Flash Gordon is alive!

[Jim24]

Nice one JB.

If heaven forbid, you're brakes ever failed, I reckon you could always flick the front of the pop-top upwards, and use it as an auxiliary air-brake scoop? You'll need to be quick witted mind, and unless you have long arms, the help of a trained and willing assistant?

[Jumbungla]

Thats coming on a treat.never really been into poptops but impressed with how thats taking shape. These vans never end how we think they will do they.Doing yourself at home, cant fault that. Following with renewed interest. Please keep it coming mate.

Yeah I never really thought I'd put a pop top on, but with the littlun, we need the sleeping space! Haha

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[Jumbungla]

Nice one JB.

If heaven forbid, you're brakes ever failed, I reckon you could always flick the front of the pop-top upwards, and use it as an auxiliary air-brake scoop? You'll need to be quick witted mind, and unless you have long arms, the help of a trained and willing assistant?

Hahahahaha. If my van ever gets beyond reasonable economical repair, I'll take it to a disused airfield, get it up to max speed and do this.

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[Jumbungla]

Major milestone complete this weekend. Pop top canvas on! Really happy with how it's turned out.

Next is making and fitting the elevating bed, and then stretch carpeting the exposed bits of roof section. Anyone got any tips for this?

Once I've done that I'll focus on fitting the air con.



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[Activ8]

Nice1 J.
Can't help with any guidance bud.
Great work.

[S49]

If you can do all the things you've done to that van aircon will be a doddle JB. Please please keep updating.

[Benf]

Looks great

[Activ8]

Is there a plan to paint the roof J?
Black?
Solar install?

[Jumbungla]

Yeah I'll eventually spray the roof, when I am finally ready for the full respray. Which will be a few years down the line I think haha.

And I think I'll probably end up with a solar panel too, but not high up on my list of priorities at the mo.

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[Jumbungla]

So I've been ordered by the Mrs to get the van on the road as her landy is still off the road. Think it's a long term rip all the trim out to find the wiring problem.

But means I've been given a ticket to work on the van again, woohoo! Straight onto getting the AC installed. Thought it would be a bit of a pain, not expecting all of the brackets to fit straight away, due to the variations in these vans. But pleasantly surprised, this van is an absolute dream to work on compared to the landy.

Started by draining the coolant and pulling the rad.



Then pulled the alternator to see if the bracket would fit, and it fit nicely.







Then fitted the compressor, and that was fine too.







Then I tried to figure out the tensioning system on this "homemade" system.

It's got a free spinning pulley, but no spring or anything to tension the alt for the belt. But it looks like I will just have to push the tensioner wheel down hard onto the belt and tighten the bolt. Bit weird, but I'll see if it squeals.

Also had a bigger freewheel pulley chucked in with all the stuff. Cant see anywhere else i might need it.



Then I couldn't see a way my existing alt would fit, and a load of forum posts said they had to buy the non-spring tensioner type alternator. But I had a sit down with a tea and finally realised how it might fit.

Needed me to press the top bolt bushing on the alt back a bit to fit in, but slid about 3mm further back quite easily.



Fits fine, but is it just me or are the compressor and alt pulleys now ever so slightly out of line? Maybe less than a degree? I might take it off and see if I can bend the bracket at all, or shim under the inner side to get everything lined up.

Anyway, here it is from the side, with the belt roughly in place that they chucked in. God knows what the belt is for, it's about twice as long as it needs to be! It must be about 2m long!





Think ill cut the belt and run it around and see how long a belt I might need. I'm sure you can just buy general 6 rib pulley belts and various lengths right?

Anyway, tomorrow onto either fitting the engine bay out with the refrigerant piping and welding the new air intake panel, or I might focus on getting the dash removed and fitting the new AC unit in place of the old heater matrix stuff. A lovely couple of hours working on the van all in.

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[TommyP]

So I've been ordered by the Mrs to get the van on the road as her landy is still off the road. Think it's a long term rip all the trim out to find the wiring problem.

But means I've been given a ticket to work on the van again, woohoo! Straight onto getting the AC installed. Thought it would be a bit of a pain, not expecting all of the brackets to fit straight away, due to the variations in these vans. But pleasantly surprised, this van is an absolute dream to work on compared to the landy.

Started by draining the coolant and pulling the rad.



Then pulled the alternator to see if the bracket would fit, and it fit nicely.







Then fitted the compressor, and that was fine too.







Then I tried to figure out the tensioning system on this "homemade" system.

It's got a free spinning pulley, but no spring or anything to tension the alt for the belt. But it looks like I will just have to push the tensioner wheel down hard onto the belt and tighten the bolt. Bit weird, but I'll see if it squeals.

Also had a bigger freewheel pulley chucked in with all the stuff. Cant see anywhere else i might need it.



Then I couldn't see a way my existing alt would fit, and a load of forum posts said they had to buy the non-spring tensioner type alternator. But I had a sit down with a tea and finally realised how it might fit.

Needed me to press the top bolt bushing on the alt back a bit to fit in, but slid about 3mm further back quite easily.



Fits fine, but is it just me or are the compressor and alt pulleys now ever so slightly out of line? Maybe less than a degree? I might take it off and see if I can bend the bracket at all, or shim under the inner side to get everything lined up.

Anyway, here it is from the side, with the belt roughly in place that they chucked in. God knows what the belt is for, it's about twice as long as it needs to be! It must be about 2m long!





Think ill cut the belt and run it around and see how long a belt I might need. I'm sure you can just buy general 6 rib pulley belts and various lengths right?

Anyway, tomorrow onto either fitting the engine bay out with the refrigerant piping and welding the new air intake panel, or I might focus on getting the dash removed and fitting the new AC unit in place of the old heater matrix stuff. A lovely couple of hours working on the van all in.

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Yeah you can buy the belts in all sorts of lengths as the manufacturers used the same thing across the board. Part no. Will be something like PKxxxx with the numbers being the overall length in millimetres.


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[arfur fox-acre]

I could probably grab a photo of mine if that would help. You can see some of this stuff from behind the passenger side wheel.

[Activ8]

That original kit is still available afaik.
Maybe a quick Google and you'll find a pdf installation guide?

When I'm back I'll pull that VAG guide out.

[Jim24]

If you get stuck on original VW stuff JB, let me know, as I have access to the digital official factory workshop manual, and it appears to cover literally everything. It's rather cantankerous to use, requiring full vehicle details each time I log-in, and I haven't yet discovered how to copy and paste diagrams from it, or got my printer successfully linked up. But I will in time.

[Jumbungla]

Ah cheers guys, your offers of help are much appreciated!

Didn't get a chance to play on the van today, but will next weekend, so if I get stuck I'll give you a shout for some guidance!

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