckers nearly swiss cheese.
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Looks like a piece of flat stock with a couple of holes in it.  Go for it, and add metal fabrication to your skill set. |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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