I am not sure if you have seen this thread on my Westfalia Syncro...welcome in the club!
My Syncro Project
- Thread starter teenwolf
- Start date
otiswesty
Regular guy
Well it all boils down to weight with respect to power requirements. A Suby 2.5 is awesome for a Westfalia, but only adequate for a Syncro Westfalia. Add steel bumpers, 2nd spare, larger tires, yadda yadda and it is barely making it over the grades again.
Some people prefer doing the Syncro conversion to a 2wd Westfalia because it will end up looking very stock. It is difficult to do all the trim in the Westfalia conversion to really make it look like it is a factory job. Seeing as you are doing it yourself and trying not to invest huge sums of money in the project, I think you have the right idea. You should be able to get a very useable poptop camper for a great deal.
Good luck with the build and post up a bunch of pics when you can. The Samba is awesome for this type of project too. Lots of good info there.:coffeedrink:
Some people prefer doing the Syncro conversion to a 2wd Westfalia because it will end up looking very stock. It is difficult to do all the trim in the Westfalia conversion to really make it look like it is a factory job. Seeing as you are doing it yourself and trying not to invest huge sums of money in the project, I think you have the right idea. You should be able to get a very useable poptop camper for a great deal.
Good luck with the build and post up a bunch of pics when you can. The Samba is awesome for this type of project too. Lots of good info there.:coffeedrink:
No real progress but... I removed the westy top and slider. The top needs a real good cleaning, some fiberglass work and a new "tent canvas". So i may hold off on mounting that to my roof till spring. I see the slider latches are different and gave it to my cousin. He needs the glass and then I will swap it later when I'm ready to paint mine. Thinking about using the westy rear cabinets, but they have fire damage to the finnish. Maybe they could be sanded or used as frame work for nice wood.
So as I spend more time with then van ideas pop up... just need to decide how much I want to drive the van this winter vs work on it in storage. Will be fully road legal tomorrow. So maybe I can take it on a little shake down run about and see where I stand. Would like to change the fluids/inspect on the lift this week at least.
Updates and pics next time... I promise
So as I spend more time with then van ideas pop up... just need to decide how much I want to drive the van this winter vs work on it in storage. Will be fully road legal tomorrow. So maybe I can take it on a little shake down run about and see where I stand. Would like to change the fluids/inspect on the lift this week at least.
Updates and pics next time... I promise
otiswesty
Regular guy
I have a grey canvas I took off of my '89 to put on a 3 window tent. It is advertised for cheap on the Samba right now. Clearing out the basement. A new canvas is about $350.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1058363
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1058363
Thanks, I replied to your message but... anyway I'll take it if I could paypal you the money? My girlfriend said she would buy me it for christmas along with some new driving lights:wings:
So I had to replace the battery and have just been trying to drive the van as much as possible to feel out what my priorities are. Ordered some Amsoil to change the the differentials out. Really trying holding back from off road till I get a better feel for this animal. hopefully I can get some class 4 road road pics this weekend.
So I had to replace the battery and have just been trying to drive the van as much as possible to feel out what my priorities are. Ordered some Amsoil to change the the differentials out. Really trying holding back from off road till I get a better feel for this animal. hopefully I can get some class 4 road road pics this weekend.
So today I checked the front diff and trans oil, looked pretty gross. I have a small oil leak from the sender/drain plug. Feels like its been stripped out. Temporarily covered some holes I have in the front fender wells to keep some of the mud from spraying passengers. Need to weld/plate a spot on the lower engine frame rails. Rewired its stereo and drove it. I have now put 100 miles on it since I've bought it 
Now what do I ask santa to get me for it?
Still keeping to plowed raods for now
Now what do I ask santa to get me for it?Still keeping to plowed raods for now
JED THE SPREAD
CampervanCulture.com
Hey Teen wolf.... nice looking van.
I am in the UK and quite a few of us have Syncros on http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=4
In the UK we arnt really like you lot in the US for a few reasons really. The people who are really into travel and not just the purest views of the VW scene prefer a MTD engine rather than a petrol with loads of relays and wiring etc.. There is a reason for this and its mainly down to our own lay of the land..
Basically in the UK we are compact, this isnt usually a good thing but infact we can drive 100 miles from one place to the next and the landscape is totally different and the dialect of people can be so different that it can feel you are in a totally different world almost.
The US is vast and the distance one can travel for you lot to drive over only a couple of states can be the distance for us of driving from London (arguably one of the most civilized cites in the world) to the Sahara Desert in North Africa. (we are lucky like that)
Anyway here is one of my syncros for you to look at as you seem to love em like I do,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33WGHwOVk6s"]YouTube - My VW T3 1.9td Westfalia Syncro, going off road......[/ame]
Also this is what we get up to as a club sometimes,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5k76TEOqA&feature=related"]YouTube - VW Syncro 80-90 North Wales Weekender Green Laneing.[/ame]
And of course there is the family times that make the many hours you spend working on the syncro worth while,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLPxu3c8Gpk"]YouTube - Family Wild Camping in Wales VW 4x4 style....[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxW4PkGWqPY"]YouTube - Dorset End of summer 2010[/ame]
I am exited for you and the great times you will have in a van that no matter where you will be, you will have people who have "rigs" that will cost 20+ times more money than yours and how they will walk up to you and tell you how cool your "rig" is, and how you will look at wht they are driving and think it will look abit..... well.... kind of bland!!!
jed
I am in the UK and quite a few of us have Syncros on http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=4
In the UK we arnt really like you lot in the US for a few reasons really. The people who are really into travel and not just the purest views of the VW scene prefer a MTD engine rather than a petrol with loads of relays and wiring etc.. There is a reason for this and its mainly down to our own lay of the land..
Basically in the UK we are compact, this isnt usually a good thing but infact we can drive 100 miles from one place to the next and the landscape is totally different and the dialect of people can be so different that it can feel you are in a totally different world almost.
The US is vast and the distance one can travel for you lot to drive over only a couple of states can be the distance for us of driving from London (arguably one of the most civilized cites in the world) to the Sahara Desert in North Africa. (we are lucky like that)
Anyway here is one of my syncros for you to look at as you seem to love em like I do,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33WGHwOVk6s"]YouTube - My VW T3 1.9td Westfalia Syncro, going off road......[/ame]
Also this is what we get up to as a club sometimes,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5k76TEOqA&feature=related"]YouTube - VW Syncro 80-90 North Wales Weekender Green Laneing.[/ame]
And of course there is the family times that make the many hours you spend working on the syncro worth while,
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLPxu3c8Gpk"]YouTube - Family Wild Camping in Wales VW 4x4 style....[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxW4PkGWqPY"]YouTube - Dorset End of summer 2010[/ame]
I am exited for you and the great times you will have in a van that no matter where you will be, you will have people who have "rigs" that will cost 20+ times more money than yours and how they will walk up to you and tell you how cool your "rig" is, and how you will look at wht they are driving and think it will look abit..... well.... kind of bland!!!
jed
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Jed, wow man, your van is amazing! Also those videos were great. I feel like they some up owning a syncro very well. I really can't wait to start camping in mine, but I have a lot of work ahead of me.
A Tdi swap would be very nice but out of my price range it seems. There is a AEB 1.8t passat for $900 local... I may pick it up and part the rest of the car. I would really like that motor in my track rabbit also. My 2.1l is not leaking yet and runs well so no rush on a swap. I need to clean up some rust first.
Thanks again, think I may watch those once more, Matt
A Tdi swap would be very nice but out of my price range it seems. There is a AEB 1.8t passat for $900 local... I may pick it up and part the rest of the car. I would really like that motor in my track rabbit also. My 2.1l is not leaking yet and runs well so no rush on a swap. I need to clean up some rust first.
Thanks again, think I may watch those once more, Matt
I would consider it AWD because it is permanently working but the rear wheels need to slip before the front help. Although there are after market parts to make the system work more like a typical 4wd. The syncros only have one low range gear also, not a low range box. Mine has a locking rear diff, others have a front locker as well. Seems to work well in the snow. The only other 4wd I've owed was a tacoma though.
JED THE SPREAD
CampervanCulture.com
JED THE SPREAD
CampervanCulture.com
Glad you like them.... there are loads more on my youtube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/jedthespread?feature=mhum
jed
vanderpooch
Authentic Adventurer
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Wow long time since I've logged in here but now that it's warming up, camping comes too mind... van season is on its way! We're thinking of taking a short trip in may. Up to Maine or just over the boarder to Canada... Niagara Falls perhaps.
So I have a short period to get the van ready. Anything in particular you like to check before a trip? I would like to check/change the dif oils, brakes, tires, head light up grade, fuel lines, coolant hoses ect. Have some welding to do, hopefully this weekend. I've been working on plenty of vanagons just no time for mine.
Competing for my free time is my track car with a AEB 1.8t swap. I should know this motor inside out by the time I ready for one in the van.
So I have a short period to get the van ready. Anything in particular you like to check before a trip? I would like to check/change the dif oils, brakes, tires, head light up grade, fuel lines, coolant hoses ect. Have some welding to do, hopefully this weekend. I've been working on plenty of vanagons just no time for mine.
Competing for my free time is my track car with a AEB 1.8t swap. I should know this motor inside out by the time I ready for one in the van.