1968 Deluxe Build

[Trashman]

Another quick little (incomplete) update here. Last week on presidents day I finally was able to have a day off to work on the bus and got to work on the new rear notches. I got everything all cut out of 3"x1.5" 1/8" wall box tubing and prepped for welding. I welded them all out and got one of them welded on the bus on the drivers side. I only had time to finish welding in the one side since I only had the one day to work. I'm glad I only cut out one side at a time or I would have been screwed and out of a car. Gotta love having your project car being your daily driver. I grabbed some pictures of the process but not one of the final product since I was in such a mad rush to finish in time. Anyways, heres some pics and expect to see pictures of them welded in coming soon.

Next job on my plate will be the trans raise.

Cut, beveled, and prepped.

Welded all up (minus the ends being capped)

This seems like it's going to take a little longer than originally anticipated due to lack of time and other priorities. I just got a big grant for my photography and am currently working on producing a gallery show. So if things seem like they are moving at a sluggish pace, that's probably why.


edit: and to give credit where credit is due, frame notch design was based off of a template that Franz from KCW drew up and I found somewhere
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[AirKooledGarage]

Easily my favorite build on Samba!

[jpeters]

[Trashman]

Thanks guys! I wish things were going quicker!
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Trashman]

We are back working in the street! Garage space fell through so it looks like I'll be doing the beam raise/air beam in the street. Good news though is that the front will finally start going under the knife tomorrow! More updates more often will be coming your way shortly. Originally, plans were to have this thing ready for Kelley Park in April, but I'm not going to rush it. As long as it's done for Busfest in Antioch I'm cool with it. Hopefully it doesn't take that long . Tomorrow brings a funky lowrider inspired update and hopefully a naked front end (not mine, the buses lol). In the meantime, I can't believe I never posted this but here is my ash tray, now calling it an Accu-tray.

Getting really excited!
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[bally]

nice re-purposing of the ashtray

[Trashman]

Got some stuff done today but not quite as much as I wanted. The weather forecast called for sun all day with maybe a hint of clouds but we got some hail in the middle of the day so that sucked. I was still able to get the beam out and completely torn down.

I also cut out a section of heater tube that goes right above the beam since it will be in the way for the raise. Look at all the shit that was in there!

And I had to have a little fun and put some lowrider inspired flair under the dash lol.

More to come...
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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[TDCTDI]

Don’t toss the little black button things, those are the covers for the screw heads where the dash is attached at the base of the windshield.

YOU... are a mad man, pulling that thing apart on the side of the street to do the type of surgery that you are performing.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Hikelite]

I'll second that. I'd done lots of wrenching on the street, but taking out the front beam? Damn that's brave. Hopefully you get it done before a neighbor gets pissy and calls the cops.
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~Kevin

My 1968 Campmobile

[Trashman]

As usual, things are going slower than planned. Had to help my girlfriend put a new convertible top on her mk1 cabby and it took a couple of days. Looks good though. Anyways, I'm almost ready to start welding the beam together. Here's a picture of the finished end plate showing how much higher the beam will sit. 5" of more clearance

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Trashman]

[TDCTDI]

Time to convert it to a non-walkthrough & toss in a 9 passenger front bench. That'll be a good way to hide all the hackery & have a place for your air tank & compressor.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Spike0180]

[Trashman]

And we're driving! finally got everything I was waiting for in the mail. Yesterday I was able to make so new custom tie rods and drag link using heim joints. Previously I modified the rear pitman arm (I think that's what it's called) so that the end that connects to the tie rods is 2 5/8" higher off the ground. The thing is drivable (in a straight line ) when the frame is 1mm off the ground. No steering or other components get too close to the ground since they are all tucked up. Thing drives soooooo nice, especially compared to how to drove before. Can't wait to do the rear. I think I'm going to take a little break on heavy mods for maybe a month just so I can drive again and work on fixing other little things.

Here's the new goodies I made for the steering. Don't heim joints and grade 8 gold hardware just make you feel some kind of way?

Face down, ass up, thats the way we...

First outing and parked next to another santa cruz bus driver.

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[spacebiscuit]

The Golf you sold... looks awesome. I have a 1990 MKII also and I am now dreaming of what it could be...

[Trashman]

Well it seems like I've been MIA on here for a while. I haven't stopped working on the bus in the time I've been absent from here but I definitely have slowed down a bit and have just been really enjoying driving the bus around. the ride quality is so much improved over the static drop and I am insanely happy with how comfortable it is and how much more safe it is and feels. The rear still needs to be done but I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to get it started.

Over the past few couple months I have just been doing little odds and ends on the bus that don't involve it being out of commission at all since I'm enjoying driving it around so much. In no particular order, here are most of the things that I have been doing to the bus.

I put this closed cell foam heat and sound insulation on the roof of the bus and it made a CRAZY difference in sound. The fatmat has nothing on this stuff. I just got a second roll of the stuff and will be putting it on all of the side panels as well.

I also got this rad little 6-channel CB radio just for fun.

I finally started working on the interior panels. So far I have the two front doors done as well as the two bulkhead pieces. They are just thin ply from home depot at $11 a sheet, cut to shape, stained, and poly coated on both sides. More to come on these.

Started doing things in preparation for the rear tubs. I removed the spare tire tub and left it open to make welding the new wheel tubs in easier. I will close it once I'm done with those. I also moved up the fuel door and filler to get out of the way of the tub. This is welded in but not fully finished yet hence not finished picture. And no don't worry that panel is not original paint.

Also finished off the second rear frame notch and sprayed them both with some canned bedliner.

My cv axle boots have been torn for far too long so I wen ahead and replaced all four boots and painted the axles pink, because why not?

And lastly, here is a picture of me with the bus, taken by my girlfriend on her new Mamiya 645.

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Trashman]

Little bit more of that insulation has been put up now. Slider definitely has more of a thud sound now than a clang when you close it. Also snagged a pic of the bulkhead wood panels. Missing some ash tray parts and the grab handle. Will be acquired soon enough though. Slowly but surely

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Trashman]

Got my ash tray and grab handle parts this past week but one of the ash trays that I got is smaller than I need. Is this one for a later bay? Or maybe a different spot? I have no idea since this thing came with practically zero interior and I'm just working off of pictures. The two ash trays looked real similar in separate pictures but side by side they are obviously different. Anyways, at least my passengers in the back can smoke now

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Trashman]

Been wanting to do this little project for a long time now and I finally did it! You all know how bays didn't come with tachs, and if you want one you have a couple of options. First is you could buy an after market tach and either pop it on top of your dash or in the blank gauge hole but that doesn't look great because it doesn't match the look of the other gauges. Second option is that you could buy a ready made tach that matches but those run around $250 or so. not really worth it if you ask me. The third option is to make your own tach. This is what I did. I followed the general method used in this thread https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0 I did of course have to make some modifications though. I wanted to have a tach that had a max rpm reading that would be room fit for a 1600, so instead of using a 8k tach, I used a 6k tach. The specific one I used was an Autometer Autogage 2306. I remade the gauge face in order to work with the new tach. The only other different thing that I did from the original post was a made my own needle, shaped out of a piece of pvc pipe. This thing is awesome! Would definately recommend anyone trying to make one of your own of these.

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Sketchworm]

Rad build bro! I'm new to the forum, jus got me an early bay last month. Definitely following this thread, very very informative!
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Building a bay can be costly!