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Jack_O_Trades
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2014
Posts: 188
Location: Bay Area CA
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 Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:41 am Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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| SGKent wrote: |
| before you are completely done and make your final paint, be sure that the drip tubes in the B pillar are open and not rusted thru. |
A very good point to be made. I was going to elaborate on this in my build thread but since you brought it up, here a couple of highlights.
I cleaned out my drip tubes. The rear four looked OK, not a lot of clogging if any. The front two had some crusties that came out in cleaning. for the rear four, I would clean from top and bottom with a homemade "snake". For the front, I couldn't clean from the top because there is a wicked dog-leg in the drip tube that I couldn't get anything around. So I did what I could from below and used compressed air to blow from the top to make sure I didn't have a clog.
I then poured POR-15 down each tube in an effort to seal up any rust.
My setup was basically a tube filled with POR-15 and pinched off on one end. I would then insert the tube into each drip tube and let it drain to a pan on the floor. I also used compressed air to blow the POR-15 through the tube and spray it around the drip tube perimeter, this hopefully coated a majority of the tube but wasn't verified. I have a borescope that I could probably run up the tube to see and may still do this.
Here is a tube charged with POR-15
POR-15 draining to the pan on the ground
I also made up new transition tubes from the drip pan to the drip tubes. I have all 6 of the originals, but they are pretty crusty. The new tubes are made from vinyl tubing that I was able to get from Home Depot.
I made a mandrel to help in flaring the tube. I then used a heat gun to soften the vinyl so I could stretch it over the mandrel. I then applied more heat so the the vinyl would take the shape of the mandrel and not shrink on me. I then chilled it in a bath of ice water before removing the tube from the mandrel.
Here is the mandrel
Here is the old tube on the mandrel for fit check
And the old tube vs new tube
Here is the new tube installed for a test fit
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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the tubes in the B pillar are the ones to be concerned with. When they plug they rust on the inside and once perforated they allow water to drain inside the bus. To replace them would require cutting open the B pillars. I also used por-15 to coat the insides in hopes of sealing pinholes if any.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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VWBusNut
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2007
Posts: 22
Location: Torrance, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:07 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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I'm looking for a photo of a rear slide mount for the sunroof. The part that drops down through the slot in the guides. Specifically would like to see what the plastic piece looks like. I have good front plastic, but my rears are gone. Would like to make some replacements but I don't know what they look like.
For reference see the bracket closest to the screwdriver in the photo.
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Jack_O_Trades
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2014
Posts: 188
Location: Bay Area CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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| I don’t recall which one is front or rear but the top one in the photo, I have been working on making 3D-printed pieces. I can post photos of the original and my attempts later today. |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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sorry - maybe it is age, probably is, but the rears I think are the lifting blocks that are part of the cable mechanism. There is a ramp that is part of the pan. If you are referring to the plastic on the top piece in your photo, I think it is like a molded on semi-soft vinyl sleeve that goes around the end. Look at the ad in this link. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2215851
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Alan Brase
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2004
Posts: 4532
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:51 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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| SGKent wrote: |
| sorry - maybe it is age, probably is, but the rears I think are the lifting blocks that are part of the cable mechanism. There is a ramp that is part of the pan. If you are referring to the plastic on the top piece in your photo, I think it is like a molded on semi-soft vinyl sleeve that goes around the end. Look at the ad in this link. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2215851 |
I agree. The little flippers raise up as the panel's forward travel stops but the sliders move their last centimeter or so.
Been a decade or so... so not too fresh on this...
Al
_________________
Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home |
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Alan Brase
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2004
Posts: 4532
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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| Jack_O_Trades wrote: |
| SGKent wrote: |
| before you are completely done and make your final paint, be sure that the drip tubes in the B pillar are open and not rusted thru. |
A very good point to be made. I was going to elaborate on this in my build thread but since you brought it up, here a couple of highlights.
I cleaned out my drip tubes. The rear four looked OK, not a lot of clogging if any. The front two had some crusties that came out in cleaning. for the rear four, I would clean from top and bottom with a homemade "snake". For the front, I couldn't clean from the top because there is a wicked dog-leg in the drip tube that I couldn't get anything around. So I did what I could from below and used compressed air to blow from the top to make sure I didn't have a clog.
I then poured POR-15 down each tube in an effort to seal up any rust.
My setup was basically a tube filled with POR-15 and pinched off on one end. I would then insert the tube into each drip tube and let it drain to a pan on the floor. I also used compressed air to blow the POR-15 through the tube and spray it around the drip tube perimeter, this hopefully coated a majority of the tube but wasn't verified. I have a borescope that I could probably run up the tube to see and may still do this.
Here is a tube charged with POR-15
POR-15 draining to the pan on the ground
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WELL DONE on this, by the way! Though it was a lot of work welding overhead, I think less invasive than removing the entire top skin, which might have been more like the original procedure of assembly.
I've done a little panel replacement on other cars using adhesives, and I think that might be a good use for them here to bond with panel bonder. It would eliminate the paint damage. I usually use short self drilling washer head screws for clamping and placement, then remove them and caulk the holes after bonding is complete.
I had a 1982 Vanagon with the similar metal sunroof and drove the car for nearly 20 years. The sunroof was flawless and truly added to the joy of that car. With our high summertime temps and no air conditioning, it was great.
Al
_________________
Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home |
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Jack_O_Trades
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2014
Posts: 188
Location: Bay Area CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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| Alan Brase wrote: |
WELL DONE on this, by the way! Though it was a lot of work welding overhead, I think less invasive than removing the entire top skin, which might have been more like the original procedure of assembly.
I've done a little panel replacement on other cars using adhesives, and I think that might be a good use for them here to bond with panel bonder. It would eliminate the paint damage. I usually use short self drilling washer head screws for clamping and placement, then remove them and caulk the holes after bonding is complete.
I had a 1982 Vanagon with the similar metal sunroof and drove the car for nearly 20 years. The sunroof was flawless and truly added to the joy of that car. With our high summertime temps and no air conditioning, it was great.
Al |
Thanks, that's not a bad idea about panel bonder or even a combination of the that and welding. I agree on the sunroof, looking forward to it.
Here are some photos of what I have worked on for the slider plastics. I thought about machining them but wanted to try out a newly built 3D printer. I still have a lot to learn on printing parts. The parts are nothing to write home about but they might be functional.
Here are the original parts
Original on the left, printed on the right
Printed part installed, I had to sand down the part once printed to get it to move smoothly through the track.
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2001
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:12 am Post subject: Re: Rusty sunroof pan. |
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Thank you guys for all usefull informations on that tread!
| SGKent wrote: |
Here is the new tube installed for a test fit
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By the way, aren't you afraid that the flexible tubes will come off the rigid tubes? |
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