1974 Double Cab Project

[wwebner]

Not sure what "not standard" Stud you found. there is a "step stud" replacement for boogered exhaust stud holes. 10mm x 8mm. If you need some,PM me and I will send you what you need.
Bill

[chuckspence]

Finished cleaning up the speedometer cluster over the weekend. Came out pretty nice. Found several photos of other late bay double cabs and from what I can tell these came with a gray face gas gauge and a black face speedometer. No e-brake light either.

Your speedo has been changed, Panama delivery would have come with a kilometer unit and the gauge pods would have had matching faces, the surround looks correct, no brake warning light, and probably no reverse lights, and the reason your research shows other late bay doubles with mismatched faces is that almost every late bay double in the US came from a country with kilometers as their speed unit, and the speedos have all been changed to later MPH ones (mine still has the kilometer speedo) inside the rear cover your speedo should have a date of Mfg stamp and I'm sure it's later than 1973...

[Rob]

Thanks for the info Chuck. Will keep my eyes open for a gray KPH speedo. Looked at the back of the cluster. It actually says 6.70 so they must have used a later speedo and the gas gauge from an earlier one.

[Rob]

Success! I had to cut it out but I was able to get the exhaust off! Small victories. Nothing much salvageable from this though, the left side heater box was completely rusted out. Each side was welded as the exhaust pipe. Crafty Panamanians! But hey what would you do if you''re in the middle of Panama got no "dinero" but have a welder, some sheet metal and the remnants of a few random mufflers?

Will keep the right side as it is mostly intact, to sell at a swap meet, someone may need it and be able to weld on a repair pipe.

[Rob]

Test fit of the new muffler looked good. I was not 100% sure it would fit because none of the part catalogs listed this for a 74 Bus. Looks like everything will clear just fine.

[Rob]

Bill, thanks for the tip on the reducer stud. The bolt that had been used in place of the stud turned out to be a 10m X 1.50. My local hardware store had a reducing stud from 10m to 8m with a 1.50 thread. Ran a tap to clean it up a bit and put them in. They are slightly longer than the stock studs but worked just fine. Exhaust is in.

[Rob]

Just a top photo of the exhaust.

[Mike Kever Kombi]

Rob,

Nice work. I hope you make it to KI, as I look forward to meeting the van and you sooner or later.

Really nice work

[Rob]

Painted and mounted a new front emblem. I know it is not stock for this year but I think it looks pretty good.

[Rob]

We will definetly see you at Kelleys Island but will be in our Westfalia!.