'71 Deluxe - Now with Super Secret Subaru Swap!

[Kirk]

Lovin the photo's dude. I just can't get enough o'the Vdub's state side! Glad to hear you're gettin some precipitation in CA. Make sure you keep them buses dry now . Oh, and trust me, compared to my bus, your blue is pretty together...
You have a PM.

Glad you're diggin' the pics! Your PM has been returned, and I think you'll like the content.

As for keeping the buses dry- no can do- my garage is full of this:

My first car, a 1973 Standard.

Nice 71. I used EZ Off and steel wool to remove my primer over OG paint. Easy Breezy. Try that first. I've got pics of my progress in a thread I put up on here about my bay somewhere. Welcome.

Dude I saw your thread on thesamba.com- the paint removal came out sweet! BTW, what suspension setup are you running again? I've been looking at all the different options for dumping my bus.

I went with a 4" narrowed Wagenswest beam, lowered spindles and horseshoe plates for the rear. Not as dumped as I would like to be, but very driveable, and still towable with a bar if I need.

Love that '73! Thats awsome! I still have my 72 Super (I know...) in my garage that is my first car too. Just waiting for her turn at resto.

 

[Kirk]

Lovin the photo's dude. I just can't get enough o'the Vdub's state side! Glad to hear you're gettin some precipitation in CA. Make sure you keep them buses dry now . Oh, and trust me, compared to my bus, your blue is pretty together...
You have a PM.

Glad you're diggin' the pics! Your PM has been returned, and I think you'll like the content.

As for keeping the buses dry- no can do- my garage is full of this:

My first car, a 1973 Standard.

Nice 71. I used EZ Off and steel wool to remove my primer over OG paint. Easy Breezy. Try that first. I've got pics of my progress in a thread I put up on here about my bay somewhere. Welcome.

Dude I saw your thread on thesamba.com- the paint removal came out sweet! BTW, what suspension setup are you running again? I've been looking at all the different options for dumping my bus.

I went with a 4" narrowed Wagenswest beam, lowered spindles and horseshoe plates for the rear. Not as dumped as I would like to be, but very driveable, and still towable with a bar if I need.

Love that '73! Thats awsome! I still have my 72 Super (I know...) in my garage that is my first car too. Just waiting for her turn at resto.

 

[DadWagens]

I went with a 4" narrowed Wagenswest beam, lowered spindles and horseshoe plates for the rear. Not as dumped as I would like to be, but very driveable, and still towable with a bar if I need.

Love that '73! Thats awsome! I still have my 72 Super (I know...) in my garage that is my first car too. Just waiting for her turn at resto.

Did you buy all of that from Wagenswest?

I want it low but not too low because my wife is going to drive it sometimes too and I don't want to worry about it. I like the stance you have. I can't recall if you had to do any notching?

My plan for my '73 has always been to do a Germanlook- I have a set of 944 N/A brakes for it, some 16x7 and 16x8 phonedials, and a Raby DTM shroud for a type IV, but I haven't gotten around to putting any of it on the car. These new projects keep getting in the way.

If I was to build a straight up race bug, I'd use a '72 super. It has the best handling suspension of all bugs, and it's the best looking of the superbeetles because of the flat windshield.

 

[Kirk]

I did buy it all from WW. I think it was like $1250 shipped to TX. I did no notching. Also, I am still running shocks up front, so the ride is stiffer, but the tires never hit the inner fenders. I think its perfect as is.


Thanks. I'm kind of partial to my Super, but its nowhere near as nice as yours.

 

[DadWagens]

Hmm I'll have to consider the Wagenswest route. I was kinda hoping not to have to narrow my beam. I was also looking at oldspeed's narrowed dropped spindles. They're barely narrowed but considering the WW spindles push the wheels out 12mm or so, they seem like a good compromise. Then maybe I could just build a stock width adjustable beam.

I dunno. We're also not sure what wheels and tires we're going to end up running. I kinda just want to roll stock but I also REALLY want to run some Astro Supremes with pinner whites. KnowWhatI'mSayin'?

My wife was scoping out the repro BRMs in 5x112 pattern. I can't say I don't like that either.

I was also checking out the bus boys boomerangs 'cause they're one piece castings not welded plates. But damn that shit is expensive. Any thoughts on these?

 

[DadWagens]

Aiiight so I took today off from work. I'm gonna go down to the DMV :suicide: to try to get both of my vans registered.

Then I will hopefully get that engine running- I need to borrow the battery from my bug, change the oil, and then hot wire the ignition to see what happens. Fingers crossed...

 

[Kirk]

Hmm I'll have to consider the Wagenswest route. I was kinda hoping not to have to narrow my beam. I was also looking at oldspeed's narrowed dropped spindles. They're barely narrowed but considering the WW spindles push the wheels out 12mm or so, they seem like a good compromise. Then maybe I could just build a stock width adjustable beam.

I dunno. We're also not sure what wheels and tires we're going to end up running. I kinda just want to roll stock but I also REALLY want to run some Astro Supremes with pinner whites. KnowWhatI'mSayin'?

My wife was scoping out the repro BRMs in 5x112 pattern. I can't say I don't like that either.

I was also checking out the bus boys boomerangs 'cause they're one piece castings not welded plates. But damn that shit is expensive. Any thoughts on these?

I hear bus boys are pretty good. You might also look at Widefive.net. I have freinds that bought their stuff there, and are real happy with it. If you dont narrow, and try to go very low, your tires are just gonna bang the front fenders. I have some pics somewhere of a non narrowed beamed bay, and not down very far but on the tires. It really limits how far you can go down, IMO.

 

[Barkafer]

Lovin the photo's dude. I just can't get enough o'the Vdub's state side! Glad to hear you're gettin some precipitation in CA. Make sure you keep them buses dry now . Oh, and trust me, compared to my bus, your blue is pretty together...
You have a PM.

Glad you're diggin' the pics! Your PM has been returned, and I think you'll like the content.

As for keeping the buses dry- no can do- my garage is full of this:

My first car, a 1973 Standard.

Nice 71. I used EZ Off and steel wool to remove my primer over OG paint. Easy Breezy. Try that first. I've got pics of my progress in a thread I put up on here about my bay somewhere. Welcome.

Dude I saw your thread on thesamba.com- the paint removal came out sweet! BTW, what suspension setup are you running again? I've been looking at all the different options for dumping my bus.

That's a sweet standard you got there I got me a '67 standard or spahr kafer as they say in Germany! It's British though so full of tin worm as usual. I am planning to restore it to road worthy (rat) for my eldest boy to drive. He got the VW virus too thanks to me :mrgreen:

 

[Barkafer]

Hey P, are you still down at the DMV?! :lol:

 

[DadWagens]

Haha nope I'm not still at the DMV though it DID take 3 hours. I brought in everything one lady told me to bring to get the title for the deluxe and to register the Camper. But this time I got a different lady who told me I only had enough paperwork for the camper and that I needed all this extra shit to get the title for the other bus, I was pissed because I knew I was going to be there for hours and I would still have to go back again at a later date. Luckily she was just the help desk lady and not the woman who was going to put the info into the system.

So I came up with a plan while I waited for my turn and basically I asked the lady who was processing the paperwork for the camper about what could be done for the deluxe. I showed her what I had filled out already and she told me to add this that and the other to my "statement of facts" and that she would get the process started for me, and I wouldn't have to wait in line again. arty0053:

Three hours after arriving I have both buses in the system in my name, in non operational status and I just need to get the guy who bought my squareback to verify the deluxe VIN number- as he is a city cop here in town. Nice.

So in the last few days I was able to change the oil in the engine, change the fan belt, change the fuel lines in the engine compartment, and I borrowed the battery from my bug to try to get this party started. Today hopefully I'll have some time to hook up the battery and try to hot wire the ignition. Maybe after I mow the lawn and do some housework. Damn responsibilities are getting in the way of my fun!

Here's the engine from when I started disconnecting fuel lines. See my patented "pencil" fuel filter? It's 100% efficient; even fuel can't get through.

Hey Kirk, post up those pics of the non-narrowed lowered bus, I'd like to see them.

I was hoping to not have to narrow because I wanted to build my adjustable beam myself but from what I've seen from Franz at KCW, narrowing on a bay window is a super bitch to do. If I narrow I'll probably just buy it from someone, which makes the expense go WAY up compared to just buying adjusters.

 

[DadWagens]

Battery hooked up, gas can plumbed to the fuel pump, ignition hot wired- it turns over but not fast enough.

I think you guys say that the battery is "flat" like a tire :lol:.

I knew I should have disconnected the battery when I parked my bug after washing it- I thought I would have driven it more but it's easier to put the baby seat in the A4.

Well, the battery is on the charger, we'll see how it goes tomorrow...

 

[Barkafer]

You got that party started yet P?

 

[DadWagens]

Sheeit... not yet!

I charged up the battery and gave it another try but no dice. I need another set of hands to do the hot wiring so that I can troubleshoot. I need to check for spark and possibly drain the carb bowl as it probably still has a bunch of funky old fuel in there.

It's pretty hard finding the time to really dig into this stuff with my 6 month old son and a bunch of other family stuff that is going on right now. But I'll keep chipping away at it.

Also... another hookup is coming my way- my step-mother in law totalled her vw powered trike, so I'm going to get the dual port 1600, the transmission and the battery from her. So now I have a backup plan if the engine in the camper won't run. Otherwise it'll probably end up in my convertible because the engine in that is hella tired.

To be continued...

 

[Barkafer]

Man I hope you get to the bottom of the ignition/fuel problems. There's nothing quite like the sound of an aircooled motor purring away. I love it!

I am familiar with your 'time sharing' situation as you know! I normally try to amass some 'brownie points' with the missus and then usually she gives me the green light to hit the garage for a day.

Sad to hear of your step-mother in-laws misfortune with her wheels. Sounds like her misfortune is gonna be of benefit to you though. Hope she wasn't hurt.

Keep plugging away at it dude

 

[DadWagens]

I had a few minutes to drain the carb, the fuel was funky as shit. Still doesn't start.

In other news, a woman randomly showed up at my house last night and was taking pictures of the camper. Apparently she was the registered owner until early April when she signed it over to the kid who sold it to me. She was super pissed that he sold it because she owned it since before he was born. He told her that I was towing the bus away to be on the TV show "PIMP MY RIDE" hahaha!

I don't think there's anything she can do legally, since he was the registered owner when I bought it and it is now titled in my name. But it's a little freaky because I don't know how she found my address- maybe someone she knew drove by and saw it and told her about it?

She said she was going to report the kid for elder abuse!

Anyway I can't wait to get this thing running so I can start swapping things around and then I'll move it to the side yard so people will stop trespassing to look at it. I guess the surface rust on my deluxe makes it less interesting than the camper.

Oooh, I also made an offer on some Air Conditioning parts! Not sure if it'll work in my '71 though- it came out of a later bus like a '75-'79. Anyone know about this? It would be so awesome to have A/C- the Central Valley summers get to be over 100 degrees F.

 

[Barkafer]

Whoah! That's a bit strange. Just goes to show that people get really attached to their Campers. Did you get her name? She may come back and try to liberate 'her camper' in a daring mission, in the dead of night :msn4: :lol:

As for 'elder abuse'. I get it every day from my brood. It's seems to be the Law around here! :lol:

I don't know anything about air con, but I know a man who may be able to help. I'll bell him today and ask.
You may find that it will only fit a later motor. I am just guessing though

Hope you get it fired up ok dude.

 

[DadWagens]

It's hella hard to make progress when you pretty much get maybe 30 minutes at a time to work on the bus.

But...after some trouble shooting I found that I wasn't getting juice to the ignition coil, found the problem, fixed it, poured some gas in the carb and tried it again. It wanted to start, but didn't. Stumbled a little.

I put the battery back on the charger because I'm pretty sure that it was too weak from all the attempts at starting so today I'll have another go at it. Almost there!

Oh, and the woman who wanted her camper back, I know where she lives so if anything happens I at least know where to find her. She lives with the previous owner. He sold it to raise some cash so he could move out :lol:

I think I'm going to buy the A/C setup. I'll just have to find a newer, better compressor and make a bracket to fit the type 1 engine and I should good to go. But that will happen much later- right now I just want a running engine.

 

[Barkafer]

Get your motor running! Move out on the highway?

 

[DadWagens]

Can't effing figure out why it won't run! :evil:

Set timing, set points gap, checked coil, adjusted valves, drained carb bowl, plumbed fresh gas, I can see gas from accelerator pump going down the carb, but the damn thing will only stumble at first when I try to start it.

I know I have air, spark and fuel so what the hell?

I got some new plugs so we'll try that next. 30 min. at a time, baby...

In other news my woman is buying me a new interior for my birthday so I'm gonna order stuff from TMI. Also I did buy that Air Conditioning set up but I haven't taken it out of the boxes yet because I fear trying to fit it all back in there for storage! That'll be a project for sometime AFTER this thing is road worthy.

 

[Barkafer]

What are the compression figures? I checked both my Bug and Bay and was pleasantly surprised by a range of 100-130 on both motors. The bug has done 150,000 I wreckon!

I feel your frustration man, I couldn't get the Bay to idle before I pulled it. Stripped the carb twice and cleaned the idle jet system out, but still no joy.

Keep plugin away, you'll get there.