"The Toaster" ~ Personal History and restoration

[DadaCheese]

Long time, and no updates from me...
(keep reading: Air-cooled Cruise this Friday - Sept. 22nd, 2023, Mt. Diablo, CA)

Kathy and I missed a few of the meets that we would have loved to have gone to, primarily due to other non-Volkswagen events, visitors, relatives, etc.

However, we're supper pleased to say that "mdege" (you know from here on TheSamba; he has that AMAZING '65 firetruck that's done so much work on) is in the States currently.
NOT with his firetruck, regretfully, but here's a picture just the same:

During the three-day weekend of Bugorama (Sacramento), Kathy and I hosted him and his two sons at our house... even though we weren't home!

We will finally be together this coming Friday, however, because there's a
cruise NEXT FRIDAY (September 22nd, 2023) in their honor which will go up Mount Diablo in California.

Looks like it will start mid-afternoon. Any and all details will be posted here:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...NdmFl43_98

If any/all air-cooled VWs have the chance to make it out Friday, it would be great to see you all!
[Also huge thanks to Split 66' for organizing this!]
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In other news, and one of the reasons I haven't been posting much lately is that The Toaster is temporarily out of commission.

Despite another successful cross-country trip (last April), The Toaster's engine has now given up.

It developed a crack in the case.
If you look carefully below in the close-up shot with the flame-gun, you can see it.

This well-loved, well-maintained rebuilt 1600 engine has done well by us and I am sorry to see it go.

The plan is to replace it with a 1776, single port, single carb.
We don't want or need to go faster; I just want a slight bit of ability to pass semi-trucks when I need to, but still be able to maintain the engine easily myself (without dual carbs, etc.).

More on that as it develops.

I'll be driving Kathy's '71 Ghia on Friday ("Shamrock Shake") since The Toaster is in limbo and Kathy has an off-site work function that's preventing her from making it up Diablo with everyone on Friday, Sept. 22nd.
Hope to see you there!
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Dada as in dadaism.
Cheese as in the stuff I love to eat.

[Split 66']

Sorry to hear about the block crack, wow. Was oil leaking all over the clutch, or was it a slow trickle?

Glad to hear about the new 1776 with a little more grunt, that will be an excellent upgrade.

Regarding the Mount Diablo meetup, sounds like the guest of honor, mdege, might not be able to get there until a bit too late in the day. We may have to call it off, unfortunately. We'll have to wait and see.

Keep us posted on The Toaster's progress, looking forward to seeing the new 1776.
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"OG = Original German" -- TheSamba.com dictionary

[DadaCheese]

Details solidified!

Informal Cruise up Mt. Diablo
Friday, September 22nd, 2023.
Meet time: 2:00 pm in Danville
LOCATION: The parking lot next to the Chevron at
Chevron, 400 Diablo Rd, Danville, CA 94526

Yes; it is a workday for many of us, but if you can knock off work early, come meet us at 2:00pm at the address listed.
We'll try to start the cruise at about 2:30pm.

We're meeting here since there is a gas station, and a couple places to grab a soda before heading up.

If you think you might, or WILL make it, chime in!
We know that Split 66' will be there, and I (DadaCheese) will be in our Ghia, "Shamrock Shake"

We are also open to ideas of where to meet AFTER being up the mountain if you can't make it until later.
Thanks again to Split 66' for coming up with this cruise.

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Dada as in dadaism.
Cheese as in the stuff I love to eat.

[Split 66']

Thanks again for keeping that cruise together, it was touch and go there for a bit, but you made it happen!


Link


Checking in to see how the 1776 motor is coming along. Any news on the Toaster?
_________________
"OG = Original German" -- TheSamba.com dictionary

[rollinwithwillie]

Fun YouTube video Shane! Thanks for sharing!
_________________
~let the good times roll~

[Split 66']

[DadaCheese]

[DadaCheese]

Just a quick update...

Dropped by Kombi Haus (Sacramento, CA) on Friday, November 3rd.
Partially just to see "The Toaster", but also to put its new registration sticker on it.

The engine that has been rebuilt for it (1776 single port that I will use a single carb with) is now at Kombi Haus.
They're getting all my tin onto it, tuning it, adjusting it, etc.

I'll be changing back to larger single-pipe exhaust, much like I had used for years in the past.

Also, not sure if I'll be needing a different carburetor.
Jetted differently?
If anyone has some very specific ideas concerning that, I'm all ears. Always here to learn.

The other thing I haven't mentioned is that the transmission's/axle's Fulcrum Plates have also gone bad. That's another item that's being repaired while in the shop.

To my understanding, it's a familiar challenge with older buses that are driven at fast-ish speeds ("fast-ish" for The Toaster means steady speeds of about 63 mph, which is our common long-distance cruising speed). They wear out faster.
Most VW buses in the 1960's didn't tend to drive as far, or as fast, as Kathy and I use The Toaster with our frequent trips.

...so... it's all being worked on, and in very capable hands. If we get The Toaster back in December (or November), I'll be very happy. Kombi Haus is very much in demand, keeping all kinds of VW's on the road. As we happen to be patient and appreciative, having all this done right is well worth the wait.
Naturally there will be an engine break-in period, amd I don't yet know when we'll get The Toaster back, but if soon, then we'll consider Buses By the Bridge as a possibility early next year (January 11th, 2024), or OCTO in early February if that's happening.

Meanwhile we've been using Kathy's Ghia ("Shamrock Shake") a lot.

The Toaster's just patiently waiting:

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mdege; thought you'd appreciate this...
Kathy brought me a nice present back from her trip to Japan.
You might want to look it up online and find one too.

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Dada as in dadaism.
Cheese as in the stuff I love to eat.

[karl h]

in the engine forum there are some threads discussing big single carb engines
i would go with at least a 34 pict
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=499235&highlight=34+pict+venturi
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61 panel: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=465022
68 ghia vert
arctic alice (63 on irs): http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,27456.0.html
86 Caravelle
04 new beetle vert

[mdege]

Hi Bryce,

I love the tissue box, looks a lot like my bus.

Regarding the carb. I believe what people over here use for the kind of setup is a enlarged 34pict-3. Which is bored to 37pict-3. There are a few places which offer this modification. One of the more renowned is Vergaser Wensing https://oldtimerwensing.de/.

Should you be planning on coming over you could get it lined up a head of time. You do need to plan on waiting for it to be ready for quite a few weeks. They are really busy. Basically you tell them what kind of motor you have and they will build the right carb. for you.

A friend of mine is running one of their carbs on a Limbach L200 (2.0 liter type1) that is a really nice setup.

For the time being you should be able to get a way with a re-jetted 34pict-3.
_________________
- Michael

1965 21F: Restoration of a former '65 firetruck
1963 Typ3 Notchback project
1988 Multivan Magnum 112i
1984 Standard: My son wanted a bug for his first car

[Abscate]

Hope the build stays on schedule so that the menu of Toast and Shake is reunited !
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.ssS!

[BarryL]

[DadaCheese]

[DadaCheese]

THE TOASTER is back on the road!
(four and 1/2 months in the making)

This past Tuesday afternoon Justin at Kombi Haus in Sacramento, CA called me to let me know it was ready.
I checked Amtrak real quick and found I had 15 minutes to catch a train that would get me there before they closed at 5:00pm.

The "Capitol Corridor" train ride between Richmond and Sacramento is fantastic.
Quick, uncrowded, free wifi and electricity and typically about $27 with great views of the Bay, oil refineries, a few bridges and the low-lands of the Sacramento Valley.

When I arrived in Sacramento and grabbed a ride-share to get to Kombi Haus, it REALLY started to pour down rain. Perfect weather for a car designed to navigate Fall and Winter in Germany.

Why so long to get The Toaster back on the road?
Well; several reasons... if any of you have looked into rebuilt (or newly built) air-cooled VW engines lately, waiting lists are hovering around 3 months.
Also, they are much more expensive than ever before.
I still think of the $500 rebuilt one I got in 1987 'off the shelf'... those days are long gone.

Part of this has to do with the pandemic as well; engine re-builders, and shops such as Kombi Haus have fewer employees than they once did.
This isn't true everywhere, but it is a fact for many places.

Kombi Haus is an amazing shop, but they are in high demand.
My unexpected, and unplanned need for a rebuilt engine meant everything would take longer.

Also, the "clunk" sound in my transmission had to be looked into; the fulcrum plates had gone bad, so that was another large bit of work that I was going to have actual experts work on.

My decision on the engine was to put in a 1776.
However, and specifically, a single carb, single port.

It is NOT speed I am after. It is though, the ability to climb hills a bit easier, and to occasionally be able to pass trucks on the freeway without a line of cars crowding behind me as I do so.

The rebuilt engine has about 110 break-in miles on it from Kombi Haus, and I'll be putting the next 400 in (carefully) before the last engine check-in.

A slow, back-roads return to the Bay through the night this past Tuesday complete with several stops and a long meal break to have the rpms go up and down with plenty of rest was what I've accomplished so far and will continue to do this next week with the holidays.
Here's The Toaster in Isleton, CA along the Sacramento delta:

Despite my love of stock, this is now the farthest The Toaster's engine has been from it.
However, over 30 years of using 1600 engines (instead of the stock 1500 it came with) wasn't exactly stock either.

So:
-- 1776 single port engine with stock cam.
-- Header and Quiet Pack Exhaust | AC251463 |
-- Narrow additional Sump with filter 17-2871-0

The Alternator that we put in during the cross-country in April we're keeping...
...as well as the electronic points that we put in before that trip.

For the Transmission, the following was also completed (basics from the bill):

--Replaced fulcrum plates and spider hear on the right rear.
--Axles.
--Axle tube gaskets.
--Rear axle seal kits.
--Gear reduction box gaskets.
--Cross shaft
--Brass bushing for cross shaft
--Gear oil
--Rear trans mounts

It felt like driving a different car on the way home.
No "clunk" everything tight and good.
Also just getting used to how the engine sounds as it is different and has a different exhaust.

We're really hoping to get 10+ years (if not many more) out of this engine too!

Although we have been waiting for The Toaster, by no means have we not been doing Volkswagen things; I just haven't been as prolific in writing about them.

We've been enjoying our monthly NorCal Karmann Ghia Enthusiasts meet-ups, making it to "SHE-852" cruises organized by Jason here in the Bay Area, and also made it to the great San Jose Holiday Light Cruise and gift exchange.
There were about 50 to 65 VWs there that night, perhaps more.

We decked out Kathy's 1971 Ghia "Shamrock Shake" to look like it is either from "TRON" or from "Repro Man":

WHAT'S NEXT?

Now that The Toaster is back, we're planning on making it to "Buses by the Bridge"
We've only been once before, and really enjoyed it although from a camping view-point it is VERY crowded.

January 11th - 14th, 2024
Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4
171 London Bridge Rd
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403

If you're not familiar with the event, imagine 500 to 700 VW buses (all years) cram-packed next to each other (bumper to bumper in many areas) complete with two raffles (one for great stuff, the other for a VW car), a nighttime Coleman Light walk, A live band, a Pancake breakfast put on by the boy scouts, events and crafts and such for kids... and so much more.
It almost feels like stepping back in time to the 1970's or so.

We hope to arrive in the morning on Thursday the 11th of January.
Last time we went we got there late on the Thursday, were bus #537 or something like that, and almost had no place to park or camp.

Some people arrive as early as the Sunday before and line up their buses in a restricted line (can't leave the line) until Thursday when the gates open.
They do this so that they can set-up mini-camps/enclaves with their clubs/friends.

If you also are making it this year, drop over to The Toaster and say hello, and show us YOUR bus!
_________________
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Dada as in dadaism.
Cheese as in the stuff I love to eat.

[rollinwithwillie]

Hey the Toaster looks great! Super exciting! Just got a new engine in as well .. 4mo in the making too! I can definitely now climb hills at a good clip and don’t have to pull over to let the traffic pass. Regarding BBB I just realized I have that weekend off. Do you drive out on one day? Maybe I can hit you up for some logistics? Haven’t confirmed in my mind I can do that by myself but it sounds like a lot of fun and I have heard a lot about BBB being a blast. Are dogs allowed?
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~let the good times roll~

[DadaCheese]

[Slip356]

Yellow top are a good choice, but I’ve had exceptional luck with Optima red top starting batteries. Just replaced my 12 yr old one in my 78 Westy with a new one. I do use a battery tender . My mussle car red top is 10 yrs old and hasent failed yet but will replace with new this spring when I start driving it again. My 356 6V red top was just replaced with like kind. It hasn’t failed but is 10 or more yrs old as well.

[mdege]

Wish I could go to BBB with my bus. I am sure that would be a lot of fun.

If you like I can can talk you through debugging the battery problem. All you need is a multi-meter and I can tell you where and how to measure. Let me know if I can help.
_________________
- Michael

1965 21F: Restoration of a former '65 firetruck
1963 Typ3 Notchback project
1988 Multivan Magnum 112i
1984 Standard: My son wanted a bug for his first car

[von_hansel]

Hi Bryce,
First off, congrats on the new motor! I had no clue your bus was @ Justin's so it was a wonderful surprise when I walked into Kombi Haus and I saw his team working on your bus.

Regarding the battery- I bought the red top Optima (75-25) because it had more cold cranking amps than the Interstates I was looking at and the battery profile is the correct size to fit in the stock '67 battery tray. The Optima also has the lip for the battery clamp to attach to.

I have only had the battery since August but so far I have no complaints. I know others on here have had bad experience with the newer Optimas not lasting as long as the older versions of them.
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[rollinwithwillie]

Thanks for the BBB review Bryce. Great info. Started to realize how close the 11th is and how I barely have any miles on the new engine. May / most likely will have to wait until next year. Ugh
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~let the good times roll~