Uberbus pic link...

[Panelfantastic]

Hello all! Gert invited me over and asked about my bus project.
It is up and running but I haven't had much time for it lately (building a new home), I hope to get back after it this spring.
It is a '59 panel with;
suspension narrowed 4" in front and 3" in rear, coilover shocks on all four corners, custom tubular rear control arms, four wheel disc brakes, 18" Porsche wheels, widened wheel tubs front and rear, and for power... a GM 2.2l Ecotec mated to a type1 transaxle.
I welcome comments and questions. If you like it, that's great. If you don't, I understand that too.
I've got a bunch of buildup pics posted on another site, just follow this link:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Panelfantastic

Thanks!
Jeff

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/1824562/3516975/56323513.jpg

[René]

welcome!!

nice bus man!!!
is this the one wich had a 2.9 VR6 in the back too?

[Big_Mac_Mark]

Sweet rides! welcome!

[Panelfantastic]

Thanks!
It had a mild 1776 when I bought it and I went straight to the Ecotec. A vr6 would have been great, but I don't know how to work the ECU for those. :frown:

Jeff.

[berendd]

Nice van dude...

It's the middle of the night over here, the reactions will come tomorrow.

the engine is it opel? does that go together opel and vw....in Holland it doesn't

but anyway nice watercooker ;-)

[PerL]

Really nice bus!

the engine is it opel? does that go together opel and vw....in Holland it doesn't

Yes, it's the Opel engine, also used in different GM cars in USA. As you probably know, Opel is part of GM. And I agree, Opel and VW doesnt fit together here :D

[Panelfantastic]

Thanks again!
You guys actually have a lot more Eco variants over there than we do here in the US. It's only been available here since '02. I've got a friend in California who is heavy in the sand buggy scene, that's where the idea came from. They use them in buggys, mod the heck out of them and hook them to VW based trannys. He already had all the adaptation and wiring figured out, I just had to make it work in a bus (plus, he gave me a big discount on the bits :biggrin: ). I know the Eco is an odd choice but I was able to get in cheap and make eeeasy power. The whole package is almost too perfect. Stock engine puts out 170hp with his ECU and I watched them beat the living daylights out of a pair in the desert... they are tough.

Jeff.

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/1824562/3516975/56323162.jpg

[Tjaap]

welcome.. the whole thing looks brand new (not just the engine) i'll just wait for all the bus guys to come in in the morning, but don't let them scare you. it's a great bus!!

[Panelfantastic]

Me? Scared? :eek:
I'm used to it, most vintage guys can be a little close minded... but they are entitled to see things how they want and say how they feel. If somebody has an opinion, I can take it. The difference is, I can love how thier bus looks and love the style of mine too, I win both ways. :cool:

Jeff.

[Tjaap]

you just wait till Stijn joins in. he just put a 16V on carbs in his type 3

[Tjaap]

here's his topic...
http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5110
it's in dutch, but his english is great so untill he joins in, let the pics speak for themselves :p

[Gert]

Welcome Jeff .

Glad that U found this forum . Comments are cool in every way .
Some are taking the vintage thing to stellar levels : using only the time correct bolts :(
Dare to be different .

[Richard]

hmmm..i liked it more with the vr6.. ;) ..
to jeff..everybody on this for toughed it was a vr6 in the back :D

[Bussie komt zo]

Welkom Jeff,
The bus is in excellent condition, did it come in this condition or did you restore it yourself. The engine, hmmm it's different, but you it fitt's like a glove and stands pretty nice at the back off the bus.

[krukab]

i'll just wait for all the bus guys to come in in the morning, but don't let them scare you.

Hello Jeff !!

Here's just one of "the guys" who's admiring your work on your bus !!
Saw it on Germanlook (http://www.germanlook.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=4334) last year,and man your bus looks awesome !!!
I would have done some things different,but your plan of putting a lump in it witch is cooled by water,
is deffenetly my cup off thea :cool:
I was the one who posted your picture over here in the gallery,but the "trend" over here is going low and
just driving/cruizing,and "look at me ... I'm cool !!"
There are not that many busses around that are technicaly completly different,and your bus is just one.
That other people don't understand it,or even post topics (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=72398) on thesamba of what not to do is just childisch.
They're just jealous of what other people can do to a splitscreen van :biggrin:


I'm working on a 1966 crew cab (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6408) and the only big questionmark is the engine ...
It's a shame that you live on the other side off the planet,because I would love to go for a ride in your panel !

Here's one picture of my current bus,a 1967 SO42 westfalia,complete with 993/996 brakes,IRS,servo,AT gearbox,
and Fuchs alloys
http://www.volksforum.com/gallery/wm.php?pid=10864&mode=normal

http://www.volksforum.com/gallery/wm.php?pid=10086&mode=normal

[Panelfantastic]

Thanks everyone for the welcome!
My bus was close to stock when I bought it several years ago. It had a ten year old "backyard" paint job, the front had been dropped by removing almost all of the torsions :eek: and the rear had been converted to IRS. I changed almost everything underneath to make it correct. I had to replace one door and repaint just a few panels, the paint and body are a loooong way from perfect.

Kruk@b, the westy is perfect! Has that RS look! It is good to know people who share my sickness :cool: .

What it looked like the day I got it home... humble beginings.

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/1824562/3516975/45746142.jpg

[krukab]

It is good to know people who share my sickness :cool:

Yep,the more mentaly ill,the better !! :D
on the other hand,people blame me that I have infected them with the whole Porsche/vwirus.
They took a ride in my westy,and they dumped the vintagelook,witch was there first plan.

We have Luuk's resto (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7064),Erwin's bus resto (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2120) and the Rokus project (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4349)
And we have a thread Porsche brakes on a split screen (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6215)
Everything is in dutch,but the pictures speak for themselves I think :wink:

There are a couple of more that are infected,but they still won't admit it ... :tongue:

[Gert]

Dont forget my Kemperink that will get some Porker brakes and maybe a watercooled engine in the future :D
Thats why I think u did the right thing : old looks with a modern heart .
Much easier to drive in modern traffic .




http://www.volksforum.com/gallery/wm.php?pid=5937&mode=normal

[Bussie komt zo]

Yep,the more mentaly ill,the better !! :D
on the other hand,people blame me that I have infected them with the whole Porsche/vwirus.
They took a ride in my westy,and they dumped the vintagelook,witch was there first plan.

We have Luuk's resto (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7064),Erwin's bus resto (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2120) and the Rokus project (http://www.volksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4349)
Everything is in dutch,but the pictures speak for themselves I think :wink:

There are a couple of more that are infected,but they still won't admit it ... :tongue:

Do i need to make my topic in englisch. :D

And yes Kruk@b infected me with the Porsche/VW virus
thanks for that wonderfull experience.

[krukab]

Please Gert,can you resize it a little because your picture is f*cking up this thread !! :mad:

@Skywalker/Bussie komt zo;you're welcome !!

[Gert]

Please Gert,can you resize it a little because your picture is f*cking up this thread !! :mad:

@Skywalker/Bussie komt zo;you're welcome !!

Done Krukep

Only the ones who love this will comment on this .
Rest think its blasphemy and will react accordingly .
Same as with my Kemperink : the regular airheads ignore it completly .. says enough abt them :D
Jeff : mount a roofrack with some nostalgia shit on it and ur widely accepted again :D

[volksfahrer.nl]

What it looked like the day I got it home... humble beginings.

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/1824562/3516975/45746142.jpg

Seeing what you started with makes me feel even more sorry for this bus :(
But hey! It's your bus! Do whatever you want too!

Anyways; welcome here :biggrin:

[Panelfantastic]

Ahhh Keverpech, my old nemisis! :biggrin:
Your comments are always welcome, it keeps the balance. We can agree to disagree and still love our buses! (although mine is a twisted kind of love :p )


Jeff.

[volksfahrer.nl]

Good to see that there are no hard feelings :rolleyes:

[vwspijlbus]

Here's one picture of my current bus,a 1967 SO42 westfalia,complete with 993/996 brakes,IRS,servo,AT gearbox,

Kruk@b: I'm looking forward to admire your bus in person on the bus meeting in Helden.

[SplitBien]

I like the van very much, but i like the engine even more!! :D
Keep up the good work! More photo's please!!

[Area51]

And for sale; http://www.vwkampers.com/classic-campers/1960-splitscreen-running-2.2ltr-ecotech-engne-and-full-porsche-running-gear-%C2%A329995.htm

[Tjaap]

Wow. Serious price. Nice bus though. Still after all these years.