Nev - our '71 UK bay hydraulics, Resto and more........

[dub_crazee]

Well i'll start at the beginning.
We purchased this bus around 6 years ago and it was uber cheap. He wasn't pretty - so i did the essential stuff - you know - like lower it and put a better engine in haha. The initial plan was to sell it - but as we all do - we got attached to the van. After a few years of holidays in him (Nev) I finally finished my beetle resto and we layed Nev up and started to save for his resto. He made a final appearance at our wedding (took the bridesmaids) after i limped him through an MOT after being off the road for a couple of years and as soon as we got back from our honeymoon we started ripping him apart. I'll let the pictures do the talking from here....

When we first got him

On Holiday once he'd been given some love - this was in tenby. He was like this for a few years - we attended lots of shows - went to Spa and had lots of trips to France, Wales and Devon in him. He didn't let us down!

Dressed for the wedding

Pulling him apart before he goes to the blasters

He was away at the blasters for a while so in the mean time i started on the brake and suspension conversion

Bearing spacers made for the 944 hubs to linkpin spindle

Bearing spacers fitted and outside of the hub turned down to fit the 996T discs

Porsche 6 pot calipers

Compared to the stock disc and caliper

Uniball rear end coming together to replace the spring plates

Back from the blasters and in epoxy primer. Some ropey repairs to sort along with the obvious. Nothing more than what we were expecting though so fairly happy!

Cargo floor and the centre of the van isnt too bad - probably due to the bely pans

Front beam raised 1 3/4" with a Rayvern beam

And the rear end has been notched and Porsche 944 aluminium arms fitted

That's as far as i've got so far but hoping to have all the hydraulics on and the shell back on it;s wheels before christmas

Deano

 

[DadWagens]

I like where thus is going... moar plz!

 

[ballbag]

H A P P Y D A Y Z

:shock:

 

[gninnam]

WOW :shock:

Lots of work to do and some good work carried out so far (love the front brakes) 8)

 

[superfunkyfresh]

Loving this, I've seen it on FB and was loving the notches.

 

[Myvanway]

Quality work there. 8)

 

[dub_crazee]

Thanks guys.
Progress will be slow(ish) as work comes first....but hoping to have the shell on working suspension by Christmas - then the restoration work as such done by the end of Spring. As you can see - a lot of restoration work is required

 

[mychatype3]

Nice work going on here, keep up the good work, will be one low bay.
Love the welding on the rear notch 8)

Greetings from Holland, mycha

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

always good to see some different thoughts and engineering will be watching this

 

[mattd1984]

Yes Deano, going to be amazing when finished mate

 

[dub_crazee]

Thanks again guys

Mycha - I dont often get to turn the welder up and weld thicker stuff - it makes a nice change!
Loving the tubs on yours - i am a fair few steps behind you! Although i think i will be taking a leaf out of your book and having my gearbox converted over to beetle nose cone.

 

[dub_crazee]

Half cap is so last year....this is going to need some serious tubs to cover the 255/40R17 tyres!!

 

[mychatype3]

Like, like me like :beerchug:

That will be some big tubs indeed 8) (hope you don’t have a westy-bed in there) and some serous modifications to the fulfiller neck

Keep up the good work, greets mycha

 

[AxlFoley]

looking like an interesting project, are you planning a full dry build before going for paint?

 

[dub_crazee]

Thanks again!
Yup, fuel filler neck is going to need to be moved somewhere! decisions decisions! Bed wise i was hoping to run a full width rock n roll bed - that will take some work now!! Who would have though, lowering your bus involves fuel tank and bed modifications lol!!
The car will be dry built to a certain extent. All of the running gear will be test fitted and all of the bolt on panels fitted to set all the gaps.

I have finished with the rear suspension mods now - i just need to finish off the front beam stuff and then mock up the hydraulic rams. Then onto the transmission raise!

Rear Torsion tube had to be narrowed 35mm

Looking forward to getting on with the body work now and getting rid of those shoddy repairs on the rear corners/arches.

 

[stuif]

Wow that's some amazing enginering :shock:

 

[dub_crazee]

Thanks!!

There's MOOOOAAAAARRR!!!

Front leaves redrilled and fitted, rear end finished off, valve block and fluid dispersal system fitted up and we have a roller

Craig is 6'"2 and towers over Nev!

Primitive seats!

Front rams are in and mounted .... just got to figure out the rear mounting points and how the hell i am going to get the track rods fitted! The whole hydraulic kit it from Rayvern

 

[Lee C]

:worship:
What the,,,,,,,,????

That is some project, mind!!

 

[kevinhall]

insane and awesome. love it

 

[junglefacejake]

That is really Ace! Would love to get "Tefal" down that low.
I noticed you removed the belly pans. Do you plan to replace the roof with a tin-top?