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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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 Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2022 10:28 pm Post subject: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Found one!
Took me a little bit to find one that I liked, but here we are.
At the end of last month I made a trip out to the Idaho/Oregon border and bought me a manual 1984 Vanagon Wolfsburg Edition with 125,000 original miles on the 1.9L for $4,000 and 4 hours each way.
Trailered it all but the last last 20 miles home for my piece of mind.
My goal is to build this into as reliable a camper van as I can while maintaining that VW charm. This rig will also be my test mule for some custom projects I have in mind. I am starting off by going through all the suspension stuff and installing a zero-mile rebuilt EJ22 engine. Phase 2 is a unique camper/interior layout that I've been working on.
I'm feeling super stoked and inspiring to get to work!
What's special about the '84 Wolfsburg?
-All black gauge cluster with tach, no green shading.
-First model with power steering, but still has large steering wheel.
-Black dash in 1984.
-Un-VW-Branded steering wheel (just black pleather).
-Blue corduroy rear seats.
-Rear window wiper.
First Issue
The first issue I've encountered with the '84 is the early coolant level warning system. I was driving it home from work one day and the coolant temp gauge pegged itself at overheating and the idiot light was blinking so I pulled over thinking I had a major issue. I found that I was leaking coolant from the bleeder port area on the 1.9 cross-over coolant lines.
After flat-towing the van back to my shop I tightened up the hose that was leaking (it's getting replaced, don't worry). I got this message from Samba user jlrftype7 explaining the function of the early warning lights which cleared up my confusion.
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Hello there, thought I'd add a few more thoughts on what you now know about the early VW low coolant warning system other Samba members
IF, you have the early, original relay for the Warning system, it will peg your Temp gauge to RED, and the Light will flash.
You can modify it with a revised relay that's sold to take the place of the Original Warning Relay, so that your light still flashes, but the gauge doesn't scare the -blank- out of you by slamming to the Overheat position and no longer telling you how hot the engine actually is.... Mad Mad
That's what I did, I couldn't stand the original set-up from VW, so I bought the later/modified relay from Van Cafe.
One note on that later Relay, if you really have a low coolant level, you have to cycle the Ign Key to reset the Relay once you've corrected the level in the Main/Pressure tank.
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Work Done So Far
-Changed oil.
-Changed gear oil (please don't make me do this again).
-New 15" wheels and grippy tires (got a good deal on these).
-Black bumpers I had sitting around.
-Started fuel lines, these are ongoing.
-Passenger swivel seat and Westy table installed.
The Plan
-EJ22 Subaru swap (block is being sent off for rebuild on Monday and the harness if already sent for modification).
-Burley suspension revamp (Radflo shocks, Shwenk springs, all new bushings etc...)
-Reimo smalltop.
-Custom interior.
-RMW rear side window-deletes w/ CRL 12" portholes.
-Stow and Go front seats.
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6346
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Looks like you find yourself a good base for having fun!
The vans with power steering have a smaller steering wheel, 84 or not. Yours must have been replaced at some point.
251419651B 420mm steering wheel, suffix 01C for black, 90V for brown.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6346
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| 10degnorth wrote: |
| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
Looks like you find yourself a good base for having fun!
The vans with power steering have a smaller steering wheel, 84 or not. Yours must have been replaced at some point.
251419651B 420mm steering wheel, suffix 01C for black, 90V for brown. |
Thanks!
And that isn't quite true, check out this 1984 Wolfsburg brochure. It states the '84 Wolfsburg has factory power steering (the first Vanagon to have it, became a standard option in '85). The picture of the steering wheel on that page is the same un-branded wheel that is in my van, and its definitely the larger wheel. Based on the research that I've done, the '84 Wolfsburg was the only Vanagon with factory P/S AND the large wheel. Same thing with the all black tachometer.
https://www.vanagons.org/uploads/7/2/7/0/7270407/84_wolfsburg_brochure_rfs.pdf |
These brochures were filled with recycled pictures, they're in no way an empirical proof: you can see on later years brochures some pics of the early sliding doors van:
compare the brochures below from 1984 and 1987 for the Carat (EU version), the 87 shows clearly an early door, which changed in 1985.
Notice the "Photoshop" job as well, same vans and building in the background  So don't believe what you see printed...
I owned two 84 Wolfsburg , one Westy and one tin top, they both came with the 420mm steering wheel, as expected.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
| 10degnorth wrote: |
| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
Looks like you find yourself a good base for having fun!
The vans with power steering have a smaller steering wheel, 84 or not. Yours must have been replaced at some point.
251419651B 420mm steering wheel, suffix 01C for black, 90V for brown. |
Thanks!
And that isn't quite true, check out this 1984 Wolfsburg brochure. It states the '84 Wolfsburg has factory power steering (the first Vanagon to have it, became a standard option in '85). The picture of the steering wheel on that page is the same un-branded wheel that is in my van, and its definitely the larger wheel. Based on the research that I've done, the '84 Wolfsburg was the only Vanagon with factory P/S AND the large wheel. Same thing with the all black tachometer.
https://www.vanagons.org/uploads/7/2/7/0/7270407/84_wolfsburg_brochure_rfs.pdf |
These brochures were filled with recycled pictures, they're in no way an empirical proof: you can see on later years brochures some pics of the early sliding doors van:
compare the brochures below from 1984 and 1987 for the Carat (EU version), the 87 shows clearly an early door, which changed in 1985.
Notice the "Photoshop" job as well, same vans and building in the background So don't believe what you see printed...
I owned two 84 Wolfsburg , one Westy and one tin top, they both came with the 420mm steering wheel, as expected.
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Fair enough! Did your tin-top ‘84 Wolfsburg have a branded wheel center? Mine has the unbranded pleather horn button and I haven’t seen that anywhere other than that brochure. Maybe it’s more common than I think.
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6346
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Take a picture?
Usually it has the foam backed leatherette (pleather?) covering the basic plastic ribbed horn button. The center has a VW logo plastic plug just snapped in.
If the center is covered completely in one piece, it got redone at some point or it's the horn button of a Carat that lost its little badge that was installed on your 450mm steering wheel.
The Carat model was the same, just with Carat lettering on a little plastic badge on the lower right corner of the horn button pleather and full covering , some pads had 2 horn logos on either ends of the pad, I'm not sure when that got implemented, prolly later non Carat steering wheels.
To be noted, the very early non PS steering wheels were also completely different, a tiny rectangular horn button in the middle.
Some late Wolfsburg Edition got leather steering wheel, I think 1989-90
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6346
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:02 am Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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OK, maybe in black Wolfsburg they had them fully covered? Thanks for the picture!
I've only seen the brown ones with the VW plug in the center, this is interesting!
The photo shows a 420mm PS wheel though. Look at the pictures I posted earlier, the brown steering wheel I posted is 450mm, you can tell by the amount of material between the ring and the horn pad.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:59 am Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
OK, maybe in black Wolfsburg they had them fully covered? Thanks for the picture!
I've only seen the brown ones with the VW plug in the center, this is interesting!
The photo shows a 420mm PS wheel though. Look at the pictures I posted earlier, the brown steering wheel I posted is 450mm, you can tell by the amount of material between the ring and the horn pad. |
Ok, here’s the actual wheel in my van. It’s fully covered and 17.5” in diameter. This feels like such an wild goose chase. It’s kind of funny how much weird stuff went on while the Vanagon was in production.
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6346
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Inches? What's that??
It's definitely a non power steering wheel indeed.
It must have been replaced, and they kept the horn pad.
Look in the aluminum hub, the production year is in there, but being an 84 van, it's entirely possible you'll see an 83 stamp, which won't be helpful.
If you see an 82 stamp or older or after 84 stamp ( less likely in the US), then you'll know for sure it got swapped.
Have fun tinkering on the van though!
Alika
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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thatbaldwinlife
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2011
Posts: 777
Location: Out exploring
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 3:20 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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I noticed you plan on putting on a Reimo hightop. Do you have a line on one? Santa Cruz Campers had one in stock when we picked up ours in January. Not sure if it's still there.
nate
_________________
1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50336
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:17 am Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| Things get changed. I have the larger wheel on my 91 multivan because I couldn't see the high beam indicator with the smaller wheel because I am pretty tall. That is just the way things happen with vehicles this old. |
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:37 am Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| Things get changed. I have the larger wheel on my 91 multivan because I couldn't see the high beam indicator with the smaller wheel because I am pretty tall. |
Wheel choice seems to be something different for everyone. There are tons of photos of swaps people have made. Many go with newer smaller ones. Personally, I prefer large with a small grip diameter. Grew up with wheels like that and so........ My first bus was a 23 window when it was only 4 years old and I've never been without a T something since then. Liked the big wheel the early T1s had as it made me feel like a cool municipal bus driver. Walter Mitty here. So my most recent changes to my '91 was to make the wheel heated.
| DuncanS wrote: |
After several years of not getting around to it, finally just finished sewing my Wheelskins cover on---OMG 11 plus hours. I used a two needle double thread baseball stitch which caused huge amounts of tangling, but still!!!! Also took some time to figure out how to tighten the stitches and seize the leather close to the spokes so the leather wouldn't show a triangular hole at that point. Even though I ground a fair amount away from the urethane grip, reducing its diameter, it wound up being fatter than I like.
Was about to throw out the old "test" wheel I did all the experiments on and then said to myself. "Wait a minute, here's a chance to solve another problem that doesn't need solving." Used to have a heavily modified 181 with a wooden wheel, which I loved, and so thought--Since the leather wheel is my winter wheel and I don't want to get boat paint and epoxy from summer boat projects on the leather, why not have a "Summer" wheel?
Duncan |
So I then did this. A larger non power steering reworked wheel. I like this so much better, I never got the winter wheel back on last year. But the grip is still factory and fatter than I'd like. If there were no other projects, I'd start from scratch and go to 18 plus in diameter, heat, small grip diameter and wood.
Keep going and have fun. I like what you are doing.
Duncan |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Parts are starting to pile up! I have everything for the EJ22 swap now except for the shortblock and my harness. The block should be getting done at Sunwest Auto this week and the harness is nearing completion over at AutoVentures.
I'll be using the following for my swap:
RMW carrier.
RMW adapter.
RMW intake.
RMW throttle cable.
Small car coolant manifold.
Burley oil pan.
Getting excited over here!
I am working through figuring out the suspension setup I want to use. My old van has Syncro springs in the back, Westy springs in the front and Bilstein HD shocks all around.
For this one I'm thinking about using the following:
-Shwenk 2wd springs.
-T3 Technique lifted-adjustable shocks.
-T3 shim lift.
-T3 CV spacers.
-Burley upper and lower ball joints.
-Gowesty ball joint spacers.
Based on the Prerunner thread I'd expect this setup to get me around 18.5" hub to fender height. On my current stock setup the van is sitting at 16.5" hub to fender. While the van is a tin top, I am working on putting together a camper interior for it and will be putting either a hightop or Reimo Smalltop on in the future which will add weight. I may omit the shim lift until I do that.
Any input or thoughts on that suspension setup?
The last couple of weeks I've been covering the inside with Kilmat and Havelock insulations. So many panels have been breaking on me as I remove them so I am also building some new panels and wrapping them in canvas.
Update pictures coming soon...
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Its been a busy 3 months!
The '84 now has about 300 miles on a freshly rebuilt EJ22.
Runs great! Only had a couple of issues with the install.
1. One of my rebuild injectors was stuck open from the rebuilder.
2. The clutch slave cylinder pushrod was too short to fully actuate and so it wouldn't shift. That issue can be seen in this thread:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777010&highlight=
3. My factory coolant temp gauge has a short somewhere and reads at max most of the time, unless I hit a bump just right and then it reads correctly. I have an extra VDO gauge setup that is reading accurately to keep an eye on temps.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777403&highlight=
A buddy of mine had a SA grill that he didn't like so I traded him straight across for my early round grill.
I have been working on figuring out the interior setup for a bit, trying lots of ideas and I think I have settled on a raised bed. I was able to accomplish this by mounting a piece of steel angle to the body of the van that the bed platform rides on when it gets pulled out.
I found a hightop on the Samba classifieds that I am picking up next weekend too. Its a Bundepost top that was used on German postal vans and on military vans. I haven't seen a lot of them state-side. It's not my favorite top, but when looking for high tops you take what you can get! The more I look at it, the more I like it.
I went on a little adventure in the van yesterday and definitely pushed the limits. I think I have just rationalized a locking diff and a winch to myself. Luckily, a Jeep came along and they always love an excuse to use their winch  .
Anyway, there's the last couple months worth of updates on the van! Lots of good stuff happening. I haven't found the time to do the suspension stuff, but I have the parts sitting there.
Cheers!
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7462
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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As always, one of the best posts of the week and/or month. The bundepost high-top may look a bit odd but it's not ugly and some folks will recognize it as era-correct and pretty cool.
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:51 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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| jimf909 wrote: |
| As always, one of the best posts of the week and/or month. The bundepost high-top may look a bit odd but it's not ugly and some folks will recognize it as era-correct and pretty cool. |
Ah Jim, you flatter me. This post was a bit crammed and less detailed than I usually like to do haha.
I’m stoked for the bundepost! It’s one of the shortest high tops available, just enough to get me standing up. While most don’t care, I love me some rare parts, and I have a wild guess that there’s probably less than 25 bundepost vans in the USA. But who knows! I think I’m going to paint it a cool grey so it matches the silver Wolfsburg stripe.
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg Vanagon (Current Project): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773912&highlight=
1988 Microsquirted, Wolfsburg Vanagon (Sold): https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708000&highlight=
Microsquirt Conversion Guide (Work now Discontinued): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1laXykNPbRYS8MT...2imqd2pnx7 |
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10degnorth
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 472
Location: Bend, Oregon
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: (My) Perfect '84 Wolfsburg Build |
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Show us a pic of it turned over so we can see the underside.
Duncan |
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