Aircooled VW South Africa

Progress is slow but I am gathering spares.
I am looking for some advice.

I have friends coming from the UK and Germany in December and they could bring back some spares for me if required.
I need a Westy wiring harness
1/3 & 2/3 Seat upholstery

Has anyone got first or second hand experience where to source those?
I managed to get samples from TMI, but they are not correct.
As for wiring harness I was looking at vwlooms in the UK.

Advice will be appreciated, off course if quality is available locally it would be preferred.

You are not going to find the correct upholstery. South Africa utilized their own vinyls and styles for chairs, door panels etc. The products you see on the websites are of a European spec.

https://nlavw.com/ has some nice goodies in their westy section

@ Sean,

What do you recommend? Is the material still available and if so where? A good upholsterer could hopefully sort me out?

AlanH wrote: ↑Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:29 pm @ Sean,

What do you recommend? Is the material still available and if so where? A good upholsterer could hopefully sort me out?

You never going to be able to have it exactly like original.

You should be able to find a vinyl that is similar in colour, texture may differ slightly or vice versa, but the biggest problem are those heat seams on the door panels and chairs. You could say they were moulded, a local upholsterer cant replicate that. They will stitch the patterns into the chairs and panels to try replicate a similar style.

You can obtain the moulded RHD front rubber mat and the moulded rubber padding over the interior wheel arches. I’ve ordered a few from VW Heritage via Jacques and they really nice quality.

Tx Sean, I already have a new rubber mat and wheel arch padding.
Missing the centre piece though which seems scarcer than hens teeth.
I did fin a UK company that advertised seat covers with the heat seams, but they were quite expensive at the time.

AlanH wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:17 pm
I did fin a UK company that advertised seat covers with the heat seams, but they were quite expensive at the time.

The problem with this is its not going to be for our SA spec busses, it will be the incorrect vinyl.

Tx Sean, I also contacted Kehls as per your thread assumption as a source but will have to wait to see if it is correct.
Would be a pity if I can't get correct vinyl as the door cards are still good bar a few flaws.

Again it's been a while since I updated.
But... some things did happen.
Still haven't covered the seats.

I have half completed making a rear valence from two rusted ones. It is a real bugger welding rusted metal that is already quite thin. Well we'll see once it is finished. If not up to standard I can always still hope to find a good one. I already bought one costing me my left..... I refurbished the quarterlight window. I loosely fitted the engine compartment tin. Spent a LOT of time to get another dash looking like new. At least it was original and did not have all the butcher holes as my old one had. It has about three coats of paint already but I think the next coat should be the final. The dash top is done except the air vents that require another coat. The plastic trim is also cleaned and waiting for fitment. Cut and drilled out the original butchered sea rail support and fitted a salvaged one. Cut the edges square where the butchers used a blowtorch and fitted salvaged parts. To do the above I had to cut out the handbrake lever which is also bent and the pin rusted solid inside. If anyone has one for me I would be more than grateful.
And lastly I fitted a small piece of metal where the left seat catch must be mounted. This was also missing on my Westy since it had BMW seats fitted. So, things did happen, but at the time it felt like no progress is happening.
I now would like to get some input about:
1. Sandblasting services that won't buckle my parts.
2. Where can I do a welding course, or is there someone that CAN weld willing to visit and teach on my MIG

Till next update, hopefully not a year from now. I am really eager to start using this Westy.

Update time.
Lockdown is a blessing in disguise for my Kombi Project. I am fortunate enough to be able to work in my workshop without leaving home.

The big trick is to get started and once that hurdle is overcome things go along nicely.
All the seat brackets and sliders are in and secure.

I cut the front metal to size and added a lip so it can be welded easier after all the other interior pieces are welded.
Also welded together some pieces to make a whole.

Damn, clicked submit before I was done.

I rechecked fitting of internal sheeting before welding. This will be done when the weather is better. So I then assembled the rear valence and welded it together again. Next up was replacing the rusted engine bay hinge housing. Next was the engine lid that had a second hole for the catch as it would not fit in the center position while the Toyota motor was still in. The next job is bit more work but I like to have a engine hatch on top. It's not original but at the end of the day won't look out of place I think.
Some time ago I bought a later model engine hatch and also bought a engine deck for my Westy. Or so I thought. When I got working I found out that the shape was the same but the bracing was closer together. I drilled out all spot welds and started marking things out. I also driller out all the spot welds on the later model engine hatch so I could get a better picture. So, so far I have all the loose bits an had to fabricate longer braces. This I could luckily do with the left overs of the parts I bought. Next I still have to do the back bottom corners for which I also have new ones but and open to suggestions on how to fit them.
Till next time.

well done, nice to see so much work go into saving your baby.

Keep the pictures coming hopefully it will inspire others and new young ones to start and build up a project.

Will wait for the next update .....

Herman

incredible progress, well done!!

Give that man balls!!!,.....i mean Bells !! !

Give it stick boet ,....great job

Haans

Thanks guys, been at it the whole weekend and today but did not take photos.
It's amazing how much time goes into things one doesn't really see.
Today I mainly welded up the millions of holes in the cab and on the front. Then grind it all smooth again.
I'm hoping to finish all this metal work during lockdown.