Hi guys,
On my Westy it seems the outer belly plates are welded in place. Is that normal?
I will have to remove them to get rid of all rodent traces and also some more sand bags...
Anyone have a stock belly plate lying around that I could purchase?
Westy bellyplate advice needed
-
- Fuel Injection
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:25 pm
- What model do you have?: Aircooled, various
- Location: Kaapstadt
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 207 times
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
On sunroof/ Westfalia/ or where there's doors on both sides, the belly pans are welded in place to be part of the chassis-strengthening. They compensate for structure weakness caused by the extra big hole in the body.
Staying Aircooled is so much nicer.
Do'nt assume anything- (While doing fault-finding).
Do'nt assume anything- (While doing fault-finding).
- fig
- Bus Driver
- Posts: 12214
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:08 pm
- What model do you have?: Type 2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/258896479219/
- Location: Where life is cheap and death is free
- Has thanked: 287 times
- Been thanked: 321 times
- Contact:
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
As Dawie said, belly plates are standard on all buses that left the factory with a hole in the roof or with cargo doors on both sides.
They are quite straightforward to fabricate if your old ones aren't reusable. Not the kind of thing you are likely to find used.
They are quite straightforward to fabricate if your old ones aren't reusable. Not the kind of thing you are likely to find used.
fig
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
- AlanH
- Crankshaft
- Posts: 732
- Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:20 am
- What model do you have?: '70 Westy
- Location: Pretoria
- Has thanked: 117 times
- Been thanked: 86 times
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
Thanks, just seem to remember reading a thread on the UK forum where the guy unscrewed the belly plates.
Anyone ever attempt taking them off?
Centre belly plate on mine was split in 6 smaller pieces riveted into the Air pipe.
Anyone ever attempt taking them off?
Centre belly plate on mine was split in 6 smaller pieces riveted into the Air pipe.
Wanted parts:
Left sunvisor
Sink faucet
Exhaust to swap for Beetle exhaust
Left sunvisor
Sink faucet
Exhaust to swap for Beetle exhaust
- fig
- Bus Driver
- Posts: 12214
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:08 pm
- What model do you have?: Type 2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/258896479219/
- Location: Where life is cheap and death is free
- Has thanked: 287 times
- Been thanked: 321 times
- Contact:
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
They are definitely spot welded on at the factory, so shouldn't be too difficult to remove, especially if you have a spot weld cutting bit for your drill.
I'd have to have a look under Bessie to see exactly how they are constructed/fitted, but it sounds like yours may have been cut and refitted for some reason to do with the Toyota conversion.
I'd have to have a look under Bessie to see exactly how they are constructed/fitted, but it sounds like yours may have been cut and refitted for some reason to do with the Toyota conversion.
fig
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
- AlanH
- Crankshaft
- Posts: 732
- Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:20 am
- What model do you have?: '70 Westy
- Location: Pretoria
- Has thanked: 117 times
- Been thanked: 86 times
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
Tx Christiaan,
Googled last night and mine are definitely normal sheet metal pieces. I see one can get an original belly plate, but also read that they were not fitted to Westies for some or other reason. Possibly only very early Westies.
Googled last night and mine are definitely normal sheet metal pieces. I see one can get an original belly plate, but also read that they were not fitted to Westies for some or other reason. Possibly only very early Westies.
Wanted parts:
Left sunvisor
Sink faucet
Exhaust to swap for Beetle exhaust
Left sunvisor
Sink faucet
Exhaust to swap for Beetle exhaust
- Donovan D
- Donor
- Posts: 2229
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:27 pm
- What model do you have?: 67 Panel
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=536371512
- Location: Brackenfell
- Has thanked: 148 times
- Been thanked: 73 times
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
Im sure I also read somewhere that these are just screwed on, maybe it was the same thread.
---------- 67 Panelvan -----------
---------- 56 Oval ----------
---------- 56 Oval ----------
- fig
- Bus Driver
- Posts: 12214
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:08 pm
- What model do you have?: Type 2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/258896479219/
- Location: Where life is cheap and death is free
- Has thanked: 287 times
- Been thanked: 321 times
- Contact:
Re: Westy bellyplate advice needed
I don't know about later buses, but early baywindow pop-top westies definitely had them from the factory. The originals are sheet steel plates with an X pressed into them for strength. Factory plates were welded on.
fig
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Kaapse Kombi Kult
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford