The 447th 1972 bus, A Sierra Yellow Westfalia Tin top build

[Ceckert64]

Got another piece replaced today, didn’t come out as well though

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Chickensoup]

Do you have a shrinking disk yet? It would be super helpful on that one large panel your working with.
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-'85 c10 5.3 LS, 222 cam, long tubes, x pipe, 3 inch spin tech's
-'05 B5.5 TDI Wagon 17in sport rims ;EGR + BSM + ASV Delete, Stage-2 Tune, straight pipe
'65 Tourist Delivery Build
'66 RIP
'69 RIP
Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

[Ceckert64]

[Ceckert64]

Got the windshield lip 99% done, just a few touch up welds left. I thought I had the nose almost done then I found a rust hole by the headlight. I almost started fixing under the front seat but decided not to start on it today.

The bug decklid that was sacrificed

Rust!

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Got the area under the seat partially repaired today. Still have a bit left on it though. And I added some welds to windshield area and touched up any remaining pin holes.

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Finally got some time today to work on it, I had a couple hours to work and I started cutting out the rear corner crap. I first cut out the back of the wheel arch and sand poured out so I will have to clean it out somehow. There was plenty of rust covered over with the klockerholm panel. Then I got the kolkerholmen Battery tray out easy, it was welded in with cold flux core welds and only 5-10% of welds were holding and most broke with a little force. The remains of the OG battery tray were a pain. The factory did a horrible install on it. I’ve haven’t seen anything factory that was that botched.

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[RalphWiggam]

Ive always wondered on repairs like you are doing to the windshield lip how people expect those patch panels not to rust from the inside out.

As far as I know once those are welding in there, there is not really any way to paint or rustproof them.

Even with weld through primer, the primer melts where you weld leaving and unprotected line of metal.

How do you deal with this?

[orwell84]

[Ceckert64]

Hmmm, I honestly hadn't thought a ton about it. I did spray weld through primer in before welding it closed. I'm Planning to do an extensive cavity rust prevention on this project, taking out all the plastic plugs and using rust prooffing stuff in rockers, frame rails, dog legs(?), wheel well skins, and the list goes on. If I have a wand setup I could probably coat under the windsheild. Other seams I will blast and seam seal, all the OG sealant is chipping off. I'm thinking of using a lanolin type undercoat by woolwax on all the insides and maybe do a touger coating in the wheel wells but it can't be too hard because I found on my T3 the factory put this hard coating over the metal and painted it but it rusted behind it and it didn't break so it cuased the rust to spread horribly. So I will probably just get it painted well and figure out what to use for them. Something that if it rust under, will fail easy and not cause spreading, but something decently durable. probably nothing like it though. So maybe just wax/oil coating on the chassis.
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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Got the donor rear quarter deconstructed today, it took quite a bit of time.

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Today I decided to install the BN4, I was working on the battery tray and thought I drill the holes in it and decided to go for it all. I forgot to upload one of the battery tray though.
I first started with the recirc hole.

I centered the template on the hole. I found the edges are perfect so where it says to line up may not be accurate for all busses. I used a step bit on the corners and then cut it out and used a die grinder to make the hole nice.

I found that after the recirc it is best to cut the hole then drill out the screw holes using the part as a template. Next was to remove the bench seat out to get to the area to cut

I found that the template has you cut farther into the middle than needed and you can add material to the template

I accidentally cut too far over towards the wheel well

Then I got the hole in the firewall cut out. I had to do some guesstimating and got it spot on.

I found that the piece even had a part number sticker on it still since it was a dealer installed unit.

The bus was very rusty so I will have to work on a new intake pipe
I got the temperature cable installed. I lived it up but pulled all of the wire out. The end of the wire had been bent by someone and I tired to straighten it but it broke. Luckily I had enough slack I was able to cut back some of the outer casing and get enough wire to work. Here is it in

I am going to modify the passenger bus duct for a flex tube like what a westy would have had. I was happy with how it can out, next step: get it running
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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Today I got some 3in flex tubing, and made the rest of the pieces for the ducting. I made the 3in tunes out of flat sheet metal. Then I cut the part of the air duct for passenger busses and made the adapter for a camper. It wasn’t the prettiest but it will work. I surgically removed the part I didn’t need. Here are the pics

And the battery tray from yesterday. Even the OG grommet

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Nothing too exciting, I got the battery trays and rear body metal cleaned up today, pinholes welded and patched the one batter tray. I would be able to finish up the rear corners and wheels wells this weekend for the most part

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Today I pulled out the rest of the interior to clean the inside and inspect. I also tried to fix some of the accident damage. One of the pieces had gotten bent in so I put a piece of wood against it and wrapped it with the sledge hammer and got it back into place I also tried using the shrinking disk on the rear 1/4 panel and not sure how much it did. I found a couple pin holes in the floor and it was pretty solid. The OG insulation was still there and in good shape so I saved it.

Yum, dirt/mold

Then clean

Then you can see the engine fire the damage where it started burning the paint in the air vent. Very close to the trim igniting.

Then the sort of the rust

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Ceckert64]

Didn’t update on Sunday but I started getting the battery tray welded in and then I ran out of shield gas for welding I did some other miscellaneous things but nothing picture worthy. Yesterday I was able to run into town and get some more shield gas after school.
Today I got the right batter tray welded in the rest of the way. I then got the mudflap area/ inner wheel well structure.

I first taped out where I wanted to cut it out

Here is the comparison of the two pieces. You can see the one that was one the bus had been hacked up in the corner for the old AC lines for the dealer installed AC

Then I got it welded in most of the way. It came out pretty good

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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[Clatter]

Stayed up late last night reading this whole thread.. Not sure how i missed it.
Can't wait to see you give this same type of treatment to your type 3.


Couple of thoughts:

Make sure you pull out or cover the glass; grinding sparks can stick to glass and mess it up.

Get that sliding track cover off of there and out of the way.
Plus pull that slider, and the quarter window.
Gonna be a real struggle straightening that panel if you can't reach both sides at once.

You can also pull the dash top.
Not only will you be able to reach in there and see what's bent,
But,
With the windshield out,
It's WAY easier/better to work on dash wiring that way..


You go brother..
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Ceckert64]

[Clatter]

IIRC, there’s a little row of nuts all along up under the dash pad..
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[soissisc]

Maybe have to unbolt the grab handle too?
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Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[notchboy]

All the screws you can see, the ones holding the upper dash piece to the dash - these are under and inside the dash = what clatter said and the grab handle like soissisc said.

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