Bringing a Syncro Westy back to life

[Madeouttaglass]

I've debated with myself if I even wanted to post this latest project of mine. Afterall, I know that few people have the skills or patience of Hodakaguy and I know that I'm not one of them. I have however spent 40 years rebuilding many motorcycles, engines, fast cars, 4x4s and bumpers/ rollbars,... I enjoyed reading his excellent build thread of his beautiful VW last year and was amazed by his work. I will however blame him and another a member of ADVRider.com for setting me on this path.
A little personal VW Westy history first.
My older brother and I plus a few friends were longtime campers since we were little kids. We tented all summer long as kids and kept camping after I got married and had kids. About a quarter century ago my older brother showed up at our door to show off his latest camping accessory- a used 1974 Westfalia. As I walked out the door to look at it I only had thoughts of hippies. That changed as soon as I looked inside at his little rolling house. I knew I had to have one for my young family but I had little $ to spare. After a few months of searching I found a '74 Westy with a dead Buick V6 and 6 radiators in it. The body was rusted but the doors and interior were near mint. Fortunately I soon found a nice '75 Westy with the front end cut off and missing it's interior and doors. (What are the odds of this before the internet?) It was even the same shade of orange. A few weeks of work and we had an inexpensive camper for our family. My brothers often camped with us in the Adirondacks and our two matching busses with Coleman canoes on the roofs were always a hit.
A few years after my family moved into the woods we found that we just didn't need to go to the Adirondacks to get away from things. Kids got older and both my brother and I sold our busses. Later after our kids were gone my wife and I had a few class As. Earlier this year I was talking to a salesman at an RV dealer and mentioned that I was selling the 36' RV and said that our best camping times were in our old Westy. He took out his phone and showed me some pictures of an almost finished '79 Westy restoration that his inlaws owned but had lost interest in. I bought it the next day. I got it finished up and we had started to have some fun with it.
One day I was on ADVRider.com and inmate named Cheesebot posted a link to a CL ad of a 2.5 Subaru powered '87 Westfalia Syncro that had sat a few years. It looked too cheap but I wrote to the seller anyways in case it wasn't a scam. The next day I heard nothing back so I figured it was a scam. Another day later the seller wrote back with their number. I drove about 500 miles the next day and bought it, then ebayed the '79 to help pay for the restoration of this one. (The '79 went to England.) Here it is in Gloucester when I first saw it.

The seller had listed it as not running but had put 2 new batteries in it as I was driving to get it. It started right up with the old gas and ran very well.
There were no available motel rooms in the area that evening so I had my first campout in it right where it sat in that picture. The next morning I took out the driveshaft and loaded it onto my tow dolly for the long trip home.
The little Tacoma pulled it well but got about 7 MPG on the trip.
Once I got it home I started to go over things. Hodakaguy had many pointers in his build thread. I've also learned quite a bit from the folks I met on www.TheSamba.com when I was finishing up the '79. The biggest concern seems to be that these self destruct easily with the stock fuel lines. Unfortunately you need to drop the engine and transmission to get to the gas tank on a Syncro. Like many projects of mine this has started a cascade. My plan is to get the entire driveline and suspension out and replace anything that could use it. I hope to have it back together for a long March trip. If all goes well the bodywork will come the following year. I already have a rust free donor Vanagon from PA waiting to give up bodywork for step two.

I did get a couple things in the last week. The stove front was sent out for a group buy refinish through the Samba. I also picked up a set of 15" wheels for the bus.

Step one, part one started a few days ago with the front end starting to be disassembled. Almost everything will be replaced. A few emails and calls to Burley Suspensions has made a sizable dent in the toy fund. Only one part here will remain. Burley is making both upper and lower control arms. He is also building a pivoting rear spring set up for the rear along with a rear disc brake kit. T3 will be supplying most of the bushings. VanCafe and BusDepo are on the list for tomorrow's calls.

[Madeouttaglass]

This afternoon was time for the syncroectomy.

The framework is all disassembled and in the back of my truck. Off to the sandblaster tomorrow.

[levi]

[edgood1]

wow. you're not messing around!.

I saw that van on craigslist a while back. nice score.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Syncroincity]

Oy, that must have been a (PB) blast taking that stuff apart. Great score, keep us updated! Are you in New York?

This was my summer project also;

June:

Sept:

_________________
'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[rubbachicken]

very nice
_________________
lucy our westy

lucy's BIG adventure

meet 'burni'


markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182

[Madeouttaglass]

[Madeouttaglass]

[Madeouttaglass]

[Madeouttaglass]

I lucked out this morning. I was going to drop off the rusted steel at my sandblaster to get to in the next week. He works outside and shuts down in the winter. When I got there he told me that he shut down last week but only was there to completely blast, prime and paint an amphibious duck that someone needed done before winter. As soon as it was finished he was headed to California. He squeezed my shit into his schedule immediately.

Blasted:

Primed:

And painted. Yes, as a nod to my old lifted truck days I went with Rancho Red. Puch did such a nice job on this subframe that I didn't want to hide it. Hate the color choice if you want. You can paint yours black if you like.

The propane tank takes such a beating right behind the front wheel that I sprayed it with Rustoleum bedliner. I've used this a bunch of times and it holds up very well.

[big swifty]

I like the Red.
_________________
Evan
1987 Vanagon Syncro // Westfalia pop-top graft // Factory new ALH. 11mm IP. AFN 110 RC 2,3,4 // S7 turbo// Titan P502's
2013 Golf 4d TDI. No mods. Yet.
[1991 Jetta coupe TD. Giles Superpump. Custom tall 5 speed. SOLD

[insyncro]

Sean at Transporter Werks paints most of the Syncro parts red.

Snazzy

[zippyslug31]

[insyncro]

[61Scout]

Looks great Madeoutofglass, and yeah, way to bust out of the gate and get to work! Congrats on your new van! I look forward to watching your thread.

And agreed that folks shouldn't talk about the money... If the poster offers it up that's one thing, but to ask is inappropriate. You can watch ebay, CL and the classifieds here to get an idea of initial purchase prices and where the market is going.

Kevin
_________________
1986 Westfalia Weekender Wolfsburg, RJE 2.3
1985 Tin Top, Subie 2.2 + 5MT
Floppy Mirrors no more: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=653018&highlight=
Remove the front spindle nut with ease: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679567&highlight=
Remove the rear wheel bearing housing without messing with the big 46mm nut: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679507&highlight=

-Nec Spe, Nec Metu

[Madeouttaglass]

I take no offense. It's not like someone is asking my net worth (or lack of it.) I am always curious to what toys are going for too. I often check ebay closed auctions for reference. The bottom line is I paid $8,000 with the promise to be there the next day with the cash. (450 miles each way.) I told the previous owner that I wouldn't nitpick once I arrived. They were very nice people and were the second owners of many years. While it does run and go down the road, don't think for a moment that this won't cost me multiples of my purchase price.

[Atadloco]

I saw a post on ADVRider about this Syncro being for sale on a local CL. Glad you got it, looks like it'll be brought back in a good way. Enjoy!!

[Madeouttaglass]

[Mundopacheco]

That should annoy a few around here, but with Syncros, you need to strike quickly and carry a wad of cash.

Yup, I just did this...again. Still addicted, but I now have four project vans (and a shop!) A low mileage 88 2wd Westy, an 85 Wolfsburg Weekender, a 90 GL automatic and the latest acquisition, an 87 Syncro GL. Then there's Fritz, 91 AW top, SVX with lots of mechanical bling. I.E. if you want to know what it costs to upgrade, improve, restore, buy one that's been well prepared and you will know.

[zippyslug31]