1960 Split Window Resto/Rebuild

[VRSenator065]

Yea for me, I want to be able to keep it alongside the Senator when I am not working on it, then take the Senator out of the shed, spin the Kombi around and do what I want to, then put it back away when I am done if that makes sense. Steel turned up today, and the casters off eBay, so on the week end if I get the time should at least be able to make a start.

[VRSenator065]

Bit of a catch up as the forum was down and got a bit done. Did quite a few hours on the week end but at one of those stages that probably doesn't look like I achieved much. Cut and drilled all the plates and RHS and got the bottom section of the dolley done. Very happy with how my welds on the mig were going by the end. Then started playing around and got the front suspension all removed, bloody dirty job with 50+ years of accumulated dirt under there. Attacked the rear trans-axle and of course can up against a totally frozen bolt, one of the big suckers that holds the axle in. Took every trick in the book (heat/cold/hammer etc) to get it out. So I'm ready to have another go at removing the trans-axle then i can do the vertical members on the dolley. Great fun so far. Bit a different kind of build to the Senator, will be great once its all blasted and its all clean.











Well I actually really prefer working on my own but sometimes it can be harder. Removing the rear transaxle proved to be a bit harder than expected, frozen bolts, and me now knowing Volksy's yet didn't help! Also every time I bump it 50 years of dirt falls on my head. But its out, so that front and rear suspension etc removed . Also got the bottom part of the transport Dolley sorted, looks good I think. Hopefully next week end get it all fully welded and the vertical side sorted.

[Cam Biscuit]

I might be jumping the gun here but in the interest of safety please fully weld those mounts to your frame and also a side brace on your rear mount if you haven't already for some extra strength.

Cheers

[VRSenator065]

Yea its only tacked mate, no bracing or anything yet. Bloody hell I'm not that dumb!!

Thats what this is "'.....hopefully next week end get it all fully welded and the vertical side sorted"

[Leroy]

Nice to see you've kept up the motivation on this build. Keep the updates coming

[Cam Biscuit]

Haha just checking

[red hot bus]

Coming along nicely I might have some of those front wheel well sections for ya since yours have been butchered

[VRSenator065]

Thanks all, yea actually really enjoying it so far. Well everything except the dirt/mess. Motivation at the moment is getting it ready to be blasted so at least I am not dealing with that anymore. Then also at least i will know exactly what I am up against. But slow and steady wins the race.

[VRSenator065]

Coming along nicely I might have some of those front wheel well sections for ya since yours have been butchered

Cool, if your ever going by and the shed doors up, drop in

[VRSenator065]

I know this isn't VW but I thought it may be interesting to some here. I am not sure many know my background, but I own/operate a CAD drafting business, and am fairly skilled up using modelling packages like inventor. I have recently bought a 3D printer, and together with my daughter who is a bit of a web design guru pan on setting up a small online business designing and making various things using the printer. So apart from getting stuck into the Kombi build, lately I have been playing around with it. I have always wanted to have a better gauge cluster in my Senator and it always bugged me that the oil pressure gauge wasn't in an easy to see position. So I had this idea of making a swap out part for the trip computer, it would also be a great spot for a boost gauge. So I have been playing around with lots of variations to get it all to work properly and today I fitted them up. I am really happy with them. They are made out of ABS, they have a slight surface finish off the printer which I actually like, but its very simple to sand them and give them a coat of acrylic paint if you wanted them dead smooth or a specific colour to match your interior. So the plan is to have a bit of a range of nice things, not sure what if any will cross over to the Kombi, but its a cool little tool.

So I know its not VW but here are some pics of the parts I have started playing around with.

I am interested in peoples thoughts, I must admit I am a much better CAD operator than photographer, but hopefully you can get a good idea of how they came up.

[NevsOval]

They came up well, very neat

[VRSenator065]

Well I have been busy doing a bit of a ghetto in car engine rebuild on a 1977 Hiace camper my daughter bought, which actually turned out pretty good. But now thats done and dusted I can get back onto my own projects. Had a fun day today, finished off all the bracing and welding of the bottom of the dolley and have the main structure of the upright side tacked up. I think its going to work out pretty well. With a bit of luck tomorrow will get it close to finished, at least I can roll it around the shed again

[Cam Biscuit]

Nice work

[VRSenator065]

Well that's a wrap. Pretty bloody happy have to say, really starting to get the hang of the mig again, not sure I would pass a certification but good enough. Like always tons more work in it than I first imagined, spent a fair time working out how to do the support against the car. The kombi is straight until the drivers door pillar then kicks in, so made it in two sections. It then sits at an angle to the frame, luckily I had an old mild steel junior kart axle that was the right size so made up some angled bushes. Next week end over Easter will get some mates over and we will see how hard/easy it is to roll it over.

[gaz]

That's really neat and I like the way the whole thing is the same size as the bus...great for small garages