1971 VW full build (warning lots of pics)

[89rallye]

Been a busy couple of days,

I was intending on just fitting the engine but when I unwrapped the van the engine bay was a lot worse than I remembered.







So after a lot of degreasing, sanding, priming, seam sealing....



Went a little ott with the seam sealer but you'll never see it.



Then a coating of stone chip, just for a little bit more protection.





Then painted, lacquered and a little waxoyl (doesn't look the best but I intend yo use this van so it's there to do a job)





Tanks in and all buttoned up, so hopefully engine seals, battery and wiring tomorrow. Back at work Friday so sadly I think the engine install will have to wait until next week.

[mach1rob]

I'm of the theory, providing it's protecting, and you're happy with it, jobs a good un. It's why the underbonnet of mine has been done in satin black and not orange. You're not going to see it most of the time

[Mitsuru]

I wish my engine bay was as good looking as that, very jealous!!

[rich.]

I wish my engine bay was as good looking as that, very jealous!!

is there any room in your engine bay

[89rallye]

Well you'll be glad to know not too many photos today

Engine really should be in by now but I've discovered play in the gear selector 'hockey stick' so I'm waiting now for yet more parts to arrive. All the other shifter bushes are brand new so it seemed stupid to skip this.

I've been plodding along today doing some final adjustments/installations to the engine.

Getting the wiring in the engine bay tidied up and sorted out, it's having new main pos & neg cables, new gearbox neg cable, I've also ran an extra 4 core cable for the uk indicators and some extra gauges I have planned.

Also been playing with my rear lights, I forgot the before photos but these were in a bad state with rust and all the old chrome peeling off.

Bulb holders also needed repairs, broken terminal connector and snapped holding pins for the bulb holder meaning they didn't sit in the housing firmly.

The solution was to repair the terminal was to solder another terminal to the end to extend it.



The solution to hold the bulb holder firm was to solder the earth connectors to the body, only thing I could do really and it seems strong enough.



Anyway I shot blasted the cases and gave them some bright silver paint,





It wasn't really 'bright' enough for me so decided to experiment a little.

Not sure if this is a bin or win idea but it certainly appears to work, I had my doubts because it's impossible to lay in without creasing it and I thought this would affect the light refraction.

So in went some tin foil,





And the results, hard to photo but it's certainly blinding without the covers on.

Tin foils on the right,



Brake lights, tin foils on the left.



Got to be better than fitting the poor quality reproductions.

[89rallye]

Been a nice clear day today got the gearbox stripped and new bushes repaired.



Somebody's had their money's worth out of this, new ones on the right btw



Than the plan was to get this lot installed,





Few issues with bolts but everything went in pretty straight forward, only problem I've had is the mondo exhaust doesn't clear the moustache bar so something's going to be getting cut up



Rear valance is actually off my other van and needs a lot of attention maybe even need to source a replacement



New wiring harness made for the engine,



All the loom for the rear lights checked and new sheaving and connectors applied, rear lights re-installed

[89rallye]

Last one of the week from me and a quick one so you can breathe a sigh of relief,

Wired the battery up and frigged the ignition (no keys) to see what would happen, no smoke or flames! So it was a start

So the run down..

Good bits,

Ignition light - check
Oil pressure light - check (and working)
Headlights - check
High beam including dash light - check

The Issues,

Hazard lights - intermittent operation and only o/s/f & n/s/r working no dash lights
Indicators (column switch) not working at all
Side lights not working all round (yet dash light working)
Wipers not working
Fuel gauge not working - showing full
Interior lights not working (not the end of the world but if it's there it should work s my motto)

So all in all not bad, I think I'm going to have to drop the dash out which I really didn't want to do but it needs a good scrubbing and it'll make life easier getting into the fusebox.

I had a quick look at the flasher unit, might of found the intermittent fault



This didn't look good





So out came the soldering iron,



Refitted and hey presto hazards are working (yes I did take about 6 photos. To get this ), although the n/s/f light unit had a broken clip which needed sorting. And the rears still arnt right but I think this is an earth fault because I painted the lamps.



All dash lights working now too 8)



Cut a load of dead wiring out, including a key switch which had fallen behind the front panel. So it's not looking good for the ignition switch (who ever it was pm'd me about a new ignition switch unit feel free to. Say I told you so!)



Also had the engine running in the van momentarily but it didn't last wrong as I think there's not enough fuel in the tank.

[89rallye]

Well I really didn't want to go this far...



But I've had to pull the screen out, it's not as bad as it looks.





Then pulled the dash, mainly just for cleaning but it should also make sorting the wiring easier and getting into the faulty wipers.







Pulled the wiper motor assembly out, good news is the motors working on the bench so the fault lies with the switch.



Bad news is the one of the spindles is seized and the whole things been turning in the housing.



Going to take this into work tomorrow to see if I can free it all up with some heat.

Nice bit of American wiring on the ignition, this is were somebody has spliced an aftermarket key switch in Would of been easier to just fit it from the fuse box instead of running it through the dash and ignition cowling.



And you might of noticed this monstrosity on the heaters....



I've always thought it was something that'd been cobbled up and welded to the floor

Turns out though that someone had put a lot of thought into it...

And then cobbled it together







And since the fan works really well I might actually just tidy it up a little, paint it and keep it.

Another boring update really,

I've had a lucky break with the wipers, although it didn't come easy.

After two full days soaking in a bath of oil, some very light heat and about half an hour with a small hammer working it one way and the other finally I got the seized spindle out.





And the other spindle didn't look any better, so probably best this is getting stripped.



And all greased and built back up, had to do a small repair to the nipple on the frame that locks the spindle in place. It's all fitted back in and working now, so another job ticked off the sheet.



Now back peddling a little here but I'm sick of these rear lights, working one minute then not the next which is no good for the upcoming mot.

When I looked into it, it wasn't a fault with the power side of things but the earths.

It's difficult to explain but for those that don't know, VW in there wisdom earth the rear lights with some small 'nipples' on the housing that clamp to the body (earth) when the lens is screwed on because the units sit inside the seal.

Now as anyone whose has ever removed a light cluster will know they are usually bent, snapped etc.

Bit like most of mine are,





I've decided after a lot of head scratching that I would give each light unit it's own true earth.

Brake light units were easy enough,

Take one piggy back crimp and break off the tab,



Then solder this onto the bulb holder earth fitting (if you look back I'd already solder this for extra support to the bulb holder)



Now the reverse lights (will now be indicators) proved a little more tricky as it wasn't possible to solder to the body or bulb holder.

So only one thing for it, drill holes in it



Then add cable,



Nuts a bit tricky but not as bad as I thought it would be.



And all together and for the first time I've actually got all my lights working at once . The connection on the battery will be made permanent eventually.



And the other side just earthed to the body,



Then everything got a coating of battery terminal protector just to keep the weather off them.

And today the dash is going back in..

Last job hopefully on the electrics was to tidy up the fuse box,



Including cleaning the grubby terminals and look at repairing the broken clip,



Not perfect but it should do,



And back in the hole,



Waxoyl'ing all done and got the dash all cleaned up,





It was worth pulling the dash out just to be able to scrub it clean properly,

Came up well 8)

Before



After,



Dash before and after,









And just when I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel,

Pulled the steering column to bits, got to sort the ignition out,



And going to clean this up too while I'm at it,



I've ordered some keys praying that one will fit the ignition, problem I have is that the cab doors have been replaced (not 68 door handles) so I pulled the sliding door lock and also the engine/tailgate locks and there all different numbers



So I've ordered a pair of keys, fingers crossed.

[jpsh120]

Good work. Well worth doing all these jobs whilst you have the time and everything out of the way. Looking forward to seeing the finished results.

[kevin]

yep, getting along nicely.

kev