1976 Turbo Diesel Westfalia... Long term project catch up.

[GfunkBus76]

Hey all,

Recently started re-revving my engines on finally getting back to it with my 1976 Westfalia Campmobile.

Its definitely a unique bus, the person I bought it from had made some distinct changes to it and planned to put in an 8v gas motor from a rabbit.

I bought this when I was 20, so a lot of my efforts had been 'misplaced' - drop down LCD (installed and removed without using it)... 2x 10" subs with 1400 watt amp (removed before using it...). Custom interior (when now I kinda wish it was just the OG look, but its still nice. Sink cabinet got water damaged during storage so I tossed it... wish I had it still. Many other things have been changed and being changed back (smoked turn signals and brake lenses - going back to stock). Went from the 8v Rabbit motor to a 16V turbo charged motor to a '86 Turbo Diesel motor before I was able to start the bus.

I'd think I'm older, more mature now and I've got a wife and 2-yr old to consider now. So direction has definitely changed of late. Finally getting near having time to do some work on it again.

In the 13 years I've owned it, I've had it insured for 2 summers. Time to up those numbers. Last time it was on the road was about 3 years ago (before I had my son).

So now for a massive photo dump...

This is what it looked like when I FIRST saw the bus... Listed in a classifieds as freshly painted, needed re-assembly. He had the bus at a barn and all the parts in bins at his house... I bought it in spring and figured road-tripping by fall!... #fail

Custom dash designed by PO to imitate the Split window... He gutted most everything under the dash... Every step was more challenging as I never disassembled a piece of it...

Outside was great! They overlooked a lot of other areas though, so had to dig into all of it.

He envisioned putting the gastank in this hole he cut out. I ended up putting it back in stock location and sealing the hole with a big replacement piece of steel.

Sand everywhere.....

Repainted the engine bay a bit...

Repainted the floors front and cargo area.

Applied sound deadener to everywhere... Added heaps of weight, but really makes the bus sound a little more solid!

Adaptor plates and clutch flywheel from KEP (PO' purchased).

Original 8V motor I was going to put in:

16v Custom Turbo with Meqasquirt I was then going to put in (thank my performance based brother...)

No real photos of the Turbo Diesel, I think I was just over the project and wanted it to run... Here's one pic of the rear...

Dual radiators under the bus:

Custom interior including Recaro buckets up front:

Various external shots...

If you're wondering why half the top is old and the other half is repainted... its due to getting it towed once while it was a WIP... the top wasn't fastened on and it went for a flight. Tow truck driver never told us, never saw where it ended up... found a replacement used one... haven't yet repainted it to match ...

So yeah. That's kind of where its at for now.

I've got a big list of things TO DO...

- Reorganize and make the wiring pretty... Basically put the entire 1986 Jetta harness in there, fuse panel and everything. Never really went through it properly - so its a right mess of spaghetti.
- Finish the pop top cleanup and re-paint.
- Install the new canvas I've had for 10 years... (figure out how given I never took it off... also find the hardware (hopefully)).
- Carpet the pedastools in the from (have some cheap black stuff ... but might change it at this stage).
- Finish the kick panels after the wiring is completed
- Fix the step on the side (hit a curb in a parking lot and it broke right off at the frame inserts... not sure how I can fix it but I will...
- RAISE the bus up, its WAY to low... feel every bump and crack on the road. No bump stops so its a big THUNK THUNK whenever I go over anything...
-Buy new rear seatbelts for the bus (mounting a child seat soon hopefully).
-Potentially setup an Auxiliary battery
- Replace my starter battery as I left it sitting without charge for too long.
-Fix the accelerator cable as it has snapped (extended for the swap and the way I did it did not last)...
- Plumb in the two heater cores for the passenger compartment
- Fix the fresh air vents (no mechanism or controls in there).

There's more.. So much more I'm sure.

Just been excited with the bus fever of late and wanted to share... Don't judge me on my poor past decisions... please. Hah... Will update soon I hope.
_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[GfunkBus76]

Oh yeah!

My 2 year old loves playing it... so I have to finish it... for the child!

That's how I'm angling it for my Wife anyways

_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[GfunkBus76]

More photos to dump... just got the bus moved forward so I can access it all now.

Had to kind of re-figure out whats what... Going to be fun to get her back in shape...

This spaghetti of wiring needs work, I'm going to go through it and cull out all the circuits I'm not longer using (from the '86 donor Jetta).

Curtains... Looks like they are almost all there? Not sure to be honest... Didn't disassemble the car in the first place. Scratch that... I think I'm missing some.

Have the elusive front curtain in mint shape though... so that's a plus!

Need to find some side mirror seals... or replacement side mirrors completly... at the time of purchase these were supposed to be the best quality OE German style mirrors... seems they have failed the 10year test.

Half-way to fixing my front turn signals... the right side bucket got crushed in a windstorm (tent that it has been stored in's front gate smashed against it)...

Thinking of adapting the mk2 dash pod into the car at this point... has most all the gauges I need realistically... and is essentially plug and play which is nice. Would just need to fab it up.

Some misc engine shots- Turbo Diesel 1.6L...

Some cockpit shots...

And the rear seating area... note the current storage situation...

Need to pretend like I'm the PO on this bus... owned it so long... through so many changes and so little driving... Ah well... back at it now!
_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[GfunkBus76]

Pray for me. Forgive me for my past misdeeds.

This ain't gonna be fun.

_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[TDCTDI]

WTF?!? Why are you going through all that to wire in the Diesel engine? The only thing you would need to add is the glow plug harness & relay, the bus's factory switched power lead is the only thing needed to run the Diesel engine & it would be connected straight to the fuel shut off solenoid, with no modification.
_________________
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.

[Busstom]

I'd swear I've seen a pic of that very pile of spaghetti before, right here on TheSamba

That Bus has a lot of potential, I actually like the dashboard design, not a bad conception on the PO's part (I'm sure many will disagree). Prolly easier to strip that harness out and start with a new stock loom. I hope you keep the momentum and see it through, in whatever form you settle on.

[GfunkBus76]

Progress... Might not look like it... But some increasing organization... a few more days perhaps before it's pretty.

_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[GfunkBus76]

[Sloride]

Was the original bus harness all removed? Why are you working from the fuse panel? Everything you need should be from the firewall back.

Stick with it. I'm not super happy with how I have the wiring laid out for the ecm in my swap. I plan to spend a day sometime soon to go at it again.
_________________
1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[GfunkBus76]

[GfunkBus76]

Did a lot of work in the last few weeks and now getting some rewards! 422kms into our camping roadtrip!

Yay! Will post some more pics later.

Clutch cable snapped two days before going replaced and carrying a spare now!!

Lots of rubbing on the tire with the full camping load too... Oh well. Wanted to raise it up but didn't have time.

_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[Spike0180]

gotta love when hard work pays off! Enjoy your trip, and you know we love pictures!

ps. good job getting out there in it even if it isn't completely finished. I'm noticing if you wait till its complete, you never get to use it.
_________________
Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[Chochobeef]

Nice work. I like your wheel choice. Your little guy is going to love growing up with those camping trips.

To reduce load sag in the rear could you go with a stiffer shock?

Keep up your hard work.

[Ride_On]

Awesome!! So nice to get out and use the bus! We're just back from what has become our annual routine of a two week Westy summer tour with our boys (4.5 & 2.5). Such great experiences and memories!

Great work! Love the wheels and body colour...
_________________
1977 Westfalia 2.0 FI Skills EJ25 w SubaruGears 5sp
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=687254
2018 Golf Sportwagen 4MO DSG (Dieselgated 2013 Golf Wagon TDI DSG)

[GfunkBus76]

Thanks all!

Definitely was a blast. Made it home safe and sound. 1000kms all said and done... Got got on the hills but the bus ran great otherwise.

Going to research better cooling methods for the water cooled swap this fall...

Surprisingly the wife was thinking all morning on our drive home about when we can manage to do a cross-Canada road trip! So that's a plus! Nice to have the wife on my side... "Well if we wait until the year after next that gives you two years to work on it to get it ready!"... Love her

Definitely will become an annual event for the little one. He had a blast.

future bus driver!

Okanagan Lake

Skaha Lake

ingenious entertainment... Uninstalled coiled led lighting I bought years ago when making it into my "chill cruising with buddies bus"
_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0

[GfunkBus76]

Forgot to put up pics of the Borla exhaust I put in along with a quick muffler wrap and aluminum roofing tin DIY heat shield.

Also, definitely going to have to go through the engine. Getting lots of blowby and oil leaking from it. Didn't help pushing it on the roadtrip temp wise I'm sure.

Decent fuel economy though! I've had to use an app as my speedo/odometer so it's not 100% accurate but gives me an idea anyways.

_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0