1991 Vanagon GL Tin top build

[Vanhalla]

Hi guys.
After wanted a VW van since I was a kid, taking family holidays along the British coasts and seeing all the surf vans, we finally pulled the trigger and bought one.

We already have a lifted camperised Astro, so for now, the plan is to just get it to reliable every day driver status than we can do day/short trips in.

Here it is at our first Portland Vanagons meet in Pacific City, OR.

Getting there was also our first real drive, and it wasn't plain sailing. We caravanned down some twisty roads where brakes were used quite a bit. Once the brakes warmed up they squealed like a banshee. We did have a pre-purchase inspection and it was noted they would need to be replaced soon, but we didn't count on that soon! We'd done less than about 50 miles.
As you can see, we did make it, using engine braking and staying off the squeelers.

So, about those squealing brakes. I live in an apartment complex and have nowhere to work on the van. I posted on the Portland Vanagons FB page asking if someone would be kind enough to let me use their driveway. Someone quickly offered and a few more offered to help. What a community!

I used Brembo rotors, ATE pads and still have some stainless lines to install.

Thanks E. for letting me use your driveway, and to the guys who came to lend a hand.

A new air filter to help her breathe easier.

We bought the van with the stock stereo that was security locked. No biggie since we planned on replacing it anyway. I located a Sony unit that had a larger amplifier built into the head unit, 4x40 watts RMS, the Sony MEX-XB100BT. We also bought the accompanying 5.25" speakers to cram into the front door speaker hole. The speakers just about fit, but not with the provided grills, I've ordered some slimmer ones off Amazon, hopefully they fit.

While I was running designated power wires for the larger stereo under the carpet, I noticed the foot wells were awfully tinny, about as thick as an old Coke can. So I laid some Peel and Seal here too. I'll definitely be coming back to this area with some sound insulation.

I'm not a fan of the huge steering wheel, so I bought a Jetta Mk2 wheel and swapped it out. It swaps straight on, the horn works but I'm going to have to do a little more work to get the indicator cancellation function to work.

While waiting for the stereo to be delivered I applied some Peel and Seal to the door interior to try and solidify it a little more.

In process.....

I've ordered some Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV), which I'll add to the door along with some reflectix, if it'll fit, to try and combat a bit more road noise and temperatures.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Vanhalla]

I was experiencing a pressure leak in the coolant tank, at first I thought it was the cap, but as soon as I got a new cap it exposed the seam had failed at the top of the coolant tank.

A new tank, cap and level sensor later, I tested with about 10psi. it slowly dropped, I got under the van and found the leak at the front of the van. Where the plastic pipe meets rubber hose. I tightened it up, and re-tested with 12 psi. She holds!

It's a pretty easy swap, but those hose clamps are fiddly little buggers.

Shiny and new.

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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Vanhalla]

I'm not a fan of the orange indicators so they had to go.

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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[vanagon1991]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on that nice looking van!!! Sweet...love that color. Sits nice too. Funny to see you smiling having to put on new brakes. You're going to have many happy memories in there.
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1991 Tornado Red Vanagon Carat
(2003 Subaru 2.5 conversion/Smallcar kit)

[Vanhalla]

Thanks vanagon1991.
You're van is what mine aspires to be.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Vanhalla]

Here in the Pacific Northwest it can get a little damp. I found I was slipping off the clutch pedal. I'm not a fan of the boy racer look pedals, but needed some grip.
After a while they became slippy. That green funk on the carpet was getting on my shoe and being transferred to the pedal. I think it's brake fluid which at some point got spilt. There's a patch of paint that has come loose under the carpet that I'll have to tackle when I do the insulation.
Time to get out the scrub brush and soap to clean it up.

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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[vanagon1991]

Yea I had same problem with leak too and let it go too long and it ate up my paint under the carpet. Would recommend cleaning up asap and taking a quick look up under carpet just below steering column to make sure the clutch line tube connected to your master clutch cylinder is not leaking. Mine dislodged just a bit and was leaking with every clutch press. Keep an eye on your brake fluid level up behind your gauges. Same fluid.

It's a very hard tube and required heating and a pliers to push it back up all the way on to the fitting at least in my case. Easy fix and cheap if that's the case

Can easily remove carpet too and power spray wash at car wash...

By the way, another easy/cheap fix on front grill. If you're painted chrome effect is flaking away...can rub with extra fine steel wool to remove. There is no other chrome on these vans to match...looks great all in black and cleans up the entire grill too.
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1991 Tornado Red Vanagon Carat
(2003 Subaru 2.5 conversion/Smallcar kit)

[Vanhalla]

I'll look into that leak, just in case, thanks.

I plan to paint the grill, all the fibreglass panels and bumpers just as soon as I find somewhere to do it. Apartment living is really cramping my van habit.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Vanhalla]

Well nobody has told me to change the fuel lines but I thought I'd do it anyway.

I bought a roll of Continental fuel line SAE 30R9 http://amzn.to/1sQTHC5
A marine bulk head fitting http://amzn.to/1Z1n9z7 and a couple of large washers from Home Depot
3 boxes of fuel line clamps http://amzn.to/27TbeJs
and this tubing cutter
I also purchased the GoWesty fuel rails.

All in all it went quite well, the hardest part was getting the new line into the old grey protective sleeves.

First I pulled the fuel rails and brought them into the apartment to prep those.
Then with fuel rails ready I went back outside and replaced each line one by one, cutting the new line slightly longer to make it easier to snake it through the engine bay.

The previous owner said they replaced the fuel lines. They did........replace 4 of them, the ones going to and from the fuel rail. The white plastic firewall pass through nipple thing was still there. Not in bad shape, but don't trust anything the previous owner says is the lesson here.

In the above photo I didn't put clamps on the injectors and only had the collars on. This bugged me overnight so I pulled them back out and added the clamps to the injectors too.


After I buttoned it all back up I noticed I had 2 screws left over, after standing there for a while scratching my head, I remembered the white nipple which I discarded. They had me worried for a while.

Fingers crossed this won't need to be done again.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Robw_z]

I confess I'm guilty of replacing all fuel lines except the one from the FPR to the firewall.

-Rob

PS did you use the bulkhead fitting? I don't see it in the last photo.

[Vanhalla]

Yes, I used the bulk head fitting. The old plastic nipple that goes through the firewall was the achilles heal I thought and failed more than the actual fuel lines, no?

The bulkhead fitting worked great, it's behind the rubber tube that goes to the throttle body so isn't visible unless you get down low and look up and from the side.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[newfisher]

Nice work!

You guys doing Mudfest in Corvallis?

[Vanhalla]

Hey. John right?

No, I completely forgot about it to be honest. We've made plans to head to Central Oregon if you want to meet up at some point? It'll be our first real camping trip in the Vanagon.
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[Vanhalla]

So last weekend we took the van for a long drive from Portland up to Vernonia, through the Clatsop forest, up to Astoria and then around to Fort Stevens State Park and back home via 26.

The van performed great, it's so much more fun to drive than our lifted camperised AWD Astro. It makes me hesitant to lift this and try and keep it's road manners. Maybe just some bigger wheels and tires??

I'll be looking into a short shifter just to make it even more fun, is Gene Berg the only option?

Here's a few pics of the trip.

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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[VicVan]

Hi Vanhalla

Nice van, and nice project!
I'm going to tackle my fuel lines soon. Just to make sure, you replaced the flimsy plastic part on the firewall with the bulkead fitting? Do you have any pictures?

Cheers,

JB
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[newfisher]

Check out Christopher at T3techniques for poly bushings, his ultra cool front sway bar then grab some 8ply stiffer sidewal tires like the BFG KM2, I love mine and the worries of pinching sidewalls off road are over. They handle GREAT through the corners and work well in the snow, mud, etc.

you have a PM

[pnw_ski_vanagoneer]

[Vanhalla]

@Vicvan - it's the brass fitting I'm holding in the pictures above and yes, that replaced the white plastic fitting. I don't have a pic of it installed, it's kind of hidden behind the air filter housing etc.

@Newfisher - I've been on the website, I could spend a lot of money there pretty quickly.

The trouble I have is we live in an apartment, so I'll be doing the easier access projects until we can get out of here into a house.

PNW SV - Thanks for the feedback, short and snappy is what I like!
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1991 VW Vanagon GL

https://www.instagram.com/bjornthebus/

Parts wanted/needed - A high top. CLK wheels. A weekender rear cabinet and head banger.

[t3 kopf]

let me tell you this...DONT trust those go westy fuel rails. They are prone to leaking out of the end caps. I know of several reports of this. They do not test those units and when they leak and cause your van to burn down, go westy is not liable because you assembled them yourself.
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'90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion

[AndyBees]

Did your OE Dust Caps fit the new Brembo Rotors (especially the left side with the SpeedOcable?

Great project. I hope to "rebuild" my recently acquired 89 Tin-top.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003.