Pictures of my 81 Groovy Hippy Truck

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I'll give some brief overviews to some of these pics.
Not full exhaustive build labors.
I have a running parts list i'll post later on that basically covers all that.

Underhood, it was a mess.
Everything came out/off except actual engine and tranny.
And 90% of it was replaced. The rest refurbished. It looks like a brand new rebuilt engine - visually.

The fuel filter was dangling between airbox and fender apron, so i relocated it on the firewall. All fuel hoses are new front to rear. Put clear hoses underhood.

The wiring was going everywhere and took some odd routes.
Straitened it all out and put it all inside plastic wire looms.
Made a battery hold down for the oversize battery that came with it as bought.

Half (or more) of the electricals on Truck were inoperable front to rear. Most all those were easy fixes, once diagnosed (not always easy).
Everything functions properly now - except the wipers don't park themselves at bottom. Probably the relay, but not swapped any to it yet. And I did a manual reverse light toggle, thought it might come in handy. Also added a coolant level sensor/warning system.

Everything about the cooling system was replaced with new, down to the clamps. Except the water pump that the guy had installed when he did the timing belt. Upgraded to Mk2 2spd fan/shorud assembly.

It ran much better with cold start pulled, so i knew he had the timing low. Tinkering - i began advancing the InjPump - until it ran out of adjustment. Basically the pump was 1 tooth off. It ran better and smoked less. Left it like that until after i was finished revamping everything. After all that was done, i set it up right and dialed in on 1.05

Ran much better, started instantly, and the more i drove it the better it got. Until it basically stopped smoking all together.

It does have a funny problem with oil consumption. It eats about a quart every 500 miles. The 2 studs for #1 exhaust port were gone - but looked like gasket was still there. Put in 2 bolts and hoped for best. After the first 200-300 miles it began leaking oil from that exhaust port gasket. And it continues. The only leak on the whole Truck.

But it runs fine, minimal blow-by, rarely puffs any Blue, just ocassionally on some start-ups. So its just gonna be that way. Probably have real bad valve seals. I'm going to build another true TD engine for it anyhow soon. And maybe a FN tranny upgrade.

It has a reman'd 82 CR 12mm engine (unknown miles) with everything from an 85 TD engine swapped onto it - top to bottom including air supply. And the 85 TD 5spd code ACH.

I've put about 3000 miles on it, 1700+ were a roundtrip to Markham Ontario Canada.  

Since these pics were taken - have removed the washer reservoir i made from a generic overflow tank and a spare mk2 washer pump. Its been replaced now with good working factory stuff.
Have added a boost gauge. Sourced some plastic strut caps. Sourced Mk1 TD Airbox and Snorkel.

Next little project will soon be mounting up the new control arms, balljoints, steeringlinks, urethane bushings, and a front end alignment.

I averaged 38-39 mpg before going to Canada.
38-39 with LDA boost hose disconnected for 500 miles (waste of time trying out ECO mode).
And 38-39 with about 1200-1500 pounds coming back from Canada.
After the rest of the front end work - hoping to top 40mpg.
The shell offers some resistance to the wind i'm sure.
Probably costs about 3-5 mpg.
Worth every bit of it.  

[rabbitman]

It does have a funny problem with oil consumption. It eats about a quart every 500 miles. The 2 studs for #1 exhaust port were gone - but looked like gasket was still there. Put in 2 bolts and hoped for best. After the first 200-300 miles it began leaking oil from that exhaust port gasket. And it continues. The only leak on the whole Truck.

I'm rather curious how oil leaks out of the exhaust port.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I'm rather curious how oil leaks out of the exhaust port.

You and me both, and Tyler, and the few others who have asked about the spot it leaves. Never heard or seen of such before.

#4 has started doing it mildly some too.
But not enough to be a drip.
Just a stain down the backside a lil ways.

I had the engine spick and span clean and fresh paint front to back.
So have been able to monitor all conditions.
Its coming from the bottom of exhaust port/gasket. lol

If i put new exhaust gaskets (which i do have - and for intake too) it will probably stop leaving its mark. But the consumption will continue. You'd think it would leave a trail of blue with oil going through the exhaust manifold.

I scratch my head, turn the key and drive.
It runs too good to screw with it.
Will do a comp test before i pull it out just for sake of having the data. If new engine build becomes prolonged, i "might" put the new gaskets on it.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

On the next segment of pics, the raised platform and drawers were existing items of previous hippster owners. I have removed them and stored them for possible future needs.

I took a Rabbit L Diesel emblem - cut off the L - and put it where the factory diesel emblem had been (it was gone).

The rear step bumper is something i'm pretty proud of too.
It came off the Tan 82 Truck.
1 piece welded bumper, with solid steel mount brackets.
Heavy Duty as heck. Thought it was maybe a factory option, but folks who have known Mk1/Trucks a lot longer than me say it was custom made.

Hippy Truck has added leaf spring (4 total) and spring/coil assisted rear shocks. It sits up in the rear - even with weight of the shell.
With the load in Canada packed in - it sat just about dead even. Maybe a hair below even. But no squat.

------------------------------------

The truck bedliner cut in half was my idea. (aka going cheap)
The fragment amount shown laying down is how much was trimmed off the back.

I wanted protection, reinforcement, and cargo weight distribution for the bed - on the cheap.
Especially before loading engines and a tranny back there.(Canada)

Scoured craigslist and started calling about used bedliners and getting measurements from them. It turned out the best measurements, best price, and newest one of them all, with tailgate protector included, was from a 2009 Dodge 1500.

One problem with a bedliner in a VW Truck is the extended bulge in front of wheel well on passenger side - for the fuel filler. The Dodge wheelwell fit perfect for that parameter.

It was a HD Rugged Liner with the extra thick ridged bottom.
Manufacture date was Jan 2010. Price was $25
Guy had just bought Truck - used. Dealer had just installed the bedliner when they got it. He wanted Rhino-liner instead.

Told him i would need to make a couple cuts on it just to be able to get it in my Truck to get it home. He said no probo - he would help - Pay First - then cut.

So i cut about 3 inches off the back - cut it strait down the middle - overlapped it down the middle and it fit right in there. When i got it home i had to make some trim cuts up front by the cab where VW slants rearward. But it wasn't much trouble, and the trimmed section fits right back in there when repositioned, to protect upper back of cab below window. It worked out GREAT.
Fits flush right on top of the campershell side rails.

Cut the tailgate protector down to size.
Made a jig and heated it up real good, and formed it to roll over the top of my tailgate about 2 inches.

In picture #293 you can just make out a silhoutte of the bedliner inside. And barely notice the tailgate protector under the shell back window. Somehow my measurements really came together.

Very Very Happy.
Someday i'm gonna trim both pieces down the middle where they meet flush in the center, instead of overlapping. But it hasn't been any worry so far.

The old rubberized Texaco door mats are layed in the floor over the bedliner as anti-slip. And they fit almost perfect too.
I just got lucky on this stuff and it all came together.

The platform/drawers will still go in the back with the bedliner.

Have really been surprised how much load it will haul, even going up and down those West Virg - Virginia mountains.
Its my favorite VW overall.

But my 89 Jetta feels like driving a Cadillac now after i drive the Hippy around some.
 

[Baron VonZeppelin]

And onto the last segment of previous pics - straightening the killed pass side quarter panel.

I had already done quickies on the Hood, pass Fender, and pass Door. Didn't do anything spectacular, in the interest of time. The hood needs stripping, the pass fender needs replacing, the pass door just needed to be same color as rest. All of that got BRUSHED with DeRusto Semi-Black paint-n-primer in 1 - oil base product.

I don't have a frame machine or hydraulic pulling floor post in my shop. But a friend does at his shop. He put me off for about 3 months, of calling him weekly. It got to the point to where it looked like i was gonna have to drive to canada with a wiped out bedside.

Finally, he said okay bring it on over tonight and lets do it.

He was dreading it i know - kept telling him it wasn't a Hemi-Cuda and all i was after was just to get the metal back out decent. And i had plans of attack. He was just overly skeptical because you can't access the backside anywhere.

We pulled the wheelhousing out first with special fit pre-made jig just for that purpose. That went pretty well.

Then welded strips of metal along the creasing and bends, clamped to the metal strips, chained the clamps, and hit the pump as needed and where needed.

That probably sounds too easy. But thats the short version.
We spent about 4 hours on it. Then welded up the holes where the body side molding had been. Test fitted fuel flap.

Next day at my shop i dressed down all of our welding leftovers, did some sanding smoothing and prepping, primed with zinc based metal etch primer. Next day i brushed it with the DeRusto.

Didn't perform any body/bondo work - just wanted to get it somewhat more presentable for time being.

Truck will eventually go White or Navy Blue. (more than likely)
With Black interior. (definitely)

  

[fdnyguy]

Keep up the good work. My first VW diesel was a 1980 I  bought for $50 back in 1990. Spent $400 more on a tranny, and ran it for 50,000 miles in 8 months.

Went cheap, used a Sears oil filter and lost all oil. Drove it home about 4 miles. Added oil, new filter, let run for 30 minutes, all sounded good. Drove 1/2 a mile, and it sounded like marbles in the engine. Replaced with a junkyard engine that lasted 400 miles. Junked it in a yard in Staten Island, NY.

Of course, this was before the internet and this site.. I had a cap on it that was flush with the cab, unlike yours. On long runs, averaged 47 mpg on I-95. 

Good luck.

Stay safe, stay well. Jimmy.