All original restoration or resto-mod ?

[GDK]

Sorry - if this provokes some strong opinions
Im a new owner of a 69 Westphalia, inter and sheet metal both in good shape, and the bus is mechanically sound.
This will become a daily driver.

I'm contemplating, a disk brake conversion, swapping out the original 1600 and transaxle to something a bit larger ( i.e. 1914) with a freeway flyer mod to the transaxle.

Just wondering how this is typically done in the VW community - are people wanting the all original or it's a personal preference thing

From what I can tell It's all original and a surviver - The purest in me says stay original but... disk brakes and more power would be nice.

 

[mike202]

All good modifications The money is the main factor as they all cost a lot !

 

[ozziedog]

Each to their own . I keep changing my mind as to what I’m doing with mine . The longer I have it , the more times I change my mind. I had it stock height, lowered a bit, and now slightly raised and a bit off road stylee ish. I’ve bought a two litre type four engine and six rib box to put in mine about five or ten years back but it’s just been sat under the bench staring at me ever since I sold the six rib box because someone I knew needed one quickish. Later on I bought a type one. 1776 all singing and all dancing motor complete including carbs and dissy and should go about a hundred and fifty miles an hour like a scalded cat and that too is just staring at me from another part of the garage But they’re both eating nothing. The smart money for more horsepower seems mostly to involve a Subaru conversion with a water cooled boxer motor but the sources for these have dried up slightly, water cooled also means you can have a nice heater in there too. Making these original air cooled motors go faster is easily done but at a cost in bucks and maybe in reliability too for a daily driver. The three parts to this conundrum, Horsepower, Money, Reliability. Just choose two and loose the third. I think that’s how it was worded,, maybe ,, maybe not. If you’re upgrading the motor and drive train then it does make sense to sort something with the anchors. Discs are a lot easier on maintenance so effectively are as good as drums if only slightly better but all of the time as drums need a fair bit of adjustment and looking after. Until you go for bigger brakes, then you’ll need bigger wheels to cope. Discs or drums can both be improved loads with a servo which is a nice easy mod. If you change stuff about, try and keep the originals in case you ever sell it on in years to come. My best advice is drive it slow, enjoy the ride, drive something else fast if you feel the need for speed

Ozziedog,,,,,,, maybe start a thread in ‘ Gallery ‘

 

[chad]

Mine has front discs, a slightly larger, 1641cc, engine with 1-2-3 ignition and Litesteer power steering.
That's fine for my usage, mind you living in Norfolk means the nearest motorway is at least an hour and a half away.

 

[Bluesnailman]

you can a achieve a stock look easily with hidden upgrades. exhaust is probably the outward sign of change. power steering can be seen from inside. disc brakes, led bulbs, a servo.... all these things are not easily seen. apart from my engine ive kept all the stock brakes, steering column etc in the garage just in case...

 

[Classic volks]

Sorry - if this provokes some strong opinions
Im a new owner of a 69 Westphalia, inter and sheet metal both in good shape, and the bus is mechanically sound.
This will become a daily driver.

I'm contemplating, a disk brake conversion, swapping out the original 1600 and transaxle to something a bit larger ( i.e. 1914) with a freeway flyer mod to the transaxle.

Just wondering how this is typically done in the VW community - are people wanting the all original or it's a personal preference thing

From what I can tell It's all original and a surviver - The purest in me says stay original but... disk brakes and more power would be nice.

Hi best of luck with your new bay ok number one I’m really into original VWs aircooled and I am a purest with some VWs and especially early bays and barndoor witch I have 2 original earlier bays and 2 53 & 54 barndoor but on the other hand if u want to drive it daily that’s even better i work on aircooled only so if u need anything or advice or new parts I will be gladly to help you remember there is different types of early bay gearbox’s I have fully built freeway flyer gearbox’s in stock & 1641 pistons and barrels in stock only new parts
[email protected]

Drop me an email with your contact details and I’d be happy to give you some advice - happy to just do that anytime.

 

[mike202]

I think it’s cheap, powerful or reliable. You can only have two of these for an engine.

 

[Classic volks]

I think it’s cheap, powerful or reliable. You can only have two of these for an engine.

Lol bye once & have it right the first time mate

 

[W1K1]

our 71 came as an empty rolling body with a new paint job, so new interior with fridge and sink, solar power, 16"wheel/tire, and a subi swap, basically a modernized utility vehicle that you can daily drive with heat and defrost, and accessory diesel heater for camping.

 

[ozziedog]

I think it’s cheap, powerful or reliable. You can only have two of these for an engine.

OOOooooohhhh

And I was so so close too.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,reckon you’ve got it spot on.

 

[AircooledKate]

I think it’s cheap, powerful or reliable. You can only have two of these for an engine.

I think you’re right there.

 

[Graham L]

Nothing wrong with upgrading to keep it rolling along nicely, better brakes and a bigger engine are always good bets and are 100% reversible if the next custodian wants to go stock, thats the joy of VW's, each to their own.

We run 2 buses (crewcab & hightop) both with 1776 and 'freeway flyer' style gearboxes

 

[neilswheels]

I've decided to get a supercharger kit for mine, on a fresh 1600. Ive spoken to a few bus owners with this setup, and they say its great. You'll still be looking at about 60-65 on the motorway due to gearbox ratio, but that's plenty in my book. I was thinking about a freeway flyer diff to drop the revs, and hopefully save a bit on fuel, but i've read in several places that the engine needs to be at about 3k to have the fan work efficiently, to low rpm, fan slow, more heat. Apparently a stock engine can sit at 4-4.5k rpm all day, if its in good condition, just a bit loud..

Discs are a good upgrade, you'll need to upgrade the MC as well. Lite steer, possibly for parking, but when its rolling its not really a problem. Heating is ok, but its a big void for the stock system to fill, which is where a water cooled conversion works if its going to be a daily, and not just a summer cruiser.

There's loads of options, depends how far you want to go, and how much money you want to spend.

 

[ozziedog]

I've decided to get a supercharger kit for mine, on a fresh 1600. Ive spoken to a few bus owners with this setup, and they say its great. You'll still be looking at about 60-65 on the motorway due to gearbox ratio, but that's plenty in my book. I was thinking about a freeway flyer diff to drop the revs, and hopefully save a bit on fuel, but i've read in several places that the engine needs to be at about 3k to have the fan work efficiently, to low rpm, fan slow, more heat. Apparently a stock engine can sit at 4-4.5k rpm all day, if its in good condition, just a bit loud..

Discs are a good upgrade, you'll need to upgrade the MC as well. Lite steer, possibly for parking, but when its rolling its not really a problem. Heating is ok, but its a big void for the stock system to fill, which is where a water cooled conversion works if its going to be a daily, and not just a summer cruiser.

There's loads of options, depends how far you want to go, and how much money you want to spend.

Adding to that just a little bit. Some of the conversion companies offered a collapsible or folding / rolling up type of bulkhead. Westphalia definitely did one and someone told me that Holdsworth did one too. The idea was a sturdy vinyl fabric bulkhead held up by press studs with a poly window in the middle with a drop down roll down flap to cover the window if you wanted. It had a weights in the bottom to hold near the floor. So it partitioned off the cab very effectively and reduced the amount of area needing heat on the proviso that you only needed the cab heated. A few years back I experimented with a clear piece of plastic sheet held up with masking tape so easily removable after winter was over and it made a big difference as you could actually feel the cab warming up instead of being just slightly less chilly.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, same heat but less area

 

[neilswheels]

Adding to that just a little bit. Some of the conversion companies offered a collapsible or folding / rolling up type of bulkhead. Westphalia definitely did one and someone told me that Holdsworth did one too. The idea was a sturdy vinyl fabric bulkhead held up by press studs with a poly window in the middle with a drop down roll down flap to cover the window if you wanted. It had a weights in the bottom to hold near the floor. So it partitioned off the cab very effectively and reduced the amount of area needing heat on the proviso that you only needed the cab heated. A few years back I experimented with a clear piece of plastic sheet held up with masking tape so easily removable after winter was over and it made a big difference as you could actually feel the cab warming up instead of being just slightly less chilly.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, same heat but less area

I had a double door split van many years ago, I put a cab back panel in behind the seats (none walk through, all the fixing holes were there already) it made a big difference to its daily driver use.

 

[K@rlos]

It’s your bus and your money so do as you wish with it.

create image url

Here’s mine:

1970 westfalia camp mobile
2276cc street/strip motor with nitrous oxide
Fully built 091 (6 rib) race box with LSD
Solid mounted engine & box
4.5” narrowed king & link pin beam
3.5” dropped spindles
Adjustable spring plates
Bilstien shocks all round
Porsche/brembo 4 pot front brakes
Hurst line lock

It’s took a lot of time & money as well as help from a couple of friends but I use it a lot. Regularly gets used for my commute, vw shows & camping all round the UK and Europe as well as doing 1/4 mile runs at drag strips. People say tuned air cooled vws are unreliable and troublesome, that’s utter ********. Put 320 + miles on this last Saturday without a care in the world, I’d jump in and go anywhere just like i would my modern BMW daily

 

[creationblue]

If I had my time again I'd keep it standard, apart from fitting twin carbs. I have changed everything and I mean everything over the years and my advise is keep it simple and usable and you will be happy.