Battle Jitney Syncro camper build thread

[rmcd]

Thanks.
Acres of usable space up there for “things” and out of your face unless you are tall-in-the-waist. I am a bit concerned because i feel a growth spurt coming.

Only fiddly part is the wire routing. I figured it out with going thru my wing window so you know it is doable.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[tencentlife]

[torbot]

Awesome build thread! Which aircraft post lights did you use? I want to add the same thing to my SmallCar AC unit and really like the look of yours. Couldn’t find that style on the Aircraft Spruce site you listed.
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'82 Westy w/2012 Subaru EJ25 (AKA "Dave").

[rmcd]

[rmcd]

Broke a down link where the PO tried to tack weld on the bushing washer.

So while on jack stands I finished up my skid plates and also extended my stubby TDI exhaust. It was rattling waaaaaaay to much so I figured I would add length and mass.

There is NOT a lot of clearance back there to install all that stuff! I have many nights thinking about how to fit all that in and not leave stuff exposed.

I had a pile of aluminum plate that is way too thick but what the hell. I built the mustache bar of thick wall tube. I wanted a heat shield and needed to gusset the mustache bar so I did both with thin aluminum plate. Form does follow function. And gave me a chance to practice TIG welding. I have a ways to go.

Exhaust work. Mocking up the new muffler and skid plate mustache bar.

Final mustache bar.

Here is the rear facing mounting bracket.

Modified pipes ready for install.

And exhaust installed.

Once that was in place and everything looks like it's going to play together as planned and mocked up it was time to finalize the aluminum diaper and trans plate.

Also r&r a clapped out rusty beat to hell and back oem syncro front skid plate. Installed with welded in rivnuts. No pictures.

Welded in rivnuts for mounting everything. Later replaced with full sized nuts as rivnuts don’t like to be installed backwards where the bolt puts the nut in tension. Long story.

Lots of pictures in my gallery.
Here is the end results.

I’m pleased with the outcome. Kind of light weight and low profile so I don’t feel I compromised ground clearance.

Also followed Sodos lead and installed trans temp sensor.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

EGT update. Been having issues with excessive EGT since NorthWesty did the TDI swap. Basically I couldn’t go over any hill longer than a mile without EGT hitting 1200. All this time I just Figured it was software related. At the time of the swap I had them upgrade the injectors.

The original tuner is out of business so I was referred to a Malone dealer. They chipped the van and pulled my new injectors to find two matched injectors with one flow rating and the other two mismatched with different flow ratings. It ran 400 degrees cooler with new software and new matched injectors.

My oem turbo was cooked and starting to rub on the wall so I also replaced it at the same time with a direct swap ALH VNT17. Kudos to Aaron and crew at https://www.cascadegerman.com/. Very affordable parts and all in stock for local pickup or shipping.

Going to try MT Hood this weekend to see what kind of EGTs I get now.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

Egt test run trip report. And a few other updates.

New injectors all the same size. New turbo. New Malone software. New map tube. Gave me a chance to do some ugly aluminum welding. Overall the Van egts Run much cooler. And over all it is a different truck to drive around town.

Trip up to timberline lodge on Mt Hood went much better. Still had egts up to 1300 after last 5 mile haul ending at Government Camp. Had to down shift into third and run 4000rpm at 55 or so to keep egt around 1277’.

My puller fan didn’t seem to do much.

Transmission temp hardly rose more than 10’ the whole time but I suspect my probe ain’t right.

The trans case at the probe location is always 40’ warmer. At the lodge the case was 140’ measured by thermal gun.
The Coolant and oil were around 190’.

Next test will be tailgating OSU vs Stanford next weekend. I’ll be running a 32” led tv, Dish tailgater pro, and Bigred fire pit.

This ...

Goes here.

Built aluminum bracket to mount this for the games.

Hope to test my solar install with my Ctek MPPT setup.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

Wing window fix. It’s the little things.

I rebuilt my doors and windows with all new hardware and rubber. Unfortunately the driver side wing window had a small but deafening whistle. Dogs and myself could hear it.

Someone in my past said it could be fixed with waxed paper and silicon.

I’m here to say that is does work. I think next time I’d use black or even bronze color caulking.

Mask everything you don’t want caulking on.
Tape waxed paper to the rubber.
Apply caulking to the glass.
Close the window.
Wait for it to tack up a bit then clean excess.
I let mine sit over night then slowly peeled back the wax paper. A little trimming of the caulking with a razor and done.
Perfect gasket. Not too unsightly and No more whistle.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[Sodo]

So you just added thickness to the glass.
Sounds like you could easily scrape it off and use black silicone if there comes a time to replace it.
Good stuff rcmd!

[rmcd]

Ctek and 120v flex solar panel running 20+ volts to MPPT charge controller producing 13.7v at AGM battery. Not bad for a clouding rainy day in portland.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[erste]

Awesome work! I just read through the whole thread.

The TV mount, overhead console, and locking storage up top are way cool.

[rmcd]

Thanks n lots of daydreaming solutions. It’s fun to make them happen
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

Couple updates.

My A2A intercooler doesn’t seem to do much. Probably will go air to water in the future. The new intake scoop didn’t make an impact either although I can see myself pulling small birds out of it at some point.

Jet engine intake vent.

More info here about the lame performance.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=582078&start=120


I installed an oem grey water tank.

I’m glad I ponyed up for the hardware mounting kit. I could have made my own but the oem kit was easy. I will plumb it in after I finish restoring the westy kitchen cabinet.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[thatbaldwinlife]

Looks great! Sometime after we return to some normal life it would be fun to check out the van. Love to do a TDI swap at some point.
nate
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1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel

[rmcd]

Did someone say something about restoring westy cabinets?

I have a couple sets of old westy stuff. The stove cab was the wrong color and stored outside for a long while.

Before.

Watching boobtube I learned how to remove laminate using a scraper, xylene solvent and an iron rod.

I ordered replacement tan/beige laminate and lost $255 to a vendor who swears his laminate matches. More of my whining here.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636886

I can’t remove the last piece that is still showing on the cabinet as it is nicely dovetailed into the structure of the box. I will go over the top of it with new laminate. I will share the results compared to putting new laminate directly on the wood as I had planned. For science.

I restored the rusty metal work. Repainted with the recommended SEM cordovan brown. It’s a bit dark but will work for my application.

I will post color pictures of the metal work when done.

I refurbished the stove and converted the hose to run the small 1# propane tanks.

I also sourced a roll of wall paper that kind of matches the old stuff. More on that later.

I have a new faucet and 12v pump to install once I have a water source.

I accidentally bought this.

Water tank?
I have a Reimo water tank that was designed to fit between the rails under the van. The plan was grey water and aux heater on the driver side and water tank on the passenger side. Unfortunately some bonehead (me) forgot the master plan and installed AC lines where the tank should go. It needed to be notched to clearance the AC lines.

Here is the HDPE tank. HDPE is chemically inert so can’t be glued. It must be heat welded. I found a local craftsman that has the experience, tools and skill to weld a patch on.

More later.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[joetiger]

[rmcd]

Here is the repainted metal westy parts. I used the sem Cordova brown. The clapped out westy plate and the long bar on the left are oem paint for reference.

The SEM paint is darker brown. Sorry for the bad lighting and glare.

The reimo tanks is HDPE. It must be heat welded. Here is the patch done by a local who specializes in plastic fabrication and welding.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

Reimo HDPE water tank in place with fill spout.

I still need to put a protective sleeve on the fill spout fill and breather hoses and pull the service line to the interior. The cabinet is still being restored. Once it is in place I will pull the service line.

Gravity fill spout. The door pulls out to expose a trough where you pour the water.

This is the style of fitting I used. HDPE is “chemically resistant” so I didn’t want to rely upon caulking or glue as I don’t think it will be effective.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

I installed a RMW tire swing. Very nice bit of kit. Required some tweaks to holes but overall it is outstanding! I should have installed this a long time ago.

Here was the first project to build a rack. I will finish it some day?

I finished up the Reimo install.
Here is the fill and breather tube wrapped for protection.

The reimo is a tight fit!

And the supply end wrapped with some heavy rubber farm hose.

On to the westy stove refurbishment. I re laminated the cabinet and restored bits and bobs. Here is resetting the door hinge pins with a perfectly sized wood screw from a jar of spares.

Used the old laminate as a template on the new laminate to mark the blind holes where hardware attaches.

And other cabinet work.

I used the Tolex paper to re cover the shelves. It looks good compared to the oem paper and certainly will last much better. It isn’t a perfect match but a good quality replacement.

The Formica Desert Beige 899. 58 Matte finish is the best match by a mile. And at $45 for an 8’ sheet is is a lot cheaper than the supplier on the Samba classifieds.

New sink faucet, pump and hoses. I also converted the stove to use the small gas bottles.

I installed an oem grey water tank and feed the sink drain directly. The rv store tech said most rv tanks don’t have an air trap. Ok. Less work for me. And it is just grey water.

Hose thru the floor.

I used 8-10mm nutserts thru the floor and into the van walls to set the cabinets at the oem locations. No pictures. And all were bolted together at oem locations or close but using 8mm hardware. Six mm oem seemed a bit smallish.

I had intended to have the oem “brown” cushions recovered to match the rest but I kind of like them!

Nah. I’m too ocd.

I will adjust my rigid MOLLE panels to clear the seat a little.
Clean MOLLE panels.

And today loaded with stuff.

I need to exhile equipment from the MOLLE to the locked luggage rack/sat dish plate.

All good for now.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[Phishman068]

I had no idea the iota charger would fit in the shallow portion under the seat!
Are your seats on risers or something, or does the iota charger really fit there on a stock setup?
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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."