Aircooled VW South Africa

Another update.

The tent is in and closing nicely. Although the colour would not have been my first choice it was near brand new and a 1/4 of the price off a new one. So now I'm mainly waiting on my engine that should be close next week.

Oh, and I'm still looking for some parts as per my signature.
I removed the heater button since I made my own.

great job so far

So here is a quick update without photos or videos.
I have been busy getting my engine sorted. Took a while but today I got it running on the test bench so that I am satisfied to install.
Thanks to Sean for sponsoring a plate to get the front engine tin sorted. Worked a treat and looks original.
Tomorrow I hopefully get my new Sachs Clutch kit and then I can install the engine. After that I should be able to move the Westy under it's own power.
Then it is a question of checking all is working and slowly get km's on it to build confidence.
Till later.....
When the Westy is driving I can do all errants for it with it.

Great progress, Be keen to see it running , and your smile on your face

Well done

Herman

So today was spent installing the engine with lots of obscene language. That mustachebar makes life difficult, but I succeedes in the end.
Installed the heater cables, Vacuum pipe for brake servo, fuel supply through a tap, bled the brakes properly...

So, at 17:30 I filled up with 10l of 93 octane petrol and to my horror the fuel gauge hardly moved. Hope its not a case of not working at all, but rather a badly calibrated gauge.

Os after filling with fuel I started her and that was a non event. She started first shot.

I then tried engaging gears and found out I need more adjusting. Th eclutch does not quite disengage.

Anyway that is tomorrows job, then I can hopefully drive her around. Sorry cannot attach the videon due to size.

So Alan, did you manage to take your Westy for a spin? Just hearing the engine roar to life is something special.

Hehe, yes after a few challenges I managed to take her for a spin and have done 100km already. Not much but I didn't get stranded.
I need to do wheel alignment and get new tyres. Slowly I will find the last few hick-ups and hopefully have a reliable camper.

So while I'm trying to do sme km to build confidence in the rebuilt Westy I am doing some small jobs that require doing.
ie. Awning, complete my interior...
Awning:
Does anuone know if this was original? It is 3.5m wide and my Westy had an aluminium rope profile pop riveted to the rain gutter.( Don't think that was original. But I would like to keep it as it is a decent size and looks period correct.
I am also looking for the figure 8 plastic profile. Anyone know where I can get that other than overseas. Or any other method of attaching the awning to the gutter without having to drill.

And so my project is just about complete.
I have now done just over 200km without any issues and hope to see many more km the same.
Today I took some photos and only afterwards washed the Westy for the first time. There are a few places that are letting water through, but that cannot be changed. eg. window rubbers, although new they do have gaps.

So here are some pictures and please let me know if you see something I'm missing or need to change.
You will note the original coolerbox/water/ basin cupboard is not there. This is because I have an urge to have a proper fridge/freezer. I built this unit so it has the same footprint as the original, but is wider. The bench next to it was all chopped and modified when I got the Westy, so I also built a new one with slight modification. I increased the size of the backrest and also slanted it. It now has a useful storage accessible from the front.
The bench is also the same size as the original, so if I ever should sell the Westy and the new owner wants to put back the basin cupboard it will all fit again.

And another few. BTW, what doe you guys store here and how. It is a very flat space. Was thinking about awning poles. I will fit a solar panel on top of the roof otherwise that could have gone there.

Very cool, looks lovely.