my 74 westy TDI

Discussion in 'Show Us Your Ride' started by trevorbrady, Aug 26, 2016.

  1. this is my '74 Cali-import US-spec Campmobile, formerly 1.8 type4, then 1.9D with 091 gearbox, now with a recent TDI and Passat 5-speed conversion. I've had it since 2003 and it's part of the family. It's got all the Westy gear inside, plus more. Buddy seat/stool, upholstered box in the cab, one-leg cab table, full width rock'n'roll bed, later Westy ceiling cabinet added. Only thing it's missing is the cab cot but I have no need for it so never bothered to seek out the correct cot. Mk2 Golf GTI seats in the cab reupholstered by me to match the original interior. Deluxe time clock in the dash. Have the utterly useless "ambulance fans" in the cab too. Dead weight TBH...

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  2. Is it a flipped Passat gearbox? Got any pics? Looks nice btw
     
  3. Nice ride - great work on the seats, they look mint.

    Are krankenwagen fans that poo?
     
  4. the ambulance fans are noisy!! and once the van is moving, just crack open the front vent and the fans are obsolete! They're only useful/usable with the van stopped.

    yeah, flipped Passat gearbox

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    89Rallye likes this.
  5. just realised, only one of the Golf seats photographed above, the right side seat is the original '74 seat.
     
  6. I have same spec Bali Yellow 74 Westy but have a recon 2 litre VW engine and still have the original seats that need sorting but your golf seat looks amazing :thinking: Found the other pics of it on Photobucket and looks like you have done a great job :thumbsup:
     
  7. love the word flipped ,so much better than upsidedown...:D

    nice bus...:thumbsup:
     
    Merlin Cat and trevorbrady like this.
  8. Mmmmm looks like a good conversion mate did u do it? Been looking myself but my bus is lowered and will have driveshaft issues :confused: would be interested in more info/pics of the engine swap if u have them?
     
    geordieandy likes this.
  9. yeah, I did everything except modifying the gearbox and de-immobilising the ECU. Having a lowered bus will actually remove any drive shaft issues. Mine's at stock height and it took a lot of trial and error to get the CVs to the maximum height without them clicking. Even now, I can hear them clicking if I go a bit hard around a roundabout, the lean to the left raises the right side suspension to the point that the right CV clicks a bit. I can live with that TBH. If I wear one out, a new one is €35. I used 4x B4 Passat inner CVs BTW. I have no way of measuring it accurately but I think they give more angle than the stock bus CVs and they're a straight bolt-up fitment to the stock bus drive shafts. They're certainly 2mm thicker than stock bus CVs which in theory should give them a little more range.
    However, the sump and bellhousing are quite low, even in the stock height bus. The most I could get under them while keeping the CVs happy was 6" of clearance. You may end up dragging your ass around a little ;) Also, you'll have to be creative in positioning the radiator. Mine is under the floor and works really well. I think you'd most likely rip it off in a lowered bus. Probably best to put it up front in a dummy spare wheel cover or if you're not afraid to cut holes in your bus, I've seen a couple of vans done with the radiator inside the nose panel, boxed off inside. The front panel is uncut, it gets its air from the factory grille and the hot air is ducted out under the cab floor. Stealthy way of doing it but only if you're willing to make room for it.

    I have loads more photos and info here:

    http://vwkd.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5499&sid=fbbe076f014c7bd0b781efe7d7ab85f1

    I had a 1.9D in it previously so there's no info in that thread about the radiator and ducting under the floor. I just left it there from the 1.9D.

    info on the original 1.9D conversion here:

    http://vwkd.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5499&sid=fbbe076f014c7bd0b781efe7d7ab85f1
     
    89Rallye and daisy1 like this.
  10. sorry, double post...
     
  11. Great that mate will dig into that, my worry is the drive shaft hitting the chassis leg it close now with the standard bay gearbox and I don't wanna cut the chassis. Everything I do on the bus I try and make it reversible (bolt in) which I think this engin swap could be. Where u based mate?
     
  12. Ireland.

    it can be done "bolt-in". I was very careful not to do anything that couldn't be reversed and leave no trace.

    I've never looked that closely under a lowered bus but yeah, the drive shaft angle is definitely sloped up towards the gearbox, it could be a problem on a lowered bus.
     
  13. Hi,

    New to this forum, found it by coincidence and am really pleased what is going on here.
    I have a `71 bay window with a 1.8 90hp Golf engine, and the CP gear. Currently planning the conversion to a 012 Audi gearbox, the only thing I am a bit worried about ist whether the drive shafts will fit in the frame especially in a lowered bus like mine. Also other details would be very interesting, like shifting or how much space ist left underneath.
    Searched the net for days now but this seems to be quite a rare setup and I found nothing. Anybody here who can help with fotos?

    Many thanks
    Thorsten
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2017
    geordieandy and Merlin Cat like this.

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