We have been out on a family roadtrip this vacation, thru Sweden. We have driven the T3 bus over 3000km, total, without a problem! Pretty amazing! First we headed north, to Norrfällsviken. The Nordic VW TYPE 2 Club had a VW bus meeting there this year at the high East coast.
We also drove down to the West coast for a week. We have seen alot and had so much fun, the kids love it. We have seen elks, rockets, mammut, vw buses, wilderness, airplanes, boats, crabs, small sharks and alot more! 🙂
#vwt3overland
Tested the portable solar panel 120w with dual 75a battery’s (total 150 ampere hours) last weekend and it worked great ? It was two sunny days, on the night the power drops and is taken from the battery’s only. When sun goes up again on the morning, the solar panel charges the battery’s full again (green). Our 12v fridge was running all day and all night 24/7. A couple of rainy days would be problems I guess. But then I could run the engine and the alternator would charge up the battery’s after couple of minutes. ?
Together with Hans Landenius a offroad transmission was built. A mechanical difflocker from Weddle Industries. This locker engages when stamping on the throttle and locks up to 100%. Which for example a LSD (limited slip differential) never do. That’s why I choosed a locker over LSD, to always have maximum traction when it really needs. The downside with this locker is that it’s noisy, clicks when turning corners (axle tooth’s is “sliding” over the cogs in the differential), but I don’t care so much about noise.
The old differential had only 2 spider gears, so it was replaced by a new stronger “Super diff” that’s made for 4 spider gears. The spider gears was the replaced with the spring loaded locker. Everything was bolted back together, measured with micrometer. Then all seals was replaced with new. New starter and throw out bearing was installed too.
#vwt3overland
The old radiator was in bad shape, very rusty in bottom so it was just matter of time before it would start leaking. A brand new radiator was bought from Justkampers, thermo switch, modern universal 14″ cooling fan and hose clamps in stainless steel. The T3 bus comes original with 1 small (sucking) fan in a shroud behind the radiator, with 2 speeds. This fan was checked and worked good, also put some oil on the axle just for good measure. Then a new/extra fan in front of the radiator was installed (blowing). This one kicks in when the original fan is switched to highest speed by the thermostatic switch hitting 105celsius. This car will never overheat!
New alternator, servo pump, fan belt, clutch, oil pan, exhaust, intake manifold etc is now on the engine.
It is almost ready to go in, just need to fabricate a new exhaust system. And get the transmission ready with new seals, difflock and new gear linkage bushings etc. Then I will bolt engine & trans together and lift the whole package up in the bus. Then the electric work can begin and later on start up. New radiator is going to be installed tonight…
Some pics from when I took the front end apart and changed the frontbeam to a brand new adjustable 2″inch narrowed, dropped spindles, new tie rods, new brakes and bearings ect. A little “how to video”. More videos in the channel here!
If anyone need new wheels, tires, installed and balanced to a good price. Send me a message on: info@maindrive.org
The interior is almost finished now, just some small details left to do. Here is how it looks so far… it so nice with heater on the winter, it was -9 celsius and inside was set to 26+celsius 🙂
#vwt3overland
Tested the bus on snow tonight, it rides great in snow with the terrain tires. And the heating works great now. It was -7c and inside of bus was 25+c 🙂 More about dieselheater and interior is coming soon…
Finally time for a test drive in the snow and mud. Awesome! Check out the video clips below. Tested the cab window covers from Justkampers.com and they are great when parked/camping. #vwt3overland
The bus is now finally Safetyinspected / MoT without any issues or problems. Perfect! Since this bus are rust free underneath and I’m going to use it in all weather/terrain a lot I decided to do a wax/oil undercoat on it to protect and keep it in nice shape for many years. I also sprayed inside doors, rockers etc with a thin wax/oil treatment. And yeah, the taillights and turn signals have been “smoked” for a more badass look 🙂
New speedometer and cable have been fitted, the needle on the old one was stuck! Added LED light diods to the rear engine bay, you cant have to much light when wrenching in that tight dark engine compartment, specially after the road. New modern wipers installed, and a new ventilation cover for the slidingdoor, painted in black. The old washerpump was junk so a new was added. Rear view / back up camera is now all done and is a great thing to have on a bus! More updates coming! It’s now ready for safetyinspection / MoT. Hope it goes well…
Some more stuff have been done on late nights and weekends. I have made some new doorpanels for the slidingdoor, painted in Westy grey-ish. Door was already insulated, but I added a extra layer of ThermoReflekt (folie with air bubbles) for extra insulation behind all door panels. Got a new outside door ventilation and painted it black.
Tested the new reverse lights in the dark and they were awesome! A pair of 120watts LED lights (12.000 lumen) wired to the back-up light (black/blue cable). Will add two more of these lights later on, mounted on each side of the bus.
More stuff have been done, but I save that for next post. Hopefully I can get it to the MoT/safetyinspection next week. Then I can start work more on the interior…
#vwt3overland
Lots have been done to the new VW T3 Highroof from 1983. I have got it running properly after lots of head scratching. It started and runned okey on idle when I bought it, but it had no power/torque and smoked a bit, so not possible to drive. The oil was nice and coolingwater had no oil mixed. Good!
I put the engine in TDC (top dead center), the cam and pump wheel marks lined up correct. After changing all filters and fuel I tuned the pump timing. But no change! 🙁
I decided to check the timingbelt again, it all looked right. Strange. But to be 100% sure I removed the valvecover and put the flywheel on TDC, and the camshaft in TDC on cylinder #1. The knocks on the cam should be like 10 and 14 a clock direction (valves closed). I checked the diesel pump wheel lock position it was looking right, BUT then I saw this pump wheel had a second lock position/hole. The workshop manual don’t describe this and showing only 1 locking position/hole in the pump wheel. That meaning it’s possible to put my wheel 180 degrees wrong, and pumps in fuel when the camshaft is on the #4 cylinder instead. I just loosen up the timingbelt, carefully turned the pump wheel 180 degrees and tightened it all up again. And it now runs like a champ and no smoking, awesome! VW only had this pump wheels between 1981-83 and then changed them so there where only 1 locking hole in them on 1984- onward.
I have fixed with the electrics and lights lately. New Front headlight have been installed, the old ones had bad reflectors in them and would never pass MoT safetyinspection. Turn signals did not work, not so strange when I pulled out the lightbulb holders, totally rusted out. New was ordered and installed, work great now. Rear high roof had some extra trailer/universal lights installed. Looked like shit, so they where replaced with two new LED spotlights 120watt that now are wired to the reverse back up lights. But the reverse light didn’t work, I found a loose connection (black/blue cable) in the black fuse box in the engine apartment, now works again. All lightbulbs are new and all lights are now working. The temperature gauge did not work and light for low water level flashed all the time, I noticed a black cable hanging loose besides the water expansion tank, but it had no sender and where just plugged. I ordered a new water level sender and temp sender, replaced them both and the gauge now work great again! Rear tailgate gasstruts was shot and I was tired to get it in my head all the time so replaced them with a new pair from JustKampers. Quick and great service from JustKampers as always, if you need quality VW parts those are the guys to talk to!
Left to do before safetyinspection is fixing the wipers and fan. More to come soon…
#vwt3overland
Another generation to the collection, at the moment I now have T1, T2 and T3 buses. This one is going to be the offroad bus and for autumn/winter camping/expeditions 🙂
It’s a 1983 Transporter with 1,6 Diesel and 4-speed transmission. It has a ugly camping interior already fitted that will get a refresh/restoration. A Webasto/Planar diesel heater with thermostat will be installed to the interior in future, so you can stay warm on the winter. New 12v fridge will be installed and the gas stove will be replaced with a new small portable gas bottle one.
The goal is to have it pass the MoT / Safety Inspection before the winter comes. The engine starts but is not running very well. It has a new cam, timingbelt, waterpump at the moment. Going to align the timing belt better because it squeaks at lower RPM right now. Also the diesel pump is needing adjustment with special VW TOOL 2066.
Some meaty offroad tires (Malatesta Kobra) have been fitted on stock VW 14″ steel wheels, that was sandblasted and painted. Looks badass now! The diesel tank have been drained on old diesel and a new fuel filter fitted. Also added some anti-bacteria and injectioncleaner to new diesel. New oil (15w-40 mineral) and filter in the engine too. New air cleaner filter added. Injection pump adjusted with micrometer (vw2066) up to 00,95, before was only 00,81. Engine now runs much smoother but need to align the timingbelt before any real test drive can be done. More too come soon… 
Designed in Italy by Ghia carosserie, built by Karmann in Germany for Volkswagen.
The paintbooth have got a proper clean up and are ready to rock! Here is some before and after shots.
The best from two worlds, Porsche 911 and VW Karmann Ghia.
The summer of 2018, hottest summer in Sweden in 260 years!
New rear taillights on the Highroof Bay bus. Housings are new aftermarket, lenses are clearcoated original VW from SWF. Some pics…
#highroofbayproject
Painted this skatedeck recently. Red chunky flake with deep black paint patterns. One more to the collection! ;-p
Painting this part in Canyon Red for a VW Amarok pick up truck. Nice color!
The inside roof/headliner is finished. And two roof ventilations installed the big one now have a fan with adjustable speed, blows out or in.
Engine sheetmetal parts have been sandblasted and painted in Deep black paint finish.
Made a stainless bracket for outside 12v socket and water outlet. Good for shower or washing stuff off and the 12v socket will be perfect for side tent/awning light ect. Built in a electric “pop up” sockets in the overhead storage but turned it upside down so its now a “pop down” socket.
Recived the brand new Parking diesel heater today. Its the big 5kw model with digital display with timer and temp thermostat. Only consumes 0,19-0,49 liters per hour! Just need to find a smart location for it, coolest would be to replace it where the old Eber BA6 heater was installed before. Will be tight fit and a little more work to do it.
We will see what happens, stay tuned for updates soon…check out the videos!
Time flys, only a month until Christmas! Have hoped to start rebuilding the 1800cc AP engine in Januari but the interior build have got more complex than first planned and automaticly taken more time. Building it exactly as I want it. So much have been done, much stuff you dont see but in short following have been done;
All interior cabinets are bolted down and all electrics in them are finished. Watertanks is mounted and pumps wired, guagemeter for waterlevel, airvent, fillerpipe, wastewater lines ect. Front cab have got insulated and headliner installed, front roofcabinet is almost done too. New roof antenna is on. All wiring with stepdown reducer switch for 9 roof spotlights ready. Spotlights will just draw 300mA each. Roofventilation fan have been modified with adjustable voltage switch. So the fan speed can be RPM changed, rather than full speed all the time.
Kevin at www.camperinteriors.co.uk have been great and very helpful with most of the interior bits. Check them out!
Slidingdoor is finished with new panel and ventilation outlets and the lock mechanism have been modified for electric lock. All doors now have been fixed for remote control. And keylocks have been taken apart and fixed so 1 key (ignition) works for all doors. A new slidingwindows have arrived from Justkampers.com and many other parts. Great service as always!
Have been routing waterlines, electrics, wires, 12v DC USB outlets, 240v hook up socket, inverter with pure sinuswave, batterycharger, thermostatic ventilation roof fan, controlpanel with automatic fuses, LED spotlights, Gasoline heater BA6 enerspracher, extra fridge fans with thermostat control and much more.
Rock n roll bed/sofa is done with 45 liters freshwater tank underneith. Sink is finished with water inlet hot and cold. 12 liters greywatertank (if using water parked on camping or in city) Also have a outlet valve so it can be emptyed if parked in the woods.
Overhead locker is almost finished also, that will have a ton of storage. And will also have controlpanel integrated and space for future solarpanel controllers ect.
More to come soon, next to do is installing headliner/roof before overhead locker goes in. Also all electrics in roof (fans, spotlights, 12v outlets ect) need to be done first!
