TheSamba.com :: View topic - How to keep a Bus stock and all stock height questions

Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:33 pm

Thanks for the great info. How much additional height does the westy pop top add?

Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:56 pm

nyr208 wrote: Thanks for the great info. How much additional height does the westy pop top add?

About 5". My Westy fit's in to my standard garage (83" opening with a rollup door) with about two inches to spare. I had to adjust my door so it came up all the way but that's easy to do with a rollup door.

Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:12 pm

Quote: Depends entirely on the height of your door opening, the type of door (sectional, roll-up or solid) and the type of rack. I have an 8' tall opening, so no worries. You most likely have a 7' opening. If the door hangs down at all past the top of the opening you won't fit. Even if you have a clear opening it will be tight and most likely not enough clearance. Measure what the clear distance is and post that.

Yes.
My 15-Window fits in my garage with a normal HWE rack on it. Barely.
I have a normal garage with a roll-up door.

My old house with a old non-roll-up door it didn't fit at all.
Which I found out when I forgot and drove in with my Westy rack on and threw the rack onto the driveway behind me.

Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:34 am

EverettB wrote: Quote: Depends entirely on the height of your door opening,

My old house with a old non-roll-up door it didn't fit at all.
Which I found out when I forgot and drove in with my Westy rack on and threw the rack onto the driveway behind me.

That's funny! My wife did this to our mountain bikes once, shot them back 20ft!

Sun Sep 28, 2014 3:13 pm

Hello!
would these tires be enough for my 1960 kombi? i am planning to build a home made camper interior as well but generally i don't carry too much weight.
https://www.universaltire.com/185-70hr15-vredestein-sprint-classic-blackwall.html

Load Capacity 1,279 lbs. @ 36 psi
Overall Diameter 25.24"

i am having doubts whether the front beam is still stock height or has lowered a bit with age, i don't want the tires to rub.

Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:45 pm

Any reason why I would run into problems using 215/70 14 tires vs 195/75 14s?

Height wise they are almost the same 25.85 vs 25.52.

Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:59 pm

The 215s are smudge wider, but it only amounts to around 6mm in this case. So no cause for alarm.

Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:10 pm

Thanks.

Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:52 am

Would using a big nut tranny with a 36 hp in my 55 with 6.40-15s be a bad idea?

Just for driving around the city, nothing to drastic as far as hills and top speed. I like driving slow haha.

Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:07 pm

jeffff wrote: Would using a big nut tranny with a 36 hp in my 55 with 6.40-15s be a bad idea?

Just for driving around the city, nothing to drastic as far as hills and top speed. I like driving slow haha.

for around town this is not an issue at all. just be sure to keep the revs up enough, as in shift down occasionally.

outside of town wind might be enough to slow you down some. I personally would totally do it. A strong running 36 in good weather (as in no headwind) will run itself to death if you leadfoot it with stock gears and 6.40s.

taller gears will keep the noise down

Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:17 pm

Great, that was the answer I was hoping to get...thanks.

Tue Mar 10, 2015 12:44 pm

Probably not the right thread but I'm gonna try it. Do any of you guys run 17" wheels on a stock height bus? Thinking about 17" Raders but I've not seen any on a stock bus, only lowered. I'd like to know what it would look like before I buy. Thanks!

Tue Mar 10, 2015 12:47 pm

Voodoo Child wrote: Probably not the right thread but I'm gonna try it. Do any of you guys run 17" wheels on a stock height bus? Thinking about 17" Raders but I've not seen any on a stock bus, only lowered. I'd like to know what it would look like before I buy. Thanks!

this might be what you are looking for

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=265458&highlight=meat

Tue Mar 10, 2015 12:57 pm

mandraks wrote: this might be what you are looking for

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=265458&highlight=meat

I've seen that one but all I've seen in there are stock wheels. Maybe there's a reason I can't find any pics. Maybe they look ridiculous? Maybe they don't fit?

Tue Apr 21, 2015 11:56 am

Just became a proud owner of a 1965 uncut, never lowered, numbers matching easy camper . I used to be into lowering my vws . I am now seeing the light :idea: .... great read on all this thread . Im glad to see that there are bus owners that like Original :D

Karl Rolf
Conejo Valley Vintage VW Club Pres.

Thu May 21, 2015 3:30 pm

I've only owned lowered Buses.. (hold the tomatoes :oops: )!! I'm about to start on a 63 walkthrough and need clarification regarding a transmission ?! I just aqquired a big nut transmission and wanted to upgrade my gearing to a freeway flyer. ? is whats the diffrence :roll: in a 3:88 and a 3:44 R&P? Or advise on gear combo. I'll be running stock front suspension, camper interior, 1776 tourqe master dual 34, 15 inch stock wheels. Thanks!

Thu May 21, 2015 4:14 pm

johny__utah wrote: I've only owned lowered Buses.. (hold the tomatoes :oops: )!! I'm about to start on a 63 walkthrough and need clarification regarding a transmission ?! I just aqquired a big nut transmission and wanted to upgrade my gearing to a freeway flyer. ? is whats the diffrence :roll: in a 3:88 and a 3:44 R&P? Or advise on gear combo. I'll be running stock front suspension, camper interior, 1776 tourqe master dual 34, 15 inch stock wheels. Thanks!

buy good shocks and you will not miss your lowered buses.

for a camper: i loved my bilstein gas shocks for the rear, red koni (oil) shocks for the front. with stock size tires you can take just about any speedbump at speed.

Thu May 21, 2015 5:49 pm

johny__utah wrote: I've only owned lowered Buses.. (hold the tomatoes :oops: )!! I'm about to start on a 63 walkthrough and need clarification regarding a transmission ?! I just aqquired a big nut transmission and wanted to upgrade my gearing to a freeway flyer. ? is whats the diffrence :roll: in a 3:88 and a 3:44 R&P? Or advise on gear combo. I'll be running stock front suspension, camper interior, 1776 tourqe master dual 34, 15 inch stock wheels. Thanks!

I'm running 3.88 in my '63 DC with a 2110. Plenty of power, but not crazy. It will cruise 75-80 no problem. With the weight of a camper and the power of a 1776, I would think 3.44 would be too high, leaving you wishing for more HP.
JOMO

Thu May 21, 2015 6:51 pm

MrWhoopee wrote: johny__utah wrote: I've only owned lowered Buses.. (hold the tomatoes :oops: )!! I'm about to start on a 63 walkthrough and need clarification regarding a transmission ?! I just aqquired a big nut transmission and wanted to upgrade my gearing to a freeway flyer. ? is whats the diffrence :roll: in a 3:88 and a 3:44 R&P? Or advise on gear combo. I'll be running stock front suspension, camper interior, 1776 tourqe master dual 34, 15 inch stock wheels. Thanks!

I'm running 3.88 in my '63 DC with a 2110. Plenty of power, but not crazy. It will cruise 75-80 no problem. With the weight of a camper and the power of a 1776, I would think 3.44 would be too high, leaving you wishing for more HP.
JOMO

A 3.88 will be perfect with a .82 4th gear and your 1776.

Fri May 22, 2015 7:14 am

johny__utah wrote: I've only owned lowered Buses.. (hold the tomatoes :oops: )!! I'm about to start on a 63 walkthrough and need clarification regarding a transmission ?! I just aqquired a big nut transmission and wanted to upgrade my gearing to a freeway flyer. ? is whats the diffrence :roll: in a 3:88 and a 3:44 R&P? Or advise on gear combo. I'll be running stock front suspension, camper interior, 1776 tourqe master dual 34, 15 inch stock wheels. Thanks!

On my 60' single cab, Benco built my straight axle trans with a bus .82 4th gear and 4.12 R/P. I have a healthy 1776 with dual 34 FRD's. I love that combo, and can cruise easily at 65-70mph. I can almost guarantee that with the extra weight of your bus and camper interior, the gap between 3rd and 4th will be WAY too far with 3.88 gears if you plan to climb any hills or mountains, even worse if you are loaded down with camping gear and passengers. You could maybe get away with the 3.88 R/P if you ran a bug .89 4th. I don't think I would chance it in my own bus though.