'63 Panel Camper to Deluxe conversion project

[edgood1]

crukab, you called me out on the window conversion.... so here we go!!

I figure the cleanest way to do this is to deconstruct the panels at the factory spot welds and then figure out what the best way to graft it on the bus is:

The inner panel is spot welded at the window frame edges and the two vertical ends of the panel to the pillars

Heres the inner panel removed:

I found one of the nutplates for the window latch hiding inside:

I have to figure out what to do about this pillar. The "E" pillar is different on a window bus than a panel bus. Here it is on the window section, straight up and down

and heres what it looks like on my panel. the pillar on the window bus looks like it goes staight up from the bottom and doesn't curve like this. I could technically leave it like this.... but those dreams about 15 (or 23 windows)..... the pillar goes right where that 4th window wants to be.

I mulled over how to do this for a few minutes and decided that I can retain the "C" and "D" support structures in my bus... so I cut them off of the donor window section:

Those supports might provide the material needed to convert the "E" pillar to the correct window bus form

I need to dig up some photos of the lower part of that pillar on a window bus...i suspect it just goes straight up and down like the others. If thats the case it should be easy enough to fab the missing portion.

Its possible to weld the top and bottoms of this section in at the factory weld points, but its gonna be some work. the top part is welded to the rain gutter a billion times. same with the bottom. alternatively i could just cut a big hole and section the whole thing in which seems like less work but more of a chance the metal will get distorted by the weld heat. This is where I get anal about stuff...

EDIT: I think this might be an early/late difference. From jehu's conversion thread:

[edgood1]

I think i just confirmed my theory from this picture of a '61 model with windows

All pre '64 buses have an "E" pillar with a bend. on deluxe buses it does not extend to the rain gutter since there's a window there. On all non deluxe buses the pillar extends to the bottom of the rain gutter. On window models, the inner window panel extends all the way back to the pillar except for deluxes, which the inner window panel is shorter to accommodate the 4th window.

All 64+ buses have an "E" pillar that goes straight up and down rain gutter to rocker. All window model buses, including deluxes use the same inner window panel for the 3 side windows that extends to the "E" pillar which happens to be the same size as the earlier model deluxe inner panel, thus eliminating the need for two separate parts on different models.

My donor window section is from a later bus. Do you know what that means?
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[edgood1]

Got a couple of hours in today. I decided to graft the window section in. I couldn't access all the factory spot welds on my bus since I didn't want to remove the support pillars.

Trimmed out:

Its very light like this and will be easier to work with this way.


I had this section of cargo door I've been keeping for its window opening. it came from a genuine BG/SWR 23 window deluxe.

after hitting it with a wire wheel, a lot of rust holes showed themselves. ugh. I'm going to have to patch it.

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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Eric&Barb]

You need to get out all the rust before any welding.

Slather on Naval Jelly to that rusty area of the window frame. Work plastic wrap over the jellied area so it is tightly covered, and leave it for at least over night. Wipe off the jelly later, let it dry and then hit it with the wire wheel again. Repeat till all traces of rust are gone, and steel shines up with wire wheel.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Eric&Barb]

Also get a chunk of copper to back up thin areas like that so you can weld them up thicker without blowing thru them, and makes the back nice and flat when you do just close up a hole.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[edgood1]

[StefDS]

I'm learning a thing or 2 from this thread, for when I want to start converting my 61 panel to a 11 window.. just got to find donor parts


Keep up the good work!

[mandraks]

[edgood1]

I spent a good chunk of time creating a cardboard replica of my window section to get the cut perfect. I traced it on the bus and then I got out the cutter...

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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[scooby_drew]

Keep up the good work!

[edgood1]

[edgood1]

Got the section tacked in today.

I made a really really dumb mistake. I cut the panel about a quarter inch short on the top. this is a case where measure 15 times cut once bit me in the ass. had i measured twice and cut once I would have been fine. i kept overthinking how to trace it out to the point where i actually drew two lines and cut on the wrong one (even though i clearly marked the right one "cut here") *sigh*. I spent the majority of my time working cutting a thin quarter inch section to weld into the gap. ah well. ive made worse mistakes... but this was very frustrating.

but on a positive note, all the measurements i took from a factory window bus match EXACTLY with where I welded these in. I even checked with a digital caliper, measuring the front edge of the B pillar to the front most window edge.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Enkiel]

looks great!

Mistake is what make us better... sometimes!

i'm sure next time you'll measure carefully
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1964 Turkis Flipseat

[edgood1]

some more progress on the window section today. mostly welded in:

fixing my "boo boo":

I'm seriously considering a 15 or 23 window conversion...
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[scooby_drew]

Hell, you're 3/5 of the way there to a 15, it can't "hurt" anything any more than you already have (you're not hurting anything). I say do whatever you'd be proud to drive. Just keep in mind how expensive and high maintenance those sunroof contraptions can be.

[edgood1]

Progress: I cut this window section off the donor panel I had. It was a cargo door window.

As previously noted, the sill was rusty. This is after media blasting the rust.

Here is the start of the replacement section being fabricated. Using a block of oak as a brake of sorts:

Here's the piece with the window lip bent into it:

Matching the curves of the window:

I clamped the new piece to the rusty piece and cut them together. Twins:

All welded in:

I had some extra time so I finished the welding on the big window section:

So...the big question is where is that single window section going to go?
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[edgood1]

I measured (carefully ) and cleco'd in the repaired window section:

This is going rear of the cargo doors on the passenger side. I cut out a few sections of the top hat support to overlay this piece. Its so much easier when you can lay the piece you're cutting in over the original.

I should have some more donor window sections arriving soon. I have the cargo doors to do and i'm still up in the air on going further.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[edgood1]

cut a hole:

add a window:

rinse , lather, repeat...


this one required a ton of hammer and dolly work to get lined up.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[BarryL]

Looks like it came that way.

[edgood1]