71 dormobile 1st air cooled vw

[Zerotosixty2]

I'm starting a thread to track the slow restoration and modification of our 1971 dormobile. bought from eBay.



we've already rugby into the height problem when trying to get it into the garage. so down it has to go.

more to follow. it I'm thinking that the order will be.

lowering
engine tune. it starts on the key but is pretty gutless.
end of the year well start the body repairs (gulp)
interior

accessorize!

wish me luck!

 

[Zerotosixty2]

CE adjustable spring plates fitted, at the height in the photo, bouncing on the rear bumper elicits a distinct clonking of metal on metal, I intent to lift them up a spline, but does anyone know what hits first as you cannot really see anything when lying down looking underneath?

 

[jasper666]

Hi I have just bought 1970 dormobile and setting out on journey too!!

 

[wallyvan]

I'm 3 years into my 'journey' and the van still isn't on the road! - it always takes far longer than you think!!

 

[ozziedog]

CE adjustable spring plates fitted, at the height in the photo, bouncing on the rear bumper elicits a distinct clonking of metal on metal, I intent to lift them up a spline, but does anyone know what hits first as you cannot really see anything when lying down looking underneath?

There`s a multitude of things it could be. I reckon I`d get him right up in the air on a ramp just to have a real good look at what you have there. Sounds like the bump stops may have been removed but you really do need to have a good look at what is clonking, it might even be the drive shafts, or possibly the shocks, but either way it`s a lot easier up in the air. Any free pre MOTs on around your way

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,I`d raise him a tad :mrgreen:

 

[Zerotosixty2]

Thanks @ozziedog, we have severe restrictions on garage door height otherwise I wouldnt be lowering at all right now. That said I intend to lift him up a bit anyway to try to lose the clonking. There were no stops on the original (swiss cheese) beam either.

 

[ozziedog]

I just had A good look at your pictures and I think you are a bit lower than me on the ass end and I have next to nothing left in the way of rear suspension travel, maybe an inch or an inch and a half. I cut two thirds off my rear bumpstops and I`m just about getting away with it,my bump stop stumps are maybe the best bit of my rear suspension :lol: . I do have adjustable spring plates or I couldn`t get the back wheels off without pissing about with shocks off and stuff . I`ll be very surprised if your not bottoming out on your drive shafts after looking art the pics. It can be sorted if you need to stay that low, just a bit of notching maybe not DIY though unless you is some kind of wonderful with a MIG welder.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Get him on a ramp in VW garage :mrgreen:

 

[Zerotosixty2]

gonna get the bum up and have a look possibly tonight, or later this week/weekend, its a little higher than the pic as I've wound the grub screws up full, but still easily clonkable by bouncing on the rear (and driving of course).
I reckon I need to rotate the plate by a spline. there's no rubber on the stops AFAIK. that's long gone lol. I'll take some more pics later

Cheers Ozziedog

 

[Zerotosixty2]

right. One side was a spline lower than the other (Doh!) Theres no rubber on the bumpstop on either side. I've evened up by upping the lower one and that seems to have sorted the clonking for now. no evidence of driveshaft inteference so I guess there may be an option to go lower later on. That said it JUST fits in the garage under the door opening as well so I'm happy for now.

Tuning and rocker setting tomorrow morning and tracking/Camber tomorrow as well.

Then I'll run it until the end of the season before pulling it off the road to get some rust repair on the go.

 

[Zerotosixty2]

slight update. csp shifter fitted and now it's drivable!

 

[gninnam]

Good luck and hope you find nothing major to do,