Overlanding a VW Bus Around The World?!

[TDCTDI]

1998-2005 Passat steel wheels in 15" fit by enlarging the center bore. I suggest steel wheels due to the fact that they bend instead of cracking in an extreme impact, if bent, they can be straightened with a BFH
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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.

[notchboy]

[haydenslides]

Here's a good thread on Passat steel wheels:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=635064

[williamM]

sorry to have neglected this thread for so long-
Been trying to get the bus "road ready" so Ben n Leah can drive round S Cal and W Arizona for the required parts. Have provided secure storage for their stuff, and found a recently rebuilt front beam with new calipers and ball joints. But waiting for Ben to see them before there put in.

Just put a new key switch in electrical, and need to fix the wiper switch and drivers door handle- so if any one has one- please speak up. But at least it starts up now from the comfort of the front seat.

As Ben n Leah have a limited time, I'm doing the hard part of finding the correct parts- and If there parts are OK- I've a 78 in need of stuff.

Getting the ride height correct for rutted roads and swamp land- is our next hurtle. using a water proof grease for bearings and tie rods will be a big improvement (after watching how many times co-pito spent wading thru the brackish swamps- I'm hoping they avoid the broken bearings, bad CV's (I found some 181 's) and general malfunctions you can not avoid when truly exploring.

So- here are some recent pics and any suggestions from bracing the swivel seat to why didn't you ??? while you were there. will be appreciated.[img]

Believe it when I say- this is the ONLY rust thru- and have the weld in plat to replace it. Now just gotta get "Fabricator John" involved --(hurray- he beat throat cancer this summer- ) but the 118* weather probably helped-

It's currently running a 1800 with a center carb but plenty of FI available should you want to go that way- I'm also in the middle of a 2.0 mystery cam motor nearly complet- and enough parts to put together an 86a cam motor with Amc heads and an 701 hyd cam motor also with Amc heads. SO- the choices are plenty but in reality- hope they can get a factory motor of some sort.
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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[HastaAlaska]

Update - I'm back with the bus - pulled the engine and am about to replace the tank and fuel lines. Thinking to go with metal lines in as many places as possible.

Will add pictures as the build progresses.

Currently voting on the engine in this thread here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691496 if you would like to join the discussion.
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Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Manfred58sc]

Adventure Wagon?
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Fat chick owner/operator

[HastaAlaska]

correct.
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Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Manfred58sc]

Well mine has served me for 32 years and just shy of 700K miles , may you have such good fortune. The interior layout is a bit "clunky" in my book, but the high roof sure is nice. I only kept the head-banger,table, fridge/cookstove..the rest was too in the way.
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Fat chick owner/operator

[HastaAlaska]

Yeah we are gutting everything and starting again! Bought a sand blaster yesterday - so we mean business
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Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Manfred58sc]

OK, I am guessing you will be charging forth with a T-4 engine. Bigger is not necessarily better in this realm. The 1800 is a good performer and can run well with a single progressive carburetor. I would suggest the following 1- bring an extra set of heads 2- make sure your distributor is a properly rebuilt unit from one of the samba re-builders 3- install a tachometer so you drive in the correct rpm range at all times.

In this day and age you must treat the T-4 engine like rare wine, easy to enjoy-hard to replace.

How about some interior pictures?
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Fat chick owner/operator

[Abscate]

I've got a spare water buffalo if you wAnt to connect to people
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.ssS!

[williamM]

[airschooled]

[Abscate]

[williamM]

swivel seat is in and working. It came with the flat bit of the Vanagon wheel bucket it originally bolted to- and the dimensions were perfect for being welded to the top of the original seat rails.

This retained the bit of original storage and produced another storage under the mounting plate. They seem very happy with it.

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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[HastaAlaska]

[Xevin]

[quote="HastaAlaska"]

[HastaAlaska]

yes this is about a million times more difficult than Hasta Alaska. thanks for the links
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Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Xevin]

Will the Australian inspectors care you put FI on an orginal Carb Bus? Or is it all
About meeting safety criteria? Are you leaving bus there for some lucky winner?

Still not sure why you want to dick around with FI issues in Asia should they arise. If you going 2.0L Type 4 I’d put a pair of Weber 40 IDFs on for your particular trip and bring a couple of rebuild kits.
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Keep on Busin'

[fes]

I read an article in Haggerty magazine lately pertaining to this..https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/08/04/crackdown-on-asbestos-essentially-halts-collector-car-exports-to-australia/
They may not let you in..have a gander,Braking system alone will probably cause denial of entry.
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