Project DC - 4 door Dual Cab with 3.2L Porsche engine

[Dasdubber]

Hi….thought I'd share one of our current restorations with you guys having looked through some of the awesome projects on thesamba, and from owners on this forum.

I run DAS Resto Haus - a VW restoration shop on the Gold Coast in Australia….this 71 Dual Cab project was the idea of an owner who wanted an old styled 'ute' (what we call a pickup) but with all the mod cons and handling/performance of a new car.

Without rambling on much more here is what we started with:

More pics to come, cheers. Al

[Dasdubber]

This thing was destined to be torn down to its bare bones given the brief of the project and the importance to get the panels super straight. So off with the nose:

As usual rotten a-pillars and inner valance:

The D-pillar (passenger side) had received a big whack at some stage and rather than fixing it properly, someone decided just to plate over it with a second skin

Both doglegs were to come off and be replaced with Klassic Fab units:

Lower a-pillars needed replacing as well

[Dasdubber]

Rear tubs were knackered so the call was made to remove and replace them as well

The deeper we dig, the more work we find (like all resto's!)

New Klassic Fab cab floor to come

Rear pillars were knackered as well

Off to blasting

[Dasdubber]

Post blasting things always look a little better (but certainly reveals exactly how much work is ahead)

Time to start cutting:

To make way for this:

After lots of research and talking to our gearbox builder, it was decided an 091 bus box would be mated to the 3.2L Porsche engine….it will have full Albins (weddle) internals and super diff. Whilst it will not withstand 3rd gear burnouts or drag race starts, the owner was happy to compromise some sensible driving to save a load of funds on buying/rebuilding/installing a G50 or 915 box.

Cheers
Al

[Red Fau Veh]

Oh goody! A real custom build, I love it.
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1971 Deluxe Sunroof Bay 1905 stroker, dual idf40's, 74mm Scat forged crank, engle 110 cam. CB 044 heads, AutoCraft rockers, chromoly push rods
1973 Orange transporter stock type 4 with dual 40 Dellortos and Empi single quiet pack
1969 Adventurewagen blue whale Gene Berg 1776 built by Dave Kawell dual 36 DRLA's, Vintage Speed exhaust, Bosch 019 screamer
1961 Swivel Seat camper, L345 grey

[tootype2crazy]

Wow. I'm keeping on eye on this thread. Someone has deep pockets for sure.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Dasdubber]

Cheers guys.

When mocking up the Porsche engine mated to the 2L bus box using a late bay gearbox top mount, two issues arose - one was the firewall/tranny hump was in the way, and two, engine to ground clearance was very limited if the box was mounted in the factory position.

As a result, a 2 inch tranny raise was implemented - front torsion housing mount was left in situ and the actual bolt on mount modded?the rear tranny hanger was then set 2 inches higher up on the chassis

[stuming]

This is the best thread ever. Just so I know, what's the budget for this? For when I win the lottery this weekend.
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Click to view image

[Wasted youth]

Wow! Really can't think of anything else to say.

[Dasdubber]

Thanks guys, budget it fairly large, but I'm sure the owner prefers to keep that to himself (I am guessing his wife won't be privy to it either)

[notchboy]

[Dasdubber]

Lots of small rust repairs to go along with the major panel replacements

The left side D-pillar had received a big whack at some stage and needed replacement. Since no repro panels were available Barry (my head fabricator) had to rebuild it from scratch. Of course its Murphy's law that two weeks after we finished the repair, a NOS left side early bay D-pillar came up for sale in Australia! Grrr! If only it was listed a couple months earlier!

[1967250s]

Nice repairs. We should get a thread with blueprints of all these custom made parts.

[Dasdubber]

Given the custom theme of the DC, Baz fabricated a new firewall and tranny hump from scratch and bead rolled some swages for strength and function (air flow - more info shortly)

Air ducts will be fed via sub cargo floor scoops

Part of the original tranny hump was retained and mated to the new section

New tubs…

[1967250s]

I'm curious about the weight of the new engine; is the rear chassis strong enough for the weight and power? T4 motor normally weighs 310 pounds. Waiting to see your shift rod mods, too. Cheers

[jtauxe]

Tell me more about your 4-door option.

I have a '78 RHD DC that I am doing that same modification to (following the replacement of the rear wheel wells, rear valence, and nose). Should get started on the fourth door any day now. Perhaps we can share notes.
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[Dasdubber]

[Dasdubber]

[Dasdubber]

Cargo floor was in fairly good shape apart from some rust under tank area so some new sections were welded in with the centre being left open for shift rod raise.

Splitty tank separation strips were modified and used to retain stock tank separation panels

Shift rod cover under raised tank

The thin flimsy Brazilian noses have the raised centre section for the emblem which we wanted to delete….and of course are for later high light bays so this needed modification too

Mockup on the DC - a lowlight lower nose had to be fitted as well but the repro items don't come with the indicator housings

One original was good, the other knackered….so only the brackets were salvageable and the housing had to be fab'ed from scratch

During butt welding

[tootype2crazy]

Nice metal work. I love to see quality work done.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)