Best upgrades

[Neil_in_Belgium]

I am buying a 1979 T2b. Right now it is in multiple pieces and so the right time to ask "what are the best upgrades"? All suggestions considered but mainly thinking on running gear and electrics for the moment.
Many thanks
Neil

 

[ozziedog]

I am buying a 1979 T2b. Right now it is in multiple pieces and so the right time to ask "what are the best upgrades"? All suggestions considered but mainly thinking on running gear and electrics for the moment.
Many thanks
Neil

On the electric stuff, a hot start relay is a no brainer. The name isn’t truly indicative of how good it is. Primarily it relieves a load of strain from the ignition and starting circuits and switches. <<< Mostly correct. Resisting the urge to lower the suspension is a toughy for most. Correct C rated tyres is a fab bonus. And head and taillights are lacking a bit in the modern world but Halos don’t necessarily look that great. While it’s mostly apart, might be an idea to replace the loom with all those old connections. What are you looking for ? A stock look, or a custom thing, or a show winner trailered van ? Patina and originality are sure winners. Anyway, welcome to the forum, what motor you running in there .?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,gets some pictures up Neil

 

[Ben72Bay]

What he said!
Plus I’d fit a new loom throughout.
Gives peace of mind, you can configure it to include whatever you might want (such as a hot start relay, auto fire extinguisher in the engine bay etc) and it gives the existing things like headlights the best chance of working to their potential.

 

[Bluesnailman]

Lots!

Soundproofing (everywhere + fire proof foam soundproofing in the engine bay)
Replacing plastic body filler with steel seems a popular upgrade (fingers crossed you don’t have hidden rot)
Wiring as above plus fire extinguisher.
A fuel filter that sits outside of the engine compartment and modern ethanol resistant hoses
Convex door mirrors
Sticky backed card table foam on Westy louver windows to stop rattles

Best thing is to make sure it drives and stops like it should do. Gears should move easily, braking should not pull to one side or another, engine should be slow but equally “powerful” through the rev range, steering should have no dead spots or slack.

Priory?
1 Fuel lines and filter
2 get it running like it should

Big spend upgrades I wish I’d done earlier?
Bigger better engine
Gearbox final drive change to suit engine
Litesteer

Things i needn’t have bothered with….
Radio and subwoofer.

 

[redgaz54]

I am buying a 1979 T2b. Right now it is in multiple pieces and so the right time to ask "what are the best upgrades"? All suggestions considered but mainly thinking on running gear and electrics for the moment.
Many thanks
Neil

Hiya, upgrades, hmm
1) Anti roll bar kit = thicker front arb, rear arb and KYB dampers. Difference in handling and motorway driving, vast improvement.
2) Installing thermostat, flaps, flaps, oil cooler bracket, hoover bracket, basically all correct tin ware and associated cooling bits and the later vacuum operated oil bath filter if your engine is stock.
3) Diesel heater, game changer for me whan camping .
4) Led light bulbs, especially headlights preferably from ClassicCarLEDs, plus extra, higher led brake light.
5) Empi gear shifter, other brands available.
6) Don't lower it !.
7) What everyone else has suggested

 

[T2 Brinky]

Buttys bits throttle linkage, is good value for money made a huge difference.

 

[newhippy]

Not an upgrade but the best change to my 71 late last year was to renew the sprung pin in the bottom ball joint of the original gear lever, for very little money it removed a lot of slop in the gear change.

 

[naskeet]

Some of my best and most useful upgrades to my family's 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental, were the earliest ones:

1976 - Fabricated & fitted a home-made stretchy butyl-rubber roof-rack cover, with eyelets & hooks on three sides, and turn-button fasteners adjacent to the elevating-roof.

1976 - 60/55W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs from 45/40W glass-envelope bulbs

1977/78 - 185 SR14 Reinfored radial-ply tyres from 7.00 14 cross-ply tyres

1977/78 - Retro-fitted front-panel mounted spare-wheel carrier

1989 - 100/80W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs with uprated circuitry from 60/55W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs

1989/89 - Retro-fitted, dual remote-acting, vacuum brake servo units in a home-made tubular-steel cradle

1989 - Retro-fitted a home-made, sliding-door pull-close strap

1986 - Substituted Swedish-made SVD wash-wiper blades, with perforated hollow blade rubbers & small-bore, flexible-rubber water-supply hoses

1989 - Retro-fitted 52 mm diameter, VDO Cockpit gauges for oil-pressure, oil-temperature & cylinder-head-temperature

1990 - Retro-fitted a self-modified cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper system, salvaged from an early-1980s vintage Vauxhall Astra Mk.1 estate-car

Mid-1990s - Retro-fitted Volvo 340 rear-hatch gas struts to the Westfalia elevating roof

 

[ozziedog]

Some of my best and most useful upgrades to my family's 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental, were the earliest ones:

1976 - Fabricated & fitted a home-made stretchy butyl-rubber roof-rack cover, with eyelets & hooks

1976 - 60/55W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs from 45/40W glass-envelope bulbs

1977/78 - 185 SR14 Reinfored radial-ply tyres from 7.00 14 cross-ply tyres

1977/78 - Retro-fitted front-panel mounted spare-wheel carrier

1989 - 100/80W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs with uprated circuitry from 60/55W H4 quartz-halogen headlamp bulbs

1989/89 - Retro-fitted, dual remote-acting, vacuum brake servo units in a home-made tubular-steel cradle

1989 - Retro-fitted a home-made, sliding-door pull-close strap

1986 - Substituted Swedish-made SVD wash-wiper blades, with perforated hollow blade rubbers & small-bore, flexible-rubber water-supply hoses

1989 - Retro-fitted 52 mm diameter, VDO Cockpit gauges for oil-pressure, oil-temperature & cylinder-head-temperature

1990 - Retro-fitted a self-modified cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper system, salvaged from an early-1980s vintage Vauxhall Astra Mk.1 estate-car

Mid-1990s - Retro-fitted Volvo 340 rear-hatch gas struts to the Westfalia elevating roof

Nice one Nigel!

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,and a happy new year bud !

 

[mikedjames]

Go through every front end ball joint and replace any with any slop in them. Make sure the steering box is good. Then you should end up with a bus that may blow around still but doesnt have a tendency to leap motorway lanes as the steering slops.

Gearchange- get rid of the stock/EMPI gearshift coupler, use CSP with a turned pin instead of a mild steel roll pin. Use a new front bushing. Check the "donut" in the gearbox nosecone for wear, to improve gearshift.

Commercial rated tyres- if not on stock rims, things like Goodyear Vector 4seasons Cargo style come with stiff sidewalls- intended for bloated EVs and also make a noticeable difference to avoiding being blown around compared with e.g Yokohama car tyres.

LED lights from classiccarleds- at the back much more visible, at the front you can see where you are going..

 

[ozziedog]

Go through every front end ball joint and replace any with any slop in them. Make sure the steering box is good. Then you should end up with a bus that may blow around still but doesnt have a tendency to leap motorway lanes as the steering slops.

Gearchange- get rid of the stock/EMPI gearshift coupler, use CSP with a turned pin instead of a mild steel roll pin. Use a new front bushing. Check the "donut" in the gearbox nosecone for wear, to improve gearshift.

Commercial rated tyres- if not on stock rims, things like Goodyear Vector 4seasons Cargo style come with stiff sidewalls- intended for bloated EVs and also make a noticeable difference to avoiding being blown around compared with e.g Yokohama car tyres.

LED lights from classiccarleds- at the back much more visible, at the front you can see where you are going..

Glad you came to the party Mike, I’d thought you’d have been on this like an Earlybay on a brakecheck.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,see ya in April bud