Damn dirty hippie build

[matty_fly]

I'm sure this is gonna get me fawked up on the PBB, but here goes.... (disclaimer: I am not actually a damn dirty hippie, I like to shoot shit and will not name my children Moonbeam, Stargazer, or Zig Zag)

I am way into VW busses, and picked up a clean one for $100, i really just needed some parts from the hacked interior, but decided to build a bus i could drive anywhere (within reason) camp in, beat on, and not care about. These things are actually pretty damn capable for being 2wd bread boxes.

My goal is to have a bus that i can use to camp, canoe, explore, snowboard, etc. Somewhere down the road, i may do a diesel swap for economy and enough power to tow my boat, but for now, it's dual port til death.

Already planned:
something in a 29-31 inch mud terrain type tire, winch that can go in the front or back for those "Oh Shit" times
typical fold out bed, i only need room inside for me and a chick to sleep
propane heat/kegarator/fridge
external tap for the kegarator (i go to a lot of bonfires/outdoor camping parties)
external taps for propane to run lanterns and i want to convert a coleman stove to propane with a mount for the outside of the bus
camp shower with curtain around back hatch
potable water, maybe 10 gallons with some sort of heater. need to do some reading on this
camp toilet? maybe, again i know nothing about these, i usually crap in the woods

What would you guys suggest I install or what would you like to have if you were building this thing?

here's what I am shooting for, only more beat up...

[Never Monday]

Copy cat

[Flatline's Up!]

1'st add somethign more than one sheet of 16g steel between your legs and the semi in front of you...

2nd (but barely) BRAKES

3rd the biggest oil cooler known to man

4th gear reduction boxes if you don't have them on yours

close the doors and fill it up with beer. You'll be a hit at all the parties

[matty_fly]

Originally Posted by Never Monday

Copy cat

pretty sure 11:55 am comes before 1:01 PM

[matty_fly]

*

Originally Posted by Flatline's Up!

1'st add somethign more than one sheet of 16g steel between your legs and the semi in front of you...
Been driving one for 12 years and haven't needed that yet

2nd (but barely) BRAKES
71 was the first year for front disc and vacuum assist, they stop quite well

3rd the biggest oil cooler known to man
aftermarket oil coolers have been shown time and again to be less effective then the factory "doghouse" type

4th gear reduction boxes if you don't have them on yours
No way in hell i'm giving up my good CV jointed axles for an old swing axle

close the doors and fill it up with beer. You'll be a hit at all the parties

I can build the VW part just fine, been at it for quite a few years, it's the camping/travel gear I'm looking for ideas on. I'm going for little details that will be convenient, like exterior gas taps for grills and lights.

[Never Monday]

Why reinvent?
Start with Westy parts, I'd use 78 interior to get a rear hinge top. Having standing head room is worth it over a weekender. Seen a few people install a second propane tank. The Westy kitchen has a water tank built in.

[Flatline's Up!]

Originally Posted by Never Monday

Why reinvent?
Start with Westy parts, I'd use 78 interior to get a rear hinge top. Having standing head room is worth it over a weekender. Seen a few people install a second propane tank. The Westy kitchen has a water tank built in.

prezactly.

[ElLizard]

Portable water heater for camping, I bought one of these for my wifes camp shower, I don't go camping without it now... Instant hot water!

[matty_fly]

No go on the top. it's a tin top now, and i ain't cutting it, plus my pop top gets cold as shit in the winter.

i'd like to install a later westy interior as i like the layout better. i'd also like to have a slightly more modern heat source and cook top.

I guess the point of this thread is to look for the little details i am missing, like, what would you add? make sense?

That water heater is the kind of stuff i am looking for.

[Never Monday]

I've been looking in my Vany for a place for a built in engine heated water heater. I'm not willing to give up the room.

Have you considered fliping the van abd getting a Westy to start from?

[matty_fly]

Originally Posted by Never Monday

I've been looking in my Vany for a place for a built in engine heated water heater. I'm not willing to give up the room.

Have you considered fliping the van abd getting a Westy to start from?

my problem is that i am picky. i dont like the newer then 71 body style, i already have a poptop westy taht is all stock, and kinda have always had a few things about it that i would like improved. i actually just hired a former cabinet maker at my company, so he is going to give me a hand with some custom stuff. also just hooked up with some guys that build mobile kitchens for the military, so they have lots of goodies stashed away.

[Never Monday]

look
http://www.force10.com/

if you were going to have 120V handy you could do an instant water heater

[wes8517]

arent they just 2wd?

[Beat95YJ]

Originally Posted by wes8517

arent they just 2wd?

yes, but a baja bus will go anywhere.

[VW]

logging roads, and some back country are NP for a bus. i made a tube bumper for mine to pull a small boat.

[AbramsM1]

That picture looks straight out of an early '80s sasquatch movie!! Haha.

[DEnd]

Originally Posted by Beat95YJ

yes, but a baja bus will get stuck or breakdown anywhere.

Fixed.

My dad and his buddy used to take one fishing on the outerbanks. They'd drive around t.ill they got stuck or the van broke down or both, then they'd fish untill the fish stopped biting. Then they'd get the thing unstuck or fix it and go do the same thing over again until they were too tired to do it anymore. Then they go to the rental house get some sleep and do the whole thing over the next day. Rinse and repeat for a week. Goodtimes.

[rfoubi]

So you pretty much described my rig (not sure if yours is an older bus though?). 2wd, 225/75 r15 mud terrains, fridge, bed, racks and gear, and it goes a lot of places. Been down to the tip of baja and back from canada, as well as all over the backcountry everywhere in between. Lots of clearance and as much traction as you could expect for a 2wd. Though i really wish a had a 4x4 syncro van. Anyway heres a few photos

[thecarman]

You can't just post that last pic and leave it with no story!

[wanderer-RRORC]

Originally Posted by thecarman

You can't just post that last pic and leave it with no story!

x2!!

[904_runner]

They were probably drifting and lost control of the van.. Thats what usually happens.


This is kind of cool. I have also started to see a few of these vans running around town.

[rfoubi]

Yeah drifting with a van full of bikes, boards and 3 weeks worth of gear, on mud terrains with 91hp. Haha i only wish! No we were pushing over a pass that hadnt been driven yet, and ran into deep snow, tried getting through, got stuck, dug out, and then in the process of reversing out of there i was in too much of a hurry and couldnt see out the back very well so i just dropped the rear wheel off the edge and that was that. two tow trucks and 600 bucks and we were on the road again.

[RustyNailJustin]

Cool build idea.

[Muddy Oval]

Originally Posted by rfoubi

Yeah drifting with a van full of bikes, boards and 3 weeks worth of gear, on mud terrains with 91hp. Haha i only wish! No we were pushing over a pass that hadnt been driven yet, and ran into deep snow, tried getting through, got stuck, dug out, and then in the process of reversing out of there i was in too much of a hurry and couldnt see out the back very well so i just dropped the rear wheel off the edge and that was that. two tow trucks and 600 bucks and we were on the road again.

Yeah, that IS a lot of snow and all...

[matty_fly]

Still gathering parts, just finished my TJ build, as soon as I get my old bike on the road, I'm starting on the bus.

It's just 2wd, but it's not like i'm goin to go nuts wheeling it, mostly just enough to get us to the hiking trails. I would love to find a smashed Syncro Vanagon and gut the AWD stuff, but those are tough to come by.