| Author |
Message |
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
 |
|
Nice to finally start making some forward progress.
I managed to get the top lifted using the garage ceiling rafters:
Then I set about stripping the remaining interior trim and exterior parts.
Once I got the last of the wiring removed it was time to start mocking up the a/c:
Took a little surgery on the fresh air vents to make room for the a/c:
I’ll be fabbing up a reducer to cap off the air box and to have fresh air on the passenger side. Both flaps will be operated using the drivers side flap lever.
Made some custom bracketry and happy to report it all fits like it came from the factory:
A little tight with the radio but I will reconfigure the left-most vent:
View from the bottom looking up. I surgically removed a part of the dash padding on the bottom to get the bracket to fit. From the front you can’t even tell:
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:58 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
I've been burning the midnight oil lately to get the bus ready for drop-off for paint/body at the end of the month.
Removed the heater tree and duct work to free up some under floor space for my diesel parking heater:
I also blocked off the shifter plate so I can always revert back to the original design if my cable shifter plans go south.
Also got the passenger swivel plate secured after having to add 2" to the width due to the weird '73 seat pedestal shape.
Next I turned my attention to the seat upgrade including some new seat rails fabbed using my new metal brake...scored the seats from an early 2000s BMW M3...they have power and heaters:
Measured to the steering wheel, I'm just under 7" of clearance to the top of the seat pad vs. the 7.5" I measured with my stock seats.
Next up: NACA scoop. Started by removing the spare tire wheel well to get some air flow to the radiator location...
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
panel
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2001
Posts: 1091
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jody '71
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005
Posts: 2842
Location: Manassas VA
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2022 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
Great work Jeff!!!! You can have all of my VW specific tools if you want them. And my '66 Beetle and the brand new engine for it along with all kinds of original parts. A garage full!!!
Charlie
aka Jody '71 here on Samba.com, member since 2005.
_________________
'66 Beetle
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:47 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
It’s the final countdown (queue Europe). The bus goes for paint/body in one week. Progress continues:
Finished panel bonding the spare tire well and sealing up the firewall area:
Got the sheet metal around the scoop contoured:
Next I removed all the “excess” engine compartment tin to open more space for air flow:
Welded the fresh air flaps to permit the use of a single actuator lever since my a/c blocks the passenger side:
Borrowed my buddy’s ‘68 bronco and got the pastel lime paint scanned and mixed up:
Just need to finish fabbing the radiator support then pull all the door hardware, glass, and doors and she will be ready for paint.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22665
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:45 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
If you had hinged that louver it would have made a nice battery door, wasn’t there a thread on that?
Subscribed
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vwwestyman
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 2:36 pm Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
| Abscate wrote: |
If you had hinged that louver it would have made a nice battery door, wasn’t there a thread on that?
Subscribed
|
I'm just glad to not be the only one being accused of making a battery door when trying to get more airflow to the radiator!
(I finally got tired of the hole and comments and welded it back, though not real pretty.)
_________________
Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2022 3:07 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
It has been years in the making but the mock-up work and tear down is finally complete! It has been a massive amount of work and time to get to this point and it is only the beginning. I’ve really enjoyed the project so far and am excited to embark on the next phase.
Got the radiator support fabbed:
Finished the last of the lip removal to give the engine compartment max air space and to make it look factory:
I’ve been really enjoying my new brake. However in the end I wind up beating smaller panels with a hammer and dolly. Got the cable shifter sorted:
The flatbed arrives in a couple hours to haul her off for paint and body:
With the bus off for paint and body, I will turn my focus toward fixing a couple nuisance probs with a small oil leak on the engine as well as fixing a clamshell fluid leak on the transmission due to me missing a small surface with my gasket maker.  Then it will be time to R&R the pop top. Never a lack of to-do items for the list.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2022 8:17 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
With the bus off for paint and body, I've turned my attention to some nuisance projects. First up: Fix the trans leak from where I missed sealing around one of the case thru-bolts.
Having done this a thousand times to set backlash, I had everything torn down, cleaned up, and back together in only a couple of hours.
Turns out my engine oil leak was an easy (I hope) fix. The right rear camshaft seal wasn't fully seated, so I trued that up.
Next up: Fixing the sagging and sad pop top. I will be using traditional boating techniques to:
1. Fix the sag by bonding in some stringers for reinforcement. I may add another layer of glass mat to the underside for strength.
2. Reinforce key load points with glassed-in metal plates. I will likely be mounting a roof rack to gain some extra storage space above my solar panels. I willl likely include some additional anchor points for the new birch headliner.
3. Fix cracks, missing corners, etc
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:23 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
After a few false starts the body shop finally started in on blasting the bus yesterday:
Unfortunately they confirmed my suspicions that the bus had been hit in the right rear at some point as evidenced by the thick bondo in the rear corner and quarter. Slider is also full of bondo. See the two pics below:
If anyone has a source for clean body cuts and a sliding door please DM me.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RalphWiggam
Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2018
Posts: 906
Location: SouthEast
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:33 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
| Can you say what paint shop you are using? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:53 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Can you say what paint shop you are using? |
I'm using Kinnaman's Hot Rods in Cartersville. I interviewed a dozen shops in the greater Atlanta area, and while Kinnaman's had some dings for lack of communication, a tour of their shop and interrogation of their body/paint team led me to choose them. They do things correctly and had several cars in various states of completion for me to scrutinize.
The key with any body shop is to create an iron-clad contract in the event things go south (and never pay 100% up front!).
Time will tell if they honor the contract, but so far so good. I will post more pics as progress continues.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2022 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
Two quick updates:
1. Managed to enlist the help of my father-in-law last weekend to raise/reinforce the garage header by a foot and miraculously simultaneously found a guy on FB selling a one year old 18x18 insulated garage door for pennies on the dollar. Results below:
Still need to clean the door and finish trim and paint. Have my new jackshaft opener arriving today and my scissor lift next week or two. Had my friend who is a PE run all the load calcs before touching my 1970s era garage to ensure nothing would be falling down. 2x safety factor AND my bus will now fit comfortably without having to air down the tires!
2. The bus is painted!
Hard to tell in the pics, but it's two tone. L90D Pastel White on top and "Sage Beige" on the bottom. It will show light green in sunlight. Still waiting on the shop to finish painting the doors and trim, but hoping to have her home in the next couple weeks. Still haven't started in on the fiberglass top restore.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1189
Location: Vancouver, BC
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:58 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
Looking really nice! Interested to see it all assembled and out in the sun. Well done. Are you able to share approx cost for the paint job?
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image
Last edited by Shonandb on Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deathman68
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
Paint job was $8750 not including some incremental hours (+$1500) once we found the extent of the previous damage/repairs. That price included media blast to bare metal on the entirety of the exterior and interior with the exception of the undercarriage which I had previously done myself and epoxy coated/top coated with 3M body schutz. Also included were all PPG paints and Evercoat products, metal work which included replacing the slider lower skin, RH quarter panel, and RH battery tray/corner (minimal body filler required since these guys are old school and do hammer/dolly metal finishing), block and sand, paint, final cut/buff.
Not included was disassembly and final assembly. It was 80 hours of billable work, though after speaking to the body guy today it is clear he put another 15-20 non-billed hours on cleaning up small things like weld grinding, seam sealer, hammer/dollying my original bumpers etc.
It was a tough pill for me to swallow to spend so much on paint knowing I could do it (and have done it) myself, but I'm confident it saved my marriage since it would have taken me three times as long, cost me at least $5K in materials/labor, and I would have been forced to sleep in the bus afterwards 
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1189
Location: Vancouver, BC
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:50 am Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
| deathman68 wrote: |
Paint job was $8750 not including some incremental hours (+$1500) once we found the extent of the previous damage/repairs. That price included media blast to bare metal on the entirety of the exterior and interior with the exception of the undercarriage which I had previously done myself and epoxy coated/top coated with 3M body schutz. Also included were all PPG paints and Evercoat products, metal work which included replacing the slider lower skin, RH quarter panel, and RH battery tray/corner (minimal body filler required since these guys are old school and do hammer/dolly metal finishing), block and sand, paint, final cut/buff.
Not included was disassembly and final assembly. It was 80 hours of billable work, though after speaking to the body guy today it is clear he put another 15-20 non-billed hours on cleaning up small things like weld grinding, seam sealer, hammer/dollying my original bumpers etc.
It was a tough pill for me to swallow to spend so much on paint knowing I could do it (and have done it) myself, but I'm confident it saved my marriage since it would have taken me three times as long, cost me at least $5K in materials/labor, and I would have been forced to sleep in the bus afterwards |
Thanks for sharing. I think that's a decent price, especially since they seem to have done it right. My paint still shines up nicely but I've noticed a number of spots that I've had to touch up recently. Good or bad, I've found a rattle can that's close to the same colour (Grabber Green) that will extend the time to repaint the entire bus a bit. I prefer blue over green but it was painted when I got it and the colour has grown on me and we get people driving up asking what colour it is and most seem to like/accept it.
My bus is not traditional in any way so all good. I look forward to seeing yours all done up and out in the sun!
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Vee Dub Nut
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2004
Posts: 1184
Location: Dallas, GA
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread |
|
|
Looking great Jeff! Can't wait to see it together!
_________________
Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006
67 Beetle (TBD)
74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
