Subaru Conversion and Rebuild of a 1984 Blue Westy

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:43 pm Post subject:

It wouldn't be real if there weren't mistakes.

The replacement Klokkerholm panel I'm using is a single pressed shape with no way to attach to the wheel arch. I made some sheet metal flanges and plug welded them on.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

I knew there was a risk of burning through the panel or warping but I was sure I could manage it. There was no burn through and at first all seemed well. That is until I test fit the panel and realized it was warped.

It's hard to see in the photo but it will be obvious when I paint the van. I tried heating and hammering the welds but it didn't work. So I've ordered another panel. I got a lot of great advice from Samba members when I posted my problem and I've decided to use panel adhesive and try not to think it's cheating or taking a short cut.
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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:53 pm Post subject:

I had the same problem as above with a patch in the middle panel. I welded the old electric cord opening shut and when I stood back to admire my work I noticed it had warped the whole panel.

After I got over the shock I used my Dremel to cut through all the welds on the top and along one side of the patch and the panel returned to normal. Then I started welding spot by spot again but this time spacing the welds as far apart as possible and letting the panel cool before continuing. I'm also hammering the hot welds and this seems to be working out. I'm learning in welding that sometimes less is more.

Cutting is going much better than welding. I cut in the new location for the electric plug. I'm copying you Americans because the Canadian way with the plug at the bottom seems to be more prone to rust. Also I'm going to get rid of the pull out cord and replace it with a plug on the outside and an extension cord. It's still a Canadian van!

On another positive note, I got the driver's wheel well undercoated last week. Just three more to go. Rolling Eyes

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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:19 am Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:19 pm Post subject:

The replacement panel for the driver's rear wheel well hasn't come yet but I spent some time rebuilding the pillar that I had to cut apart to get the old panel out.

The pillar with a section cut out so I could remove the old panel:

Bending and hammering the first section of steel to rebuild the pillar:

First section in and ready for welding:

Several hours later, the pillar is restored:

After some trial and error and some very slow welding I was able to get the patch to remove the lower electric outlet done without warping the panel.

It's not pretty but it's smooth and solid:

View from inside:

And finally I cleaned up the wheel well metal and welding in a section where I had cut off too much:

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:27 pm Post subject:

The squares cut into the side panel for the city water and water tank had some rust around them. It didn't go through but after grinding the metal was paper thin in places.

After learning my lesson about trying to weld the middle of a panel, I tried the gluing method and made up some reinforcements for the inside of those cut outs.

Here they are glued and clamped:

And with the clamps gone:

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:33 pm Post subject:

My van suffers from the same rust at the bottom of the wind shield that I've seen on other Vanagons. Today was the day all the glass came out. It wasn't too difficult because I cut the rubber and pulled it away first.

This is what I had to deal with:

I had six holes along the base of the wind shield which needed to be patched.

This is the corner after grinding and welding patches in 4 holes:

And this is the van now - camping interior and back seat out, windows out, and still missing that rear panel. Still a long way to go.

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:03 pm Post subject:

The wheel arch panel arrived this week and I got started on fitting it. At least there was no cutting into the body to get the old panel out. The new panel fit very well. It might be my imagination but the silver finished panels seem better made and stronger. They all come from the same place so who knows.

I made the flange for the wheel support in the same way. But this time I welded it to the van body instead of the new panel. Test fit was a close to perfect as I can expect so I rubbed down and degreased the panel and primed it.

A new level of ugly:

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 4:26 pm Post subject:

I painted the new panel and welded it in today. The existing supports and the new wheel well flange are glued to the panel and everything fit nicely.

Inside face painted - areas to be glued were masked:

New panel in - view from the inside:

The top is butt welded to the existing panel, the sides are plug welded on the interior. Once it's in and welded it's solid:

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:25 pm Post subject:

With the drivers panel and patches welded in I moved around to the back. Only a couple of rusty areas to deal with. Welding is going smooth now. The more I do it the better and faster they go.

With the heavy plate bumpers these holes are not needed:

I got rust in the same spot on both sides under the rear bumper:

The rear wheel arch on the passenger's side is not a bad as on the driver's. I thought about putting a couple of patches on the rusted areas but the metal was so thin near the opening I opted to cut out a section. After the difficult time with the last panel I'm doing only what's necessary.

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

dobryan · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:54 pm Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 6:16 am Post subject:

cheekoman · Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 7:07 am Post subject: Great work!

So impressed reading through this thread... Certainly inspiring!

dobryan · Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 8:41 am Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 10:26 pm Post subject:

I spent a bit of time trying a few things in preparation for doing the body. I'm not a mechanic and I'm even less a body man. I've messed around with beetles in the past and probably did more harm than good. I'm going about the van a different way. I'm taking the time to do it right and if something doesn't work, it gets redone. So after welding in the new wheel arch I had all kinds of problems with metal shrinking and stretching and bulges. The more I tried to work them out the worse they got. So I cut out my welds and rewelded using only spots without joining them up. Then I worked the panel with a hammer and dolly until the seam was slightly recessed but not too much. I made sure the finished filler would be no more than 1/8" at the thickest point.

As with the other side, the panel was primed and painted on the inside before installing:

Wheel arch support hammered, cut, bent and welding into place (this went much faster than the last one):

Nice fit!

Wheel well sealed up nicely. There will be seam sealer over the adhesive, POR-15 over the metal, and then undercoat.

First light coat of filler:

Followed by several more and lots of sanding:

And then one more coat, but it's late so I'll sand it tomorrow:

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sat May 23, 2015 7:16 pm Post subject:

The welding, hammering, grinding and shaping are finally done. The undercoating is done except for one wheel well.

I've been filling and sanding every moment I get for a couple of weeks but the work moves ahead so slowly. I've got almost everything sanded to 150 grit except the roof. There's no rust left on this van now. Next step is to sand everything at 220 grit, prime and begin finish sanding. I hope to get it to the paint booth in 2 weeks. We've got camping booked in July Shocked

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

Gizmoman · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 7:46 am Post subject:

You've obviously acquired patience with this build. Perseverance is clearly one of your attributes as well.

Hopefully you'll have it ready for camping before your daughter reaches her teens Smile

Keep us posted.
_________________
82 Vanagon Westy - AAZ 1.9 TD, HE200 Holset, WAIC, 27.75 dia tires, Electric power steering, 5-speed AAP w/.078 5th
Oversize spare carrier - stock location (no longer for sale).

wesitarz · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 2:50 pm Post subject:

Your front end balljoints and tie rods definitely need doing and big brakes too!
Details and pics please. (my next job) Laughing

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 10:02 pm Post subject:

The van got a new look today. The painter I'm using offered to come to my place to put on a couple of coats of tinted primer.

Link

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

dobryan · Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 6:07 am Post subject:

Looking much nicer! Very Happy

_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

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BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 6:25 pm Post subject:


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Subaru Conversion and Rebuild of a 1984 Blue Westy
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