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sambaphil
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2009
Posts: 206
Location: Bellingham, WA
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 Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 8:54 pm Post subject: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Hey Guys,
So I was all excited about converting my 1966 Bus to IRS using the BusBoys bolt on IRS kit. I tried calling them for days, emailing them saying I have cash and want to buy your stuff. No answer. Then I did a search on feedback, and as of 2015 our community has expressed serious concerns and bad business about BusBoys (sigh).
So does anyone know of bolt on kits like BusBoys? I want to keep my bus stock height.
Cheers,
Phil
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Link to 1966 Samba Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=607420
Link to 1971 Bay Bus - Clipper - L
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=671945&highlight=
Single Port Samba Phil
[email protected] |
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Enkiel
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2004
Posts: 2771
Location: Quebec, Canada
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busworks
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Moncks Corner,S.C.
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| Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 10:17 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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| Talk to Nate at Wagenwerks in Oregon. He has the absolute best stuff out there. He runs what he builds too. Plus very knowledgeable. |
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sambaphil
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2009
Posts: 206
Location: Bellingham, WA
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Rusties
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Bc canada
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:37 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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| I'm looking forward to it Phil! |
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55samba
Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2002
Posts: 805
Location: CA Bay Area
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Wolfgang makes an IRS kit, they are still in business. However, if you want to go IRS and stay stock height I think the guys from England who make the aluminum safaris are thought to be one of the best kits. I have seen one installed and it is an extensive modification. Most every bug based IRS kit is going to require you to lower the bus to a certain extent due to the CV angles these can handle.
https://creative-engineering.com/product/irs-kit/
https://www.wolfgangint.com/store/product/early-bus-irs-conversion-2501102/ |
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karl h
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: austria
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:19 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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thing CVs can take more angle, but you have to use the axle stubs and inner flange (at the tranny) too because they are porsche 944 size (100mm dia if i recall correctly), these are the same as 411/412 CVs. bay wont work, same angle as type 1
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61 panel: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=465022
68 ghia vert
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Rusties
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Bc canada
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:23 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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I've started the IRS conversion on Phil's bus using a kit that Wagonswest uses. It's not the bolt on kit seen around but one he uses in house that requires some cutting and welding. Cutting buses is not for the faint of heart. I'm still reeling from cutting this bus, but it wouldn't be hard to return it to stock.
I have not got around to posting pics on thesamba but will soon. In the meantime, if you want to see some pics to check out the progress, check out my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rustiesauto/ |
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Bulli Klinik
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2005
Posts: 2079
Location: Bulli Klinik, Colorado Springs
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 8:18 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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| karl h wrote: |
| thing CVs can take more angle, but you have to use the axle stubs and inner flange (at the tranny) too because they are porsche 944 size (100mm dia if i recall correctly), these are the same as 411/412 CVs. bay wont work, same angle as type 1 |
I'm considering doing an early bay trans swap into a split. Are you saying the bus cv's can't be run at an angle required for stock height?
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I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs |
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karl h
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: austria
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:37 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Thats a good question. I only know that Thing/411/412 CVs can take more angle, so they are a better fit for a stock height IRS conversion. i think it depends on your application and what you consider stock height, because its also depending on the rear tire you choose. are you using a nose-cone conversion? i would like to see some pics...
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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 |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:50 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Just wanted to comment on how gorgeous these colours are...
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.ssS! |
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Rusties
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Bc canada
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 8:05 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Agreed the colors are gorgeous!
The entire bus is pretty nice.
It's an honor to be asked to work on it  |
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Bulli Klinik
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2005
Posts: 2079
Location: Bulli Klinik, Colorado Springs
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 9:40 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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| karl h wrote: |
| Thats a good question. I only know that Thing/411/412 CVs can take more angle, so they are a better fit for a stock height IRS conversion. i think it depends on your application and what you consider stock height, because its also depending on the rear tire you choose. are you using a nose-cone conversion? i would like to see some pics... |
I'm not doing any conversion right now, Karl. Just trying to gather information for my next build. It would seem that you could get stock height out of a Bay trans, which is supposed to run at stock height. I understand that CV boots will wear out quickly with the Bus raised too high.
I ran a Beetle IRS/bus nosecone in my last split:
It had to be lowered a little in the rear and I installed adjusters in the front to match. I really liked the conversion and how it drove, but I'd like a little more height and the ability change my rear tires without using a bottle jack to push down the spring-plate.
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I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs |
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cru62
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002
Posts: 4117
Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:21 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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[quote="Bulli Klinik"]
| karl h wrote: |
| ..... I understand that CV boots will wear out quickly with the Bus raised too high...... |
And even if it is at stock height. Check out this build-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528815&highlight=
He did an amazing job of engineering.
My bus started out at exactly stock height. But, due to what I blame as crappy replacement boots, they often did not even last a week. One set lasted 5 days. I lowered it 2" and that problem disappeared. After that it was all downhill, so to speak.
That panel is pretty sweet. Looks fun.
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"My biggest worry is that when I die, my wife will sell all my parts for what I told her I paid for them"-Jon
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Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Bulli Klinik
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2005
Posts: 2079
Location: Bulli Klinik, Colorado Springs
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 4:36 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Thanks for the link to that build. Looks like he is building something similar to what I want.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs |
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karl h
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: austria
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 1:48 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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stock height on a split ist not the same as on a bay, the bay front beam raises a split when installed in it. the rear will be different als as the bay sits level or slightly raised in the rear when not loaded. a split will be higher in the rear because of less body wheight. there are so many variables that you have to custom tailor each application
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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 |
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joe56vw
Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2004
Posts: 3202
Location: Olympia wa
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:32 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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My baja friends use porsche cv joint as they can handle more angle
Not sure if it's the 914 ones or 944 ones they uses but you have to use the matching stub alxes and cv part on tranny also to make it work
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karl h
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: austria
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chrome
Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2003
Posts: 746
Location: back in NorCal
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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I ran a Wolfgang IRS kit from 1993-99 at stock height with stub axles & final drive flanges out of a VW Thing, CV bearings were T2 bus, all other parts were T1 bug, drums were early bus machined to fit the bug backing plates
I think spring plates were set at 17-18 degrees
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57 T1 ragtop
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73 Thing
74 Thing
54 chevy 210
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Rusties
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2005
Posts: 141
Location: Bc canada
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:16 am Post subject: Re: IRS Bolt on Like BusBoys (Are They Out of Biz?) |
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Ok so I've finished the IRS conversion that sits at stock height on Phils 66.
This Wagonswest kit (this is not the bolt on kit that uses all beetle components) uses a 3/4 ton IRS setup. Late bus axles, a beetle IRS transmission. Nate supplied the entire kit, drum to drum w/emergency brakes, so I didn't have to do any parts hunting.
All in all it was a nice kit, it fit very nicely and had no issues with the components or the bus.
Yes I had to modify the trans mount frame horns which is not something I take lightly. Im in the business of restoring and repairing, initially this kind of modification made my stomach turn. However it was a very clean mod and could very easily be returned to 100% og metal.
One other thing to consider is that if you didn't like the conversion or wanted rgb's again...You'd just change the trans, axles and swing plates. There would be no need to do any welding or modifications. Just bolt the original parts back in place:)
There are more photos on my Facebook page, #RustiesAuto
Questions?
Don't be afraid to ask.
Cheers |
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