More updates
It LIVES! The 944 kit went on like butter! Everything fit perfectly from Old Speed (finally something "custom" I did not have to grind and reengineer
).
You do need the shorter VW Beetle rubber brake lines which was kind of odd to me at first. They are about 2" shorter than the stock bus lines.
You can use the 944 allen screw spindle nuts instead of the stock two nut and retainer washer setup.
For reference the wheels do not "sit-out" due to offset problems like some people were woried about.
The brake pedal effort is about the same as with the stock setup. Some think that with the bigger bay MC that the pedal effort would be high.
The bus brakes straight and true, no wobbles or pulling at all... It is perfect.
The only thing I need to get used to is the fatter tires (205/60/R15) that create more road contact and produce more feedback and wander on rutty pavement. The handling is definately better with alloys and performance tires over the flexy steel wheels and cheap tall sidewall 14" tires.
The only thing left to do is buy Bilstein shocks for the front end then it will be all set equipment wise. Also the brake pedal rod needs adjusted to takeup some free play in the engagement, then it is perfect.
Some people have asked how much it costs... Probably around $1000 when it is all said and done. This is with me being cheap too! This is counting wheels, tires, kit, MC, MC adapter, calipers, Old Speed stuff, and everything else to make it work.
Is the conversion worth it? Hell yah! Now I finally feel secure enough in its safety for my wife to drive the bus. Which is good, because some of the road trips we take are loooong and monotonous.
The next step is the rear IRS conversion. I plan on using either the Bus Boys IRS II style kit or the CSP kit from Europe (kind of like CSP better from the way Dave says it is setup). IRS T1 tranny with Thing flanges to run T4 CVs. The swing plates and all that will come from a early bay. The brakes will be bay drums modified for a Porsche pattern (Dave at CSP says in 2-3 months it will be available in ANY pattern you want). Also if that does not pan out Bus Boys can adapt the hubs and than I would have to weld and drill the late bay drums myself.
... Then there is the motor issue. I am so up in the air on this it is not even funny. It will be T1 based, but not sure what size. Torn between 1904 (74x90.5) or 1914 (69x94). But I have almost got everything for the CIS FI conversion though
($20!)
My end goal is to have a '66 bus that will kick modern SUVs buts!
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Adrian Pillow
'66 VW Westfalia - "Biscuit"
'67 VW Deluxe Westfakia - "Dino"
'79 Porsche 911 SC - "Cochese"
