'66 Deluxe

[Dual Port]

The concrete block under the nose has an adjustable jackstand on it (house style) and is only holding maybe 50-100lbs so when I cut the frame out nothing sags. The nose of that bus is so light gutted it's not even funny. I'm sure I could grunt it up in the air from below if needed. It wiggles dangerously on the stands, so much I have a safety chain going through the windows to the beam overhead just "in case".

[Busjunky]

This project is turning out to be incredible!! Some very impressive work you've done there Bruce!! Your patience and attention to detail is something i need to work on awesome work, dude!!

[Dual Port]

I had another productive day today doing the right framerail.
I bought two long front frames, so I have to cut what I need from the new good piece. I better be exact, huh?



I made a cardboard template using a gasket hole punch that fit tight onto the axle bolts.

This enabled me to make an exact line on the outboard face of the bad piece to cut on, the same line on the good piece to cut on.

It works on both front side and back side of the piece 'cause I chased the threads all the way through.

This is the $hit. I used the cardboard template to scratch a line into the rail that is my working line. Then I cut it just a hair big and grind it back to the line (plus a bit for error).






The good piece and the bad piece ready to go in. I cut it open to see how bad the rot was while it was still on the bus. There's a British co that sells a frame repair panel that might have worked here, but it was easier and more reassuring to buy the whole frigging rail from the States, and the same money.

Does anyone know what that big bracket is that was cut off the "new" rail? It was from a '63, and both sides have that big heavy bracket cut off them.



The trick to getting a good weld is to have tight gaps, I cut the frame rail piece a 1/4" too big and use a flap disc grinder to grind it down to size. It's time consuming and grief, but it makes for a good product. Here it is being held in place by a floor jack, ready to weld. I concentrate on the box section itself for the fit by using a hammer to beat the upper sheetmetal ledge (ridge?) out of the way by 1/4" or so. Once the box section is fitted, I tack it in place in 8 places, then weld it completely around. It's important to tack it in a bunch of places or welding warpage will phuck your day up.

Once the "frame" portion is done, I beat the upper ridge back into alignment, being sheetmetal (.060") it conforms easily. It overlaps a bit, which is OK, and I weld it the whole upper length on both the outboard and inboard sides. The overlap makes it easy and does not show.

Here it is, with the welding done.


The weld is still looking pretty decent. I'll never be welding rockets for NASA, but for an old VW it will get the job done. Look at the funny circle stamped in at Wolfsburg. It's almost like the guy at the punch press almost "missed" and then reset the press to do the axle hole.
See, Bill? I got the tap out without massive thread destruction.



Now that's done I can put my outriggers and jackpoints on that I bought a while ago from Tom. They are nice and beefy, it's easy to weld heavy $hit. I shot them with some weld-thru primer first.


I'd rather do ten frames than one rocker!

Next more outriggers and jackpoints, then on to the front right floor, which will be completely replaced along with A pillar repair panels. The left front floor is surprisingly strong with only a small patch needed. Then the front apron/valance, both inner and outer, which looks like a chore. I'm probably 3/4 of the way through the welding right now. Each left and right framerail took about 5-6 hours to do, I have about 170-180 hours total in the bus right now which is mostly welding but includes stripping the interior and glass, etc. At about the 250 hour mark I'll switch from being a hack welder to being a hack bodyman. I've barely touched Bondo in 10-12 years.......

Chug, chug, chug.

[rokemester]

Unbelievable Bruce! Some of those welds are looking very PROFESSIONAL! I'm glad to hear Lynn caught up with you.

[Six Volt]

Nice welds Bruce. Now that you've done all that work, don't let Widefive lower it!

But I must admit, Widefive could get that thing way down low!

[Dual Port]

As for the welds, I post pics of the good ones, but there's still plenty of ugly ones too. Frame stuff is thick and easy to lay a nice bead on, until the day I die I will struggle with sheetmetal welds.

As for the height, it looks kinda nice on stands waaaayyyy up there.

I'm tall and have bad knees. Do you really think I would lower a vehicle? Fat chance. When I buy a daily driver, half of what I'm considering has to do with how hard it is to get in and out of the stupid car!

[framingsilly]

Nice work Bruce .

[wwebner]

Lowered splits ride ALMOST as good a stock bay

[WideFive]

If done correctly, they handle and ride better than stock.

[framingsilly]

Nice welds Bruce . Coming around really nice .