'75 Crewie

Discussion in 'Show Us Your Ride' started by *Lethal*, Apr 16, 2018.

  1. I thought I would pop a thread on for my crew cab. If nothing else, I hope others in the future hunting for pictures come across it. It is something I was looking for and something I do look for more of, from time to time.

    This will be Pic Heavy for now.
    I'm not a Vw newbie as such, I've just always had the assistance of the old man and friends to get myself right and had never really paid much attention to mechanicals et al. Thought I had better start pulling my weight 0_0
    Its a Swedish crewie brought into the country 6/7 years back and used by a business on the south coast (nr southampton) It's clearly had some love.

    After being without for an air-cooled vw for a couple of years, and with a Crew Cab being on my bucket list since forever I jumped on this one when it was advertised. Well it wasn't really advertised, the chap mentioned it in passing on someone elses for sale thread. I was also looking for a little project as a wedding car, something american maybe a beetle. I wasn't planning on parting with some hard earned for another bay!

    5 hours on a train to southampton - not my brightest Idea.....

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    The guy I bought it off was a proper decent chap. he had had it for about five years.
    The near on 6 hour drive in it back from Southampton to Peterborough was again, not my finest idea.

    A few niggles on the way....like when it was dark and the speedo lights didn't work. periodically the engine would lag for a few seconds making me fear that we were going to break down at any moment. But he made it all the way back. (I hadn't missed a LHD though if I was honest). Speedo in KM/H was also fun.



    These are the pictures of it that were sent to me.

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    paradox and Merlin Cat like this.
  2. Some of you may remember the rear seat pedestal was right but the rear seat base was wrong. I was told that I wouldn't find one. I managed to , it was bloomin' expensive at just over £400 delivered. It is so much better. And the kids are much safer in my view.

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    It's a shame the old seat base was upholstered and the new one wouldn't be. I will be looking at a change of internal colour scheme.... way way later on...like years away.

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    I rattle canned the pedestal too... it was ok. far from a mint job...but the van is not mint either !

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    Merlin Cat likes this.
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    paradox likes this.
  4. Headlight blew. simple task to sort right. Yes it was until I took the ring off the headlight and the glass fell off and smashed at my feet. I took the opportunity to replace for some clear lights. the glue on the glass on the second headlight was failing too. The interior reflectors in the old headlights were badly pitted and rusting.

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  5. My old man came over about two weeks ago to make a start on fixing some of the gremlins.

    The cargo door had become unusable. handle not working, lock too stiff. we took it apart. the internal locking mechanism was bent. We bent it back into place. and this is where we found one of the screws in the door card had been put in the wrong place and was fouling the mechanism. screw out, door works perfectly. and now with a check strap to save it keep denting the front door. check strap for an older crew cab model sold by autocraft.
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    paradox, Merlin Cat and MorkC68 like this.
  6. I left the van outside in the torrential downpour. "it'll be ok" I thought. another stupid idea.
    Because my tilt isn't a rounded original, water pooled in between the steel supports of the tilt frame. Whilst it has a waterproof top sewn in, the seams leaked. they ran into the load bed.

    When I stepped out into the truck and opened the cargo door. water was pooling under the rubber mat. I mean about two pints of the stuff.
    I made the decision there and then to rip off the wood from the rear bulkhead. which was pop riveted. and the large piece on the load bet itself.

    What I found made me feel less than amused. Essentially the wood had acted as a sponge. there was a massive pool of water under the wood base.
    the base of the bulkhead where it meets the load bed had started to rust out. I knew I wanted to remove the wood. but that was planned for after the wedding in a years time.

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    To do this properly , I think id have to remove the load bed top panels next to the bulk head. Then remove the bulk head panel and replace it.
    They are £400. A little steep for my bank balance this side of the wedding and baby number 3 on the way.

    I need to have a think about how best to do it. It may well be that it is just cut out and a strip welded in for now. I may clean up the whole bed for now. fill the holes as they are, treat it and upol Raptor the load bed. to give me that water proof hard wearing layer. I don't know right now.



    Other niggles. it leaks oil quicker than I put it in. new gasket set/flywheel oil seal. here waiting for me to pull it out and replace them all. rocker covers have somehow gone porous ! pushrod tubes leaking. Oil pressure switch leaking.

    I have two rubber grommets in the front panel. Id quite like to get hold of the over riders and light washers that went there, even if not working. I also have the aftermarket yellow foglights that were bolted to the bumper that I believe were mandatory in Sweden.

    That'll do for tonight. Im proper chuffed with it.

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  7. Flakey

    Flakey Supporter

    Looks just like my load bed, I meticulously gas welded every hole, about 75 of them and replaced a couple of small really bad sections with a peice of correct corrugated steel from Schofields.
     
  8. Great thread @lethal. Watching with interest on behalf of my daughter and her basket case of a doka!

    Just out of interest where have you found the bed head bulkhead for sale? Is it new or second hand? Cheers
     
    JamesLey likes this.
  9. Last edited: Apr 16, 2018
    Bertie the Bus likes this.
  10. I could be wrong actually. when I originally looked on the klassic fab website it was under bay. on C and C it sits under split screen.

    second edit. found it under bay panels
     
  11. Thanks @lethal. A tad confusing as it is in bay window panels but states it is for split screen but also quotes 66-75. Would have thought splittie is narrower than a bay. My daughters is a 79 and I can't imagine they got changed between 75 & 79 but who knows!
     
  12. BTW have you used any of their panels? Any good?
     
  13. I haven't, but my understanding is that they are an exceptional fit and quality. they have complete load beds aswell. drop gates. KF are very expensive though
     
    Bertie the Bus likes this.
  14. May be expensive but if they fit then it is probably worth it! Think I will have to drop them an email to try and clarify whether they fit a 79.
     
  15. Just a couple of pictures of things from my album for no particular reason. I found the pattern on the rear of the cab roof quite interesting.


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    Ive cleaned up a bit of the rear load bed for now next to the bulkhead and have offered it some offerings of the kurust gods for now. underneath the load bed looks really well. which makes me think I may well fill the holes for now and raptor until I can save for new load bed from classic fab/autocraft and maybe even one day some new drop gates because mine are rough.

    some interesting products coming out of NLA VW at the minute, I notice they do a tonneau to fit the rear load bed aswell as new tilts/hoops/bows.
     
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    Another niggle of mine. the battery has been moved to sit under the rear sit.



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    72crewdude and gninnam like this.
  17. I would have thought that cover can be fitted to the new seat base without much hassle @SweeneyTodd ?
     
    SweeneyTodd likes this.
  18. I considered that and doing it myself but decided against it. too many pop rivets lol. later on in life I'm going to change the upholstery anyway - seat base has since gone to a new home :)
     
  19. I should imagine so but can't say for sure without seeing them in the flesh. The seat base has a straight bottom rail where as the cover has a bit of a wiggle on, it all depends if the wiggle can be hidden in the bowels of the seat base. Worth loose fitting first :thumbsup:
     
  20. stirlingmoz

    stirlingmoz Supporter

    Great project.

    Love the colour.

    Hopefully you can do the work and keep it on the road.

    Stirlingmoz
     
    *Lethal* likes this.

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