Making my 1961 Riviera syncro

[edgood1]

Awesome work. Can't wait to see more progress!
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Bub]

I'ma little late to your build, but I'm surprised nobody mentioned race-taxi .

These guys made a Splitty syncro using a Vanagon. And a Porsche.
Fairly epic build, even more epic on the track- so their intended use for the thing is 180* from yours. And I'm not sure it ended up being awd ...but if not they should have!
But if the pics of the build are still out there they'd be worth browsing I think--

http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/05/race-taxi-the-porsche-bi-turbo-bus/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FB1-Race-Taxi/320448781325816
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[mg6770]

[KrisBalfe]

Those race taxi guys built an amazing creation no doubt, and definitely have a greater skill set and shop than myself. I’m pretty sure that it isn’t AWD but would run circles around my bus in the end... as long as the circles aren’t covered in snow or boulders
I really like how they built the radiator shroud. I have been toying with something along those lines, thanks for posting the links.

[KrisBalfe]

With the return of the cold weather I’ve found a new wave of ambition to start working on this bus again.

With any luck I’ll have all of the welding done by February... or March... April?
May, let’s shoot for June.

Front floor jamboree

[KrisBalfe]

Dogleg/seat pedestal

[KrisBalfe]

Quite a bit happening in the last couple of weeks on the bus so here’s a photo dump for anyone still interested.

Making an access hatch here for items like tools/chains/jack/shovel basically the stuff I hated digging through the camper kit to access and then have to put back in after it gets muddy/snowy/greasy.

All parts for this came from an unfortunate victim that in the past had been converted to a shorty rodeo truck... decided to use the airbox selector ad a handle to unlock the hatch.

The roof of the bus was the last rusty area bugging me so off it goes to be replaced with a donor late bay westy roof.

Decided to brace the rear quarter panel a little more substantially also using a bay donor section.

Hmmm and then just your normal old cargo door lower and short rocker stuff

Hopefully all welding complete by the end of this month. 🤞🏼

[vwuberalles]

Nice work, I love the side hatch reusing the vent box! Will you also have the functional bay window pop top?
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1973 Superbeetle: 1st car, owned since age 12. Update thread --> https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9919140#9919140
1967 Kombi: Owned since age 17, Dad's retirement project.
1966 Beetle: My new project. (SOLD) Build thread--> https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=678040

[KrisBalfe]

[Two Glove Boxes]

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1951 Split Standard Hoffman Build

1960 Dove Blue Double Cab Patina Build

Two Glove Boxes

DLK

[Bendango]

I love Frankenstein!
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I want a real garage.

WANTED - [WTB] 55-62 Bus Thin Lip Package Tray SWR

Getting Used - SWR 60 westy copy built by vw ( apparently )
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=320866

[peecee69]

[LAGrunthaner]

Me too the hatch is cool & done well. Even if I am a purist

[KrisBalfe]

Thanks everyone. I get that this bus will not be everyone’s cup of tea. I can definitely respect that from a purist standpoint, I have gone off the deep end... appreciate the compliment on my mini “sales flap”.

Finished welding the short rocker

I had to extend these a little so the vanagon jackpoint didn’t extend past the rocker and look out of place.


Then I got to work on welding the bay roof to the bus, the gutter/channels of the split were far worse than I’d anticipated so I replaced them with WW metal

Shop cat inspected the work and figured it was good enough for some shmuck in his garage so I slapped the roof on.

Added a camper window to the rear quarter from a bay high top I had laying around.

Passenger dogleg

And if you’re going to hack big... well you’d probably put skylights in for those drives up the snowy canyon.

[EliasP]

Nice! One of my favorite projects here. Will it have a new paint too or just some touch ups at the repairs?
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Why have a good looking face? You can't even see your own face!

[KrisBalfe]

[SplitBusVanatic]

Great thread this.

[cdennisg]

Really diggin' that long awning window up high. Perfect fit for this creature.
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nothing

[j.pickens]

That's a huge project!
Reminds me of the Johnny Cash song.
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Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[KrisBalfe]