70 Baywindow Schlitz Malt Liquor Bus Build

[A1steaksauce]

did you already drive your bus with that kind of exhaust? i'm worried about reducing from 2 to 1 pipe... are u sure this will be working?

stock bus exhaust is only one pipe exit. Nothing wrong with what he did

[Schell R32]

yeah at 50hp...he isn't robbing power...if anything he's gonna grab a touch more torque!

[wannabaja]

I did find one difference bwtween a beetle muffler and the bus muffler I took off. The bus had a baffel on the passenger side and came accross towards the drivers side. It was a tube with a bunch of holes in it. The beetle did not have this. Im not sure if this will have some minute effect that would be noticeable on anything but paper. Im not worried about it in the least. Other than that, this exhaust is basically the same with some minor modification to the j-tubes and the final pipe.

[A1steaksauce]

I did find one difference bwtween a beetle muffler and the bus muffler I took off. The bus had a baffel on the passenger side and came accross towards the drivers side. It was a tube with a bunch of holes in it. The beetle did not have this. Im not sure if this will have some minute effect that would be noticeable on anything but paper. Im not worried about it in the least. Other than that, this exhaust is basically the same with some minor modification to the j-tubes and the final pipe.

actually it has no effect if you were to run or not run that directional baffle...because that's all it is.

there's not much to the inside of a beetle or bus muffler and they can be built with a half way decent roller and a drill press.


PS; don't forget to bring a camera...big moves tomorrow

[wannabaja]

Good day of progress today. Ran up north to hang out among good company (people as well as cars, THANKS AGAIN STEAK!). There was definately a moment where I realized I was throwing sparks all over a Kubelwagon and thought to myself, this is almost like my dirtbag baywindow is spitting on an elderly grandpa! It just didnt seem right!



But none the less, work has begun in front!

















Yes you are looking at that right. I decided on a 7.5 inch beam. I could kick it to 8 but I am insistant on shocks and the 1/2 inch will give me just a little more wiggle room.



After a good discussion it was decided that I just had to keep working once we shut it down at the restoration shop. I just couldnt sleep without finishing up a project for the day. Rear torsion caps are finished. The only thing left to fab in back is shock mounts and a few small things like cable tubes and such. It feels good to keep checking pieces off the list!













Its time to flip the bus around in the garage and start tearing into the front end. . . . . . . . . . .

[Power5]

Why I have not heard about this project?

When are we taking the wee ones camping at your lake?

[wannabaja]

Why I have not heard about this project?

When are we taking the wee ones camping at your lake?

aparently you have been living under a rock!

Here are my updates. I am not at a very photogenic portion of the build but progress is being made.

Pulled my old 4 inch beam and drop spindles. They are for sale if anyone is interested. Pm me.




Cut some holes

And more holes. There is light at the end of the tunnel.


Got the top tube frame knotches cut out and ready to weld back up. Just waiting on a few tubes to make sure everything has clearance before I weld em up.

[wannabaja]

I was able to get out and finish up the frame knotches for the upper tubes. I will be able to fit dust caps and have plenty of trailing arm clearance.

[wannabaja]

A1 Steaksauce is the easter bunny!

i removed the center torsion leaf holder and took a few thousands off so that she'd turn nice and free when placed back in the beam tube:

i also went ahead and filed down each interior corner so to help make installation of the leafs much easier.

i then took some heavy walled tubing and turned it down so that it would fit tightly into the beam tubes. making it a sleeve of sorts.


i then cut a 45 degree into each beam tube, installed the center leaf holder, slid the tubes together over the 'sleeve' tubing piece, and clamped them down to some thick walled angle iron:

i'd put a couple of tacks with the tig, turn the tube, tack again, and repeated again a few times. i then removed the tube and visually inspected the tube to make sure it was straight, and also rolled it on the table to check for any wobble. after i was satisfied that i had them completely true and straight, i then clamped the tube back in the angle iron again and started to tig it all together.

after the tubes were fully tig'ed together i went over the welds with the grinder to get it completely smooth. the tig welds lay really flat so i really didn't have to remove any material:

getting the tubes smooth and free of raised up welds is a must. you have to slide these thru the side plates while the side plates are bolted into the bus. so anything to help make that easier must be done.


repeated for the other tube:


metal easter basket:

both complete beam tubes, material for front shock mounts, and some large heavy walled seamless tubing for the tie rod notches

nothing holding Jason back on the front end now.

tubs will probably be my next contribution to "das bull"

[wannabaja]

I was finally able to make it up towards a1 yesterday morning. After the little ones went to bed I headed out to work. I'm anxious to get this this done and I still have a lot of work to do!

I got my side plates cleaned up to weld and mounted for the LAST time ever. Got my spacers trimmed down for the one mounting point on each side that was onset from the rest. Got my adjusted slots cut and slid my tubes into their new locations. I'm ready to weld the adjusters on and do my mock up to clock the tubes into their correct orientations.

Not a ton of visual progress but its 3 more hours logged into the project. Anyone with small kids who has taken on a project knows what I'm up against and what it means to get time logged in!

[wannabaja]

7.5 inch narrowed ball joint beam with a 7 inch beam raise. Overkill lol? NAHH!






Sadly, the pacers I had lined up dont look like they are gonna work out. They have a wicked offset! On a 7.5 beam they were still getting into the dog leg in front! Looks like its time to do some shopping. I think this is a sign to move up to a 15 inch sizing.

[A1steaksauce]

a real man would have tubbed his doglegs.

just saying.

[wannabaja]

Got the box and frame out last night. Got my front boxed in. Just a little more boxing and knotching in some of the inner body panels and I'm ready to put it back together.

The lower 6 inches around the perimeter are crusty as hell. I was very pleased to find the frame I removed as well as all the body metal around are solid as could be. The bus is the perfect rat. On the outside it looks like it could fall apart but underneith where it counts its as solid as could be. I will get plenty of use out of my work and someday metal replacement is justifiable.

[A1steaksauce]

hurry up already!!!! people on pain meds are awaiting progress

[wannabaja]

Got some more work in on the steering box raise last night. My frame section has been boxed and modified for floor clearance. After a little cleaning up of the frame on the bus, I made another plate to box off that side. I tacked it on for mocking up and then tacked my front frame section on 1.5 inches higher to check for fitment on the steering column. Everything is where it needs to be and has plenty of clearance! Now I need to finish boxing the nose panel and then I can finish weld the frame back together. Overall, this has been much easier than I anticipated and I am not sure why so many DIY bay slammers are so reluctant to dig in on this job.

[LooseNuts]

nice work wannabe

[wannabaja]

Box is in.

[wannabaja]

Moving right along.


With the steering box raise I had a few interior implications to tackle. Got the upper spacer painted and done. The lower spacer is fabbed and ready for paint.

[LooseNuts]

Nice work wannabe

[A1steaksauce]

it's looking good!

get on those tie rod notches! you're not far behind me now

[wannabaja]

Good night last night. GOt my steering box raise finalized. I had to re-box the bottom of the frame rail since this is where the bumper mounts.




Got my drivers side frame rail knotch knocked out as well. It wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. I should easily be able to do the passengers side on my next night out.








Thanks again to A1 for the reference measurements!

[wannabaja]

Another productive night. Both tie rod knotches are in!

[wannabaja]

LOL!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/vie...058363#6058363

[A1steaksauce]

flipped pitman arm mod done.

go change your oil and get back on this bus.

[wannabaja]

Awesome!
Got back on the bus tonight. Got the upper leaf pack drilled for the grub screws. Got a little too late to keep hammmering trailing arms in. Will get the other two done in the next day or so and will go in on the shock mounts.

[Superbeet]

This thing has so much character in it. I don't know what you're going to do about the rust, but I love the way it looks. so toooight.

[wannabaja]

I got my last grub screws installed and was finally able to set this on the ground under its own weight for the first time. Just a reminder note, the beam is narrowed 7.5 inches and this is at its highest setting before the adjuster plate starts to hang over the teeth..........


Also, I have new wheels to run on this but I will leave you with some suspense on those. Just know that they will do this justice!

[crackershack99]

Dope as hell son. Keep up the good work.

[Snarkle]

Just found this thread Thoroughly enjoyed it
Ill be looking forward to more!

[bansheelos]

Sick job!

[LooseNuts]

everytime i see this thread title i think of this sense in double take. makes me laught my ares off

[wannabaja]

everytime i see this thread title i think of this sense in double take. makes me laught my ares off

haha! Schlitz Malt Liquor! Someone really must have loved the Schlitz to have painted that on the side when the bus was only 3 years old!

Im back from a 2 week work trip and ready to get back into this. This IS going to be done by spring!

[absentee]

wow, watching!

[basti-FSI]

great build!

[A1steaksauce]

wanna see pics of new rims mounted





not sure how much i want for the motor yet.