Home › Forums › KCW Completed Projects › Chad’s ’66 SO36 Dormobile

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  • Audrey Jones
    Moderator
    December 14, 2021 at 4:07 pm
    Post count: 1640
    #61443

    About time to get started on possibly the coolest camper to go through KCW 😎 Chad’s 1966 L345 Light Grey Dormobile..

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    It’s even Scooby Approved!!

    Chad decided to go ahead and have us make it a driver for him too, so he dropped off the engine, tranny case, etc. a few days ago…

    IMG_0846

    I’m excited to help with and watch this project!! I think Dormobiles are pretty cool… I know there was at least one, maybe 2 at VWs at the Springs, and I think one at Buses and Balloons too, but they are pretty rare. I was reading a bunch about them on Samba and they were a collaboration with Martin-Walter and Volkswagen, like Westfalia and Volkswagen. Apparently they were only sold at one VW dealership in the UK, but could be ordered as a conversion kit as well… Martin-Walter did these Dormobile conversions on more than just VW’s too.. fiats, fords, Toyotas, Land Rovers and more.

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    Heres a couple old ads I found – who doesn’t love a good vintage VW ad?dormobiledormobile 2

    Never make somebody a priority who makes you an option.

    Vwfool
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 6:06 pm
    Post count: 998
    #61444

    What’s the story on the engine?  Is that some type of fuel injection thing?

     

    This bus looks awesome!

    tlambert
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 8:13 pm
    Post count: 605
    #61446
    Vwfool wrote:

    What’s the story on the engine? Is that dome type of fuel injection thing? This bus looks awesome!

    Looks like a Holley Sniper EFI. Pretty interesting. Haven’t seen one on a VW yet.

    Tim

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 9:24 pm
    Post count: 97
    #61447

    Dormobile has an interesting story… the original dormobile company is still in business in the UK. Many of the parts for the roof are still available through them. Their roof has been offered on many different vehicles throughout the years, most notably on land rovers and bedfords.

    There were actually several ways to get a dormobile roof on a VW bus back in the day. You could buy a Martin Walter converted bus using the dormobile roof and the weird multiple folding seat setup.  You could take any VW Bus to dormobile in the UK and have them install their top. Or like this one, you could order your westfalia with the dormobile roof installed by westfalia.

    The camper code through westafalia for an SO42 interior delivered with the dormobile roof was SO36. I believe it was the most expensive westfalia (and bus) configuration at the time. Which is likely why so few real split window ones exist. This one was a custom ordered Euro spec SO36 westfalia dormobile based on the single tone paint (most were two tone) walk-thru seating and m-code options that include an eberspacher gas heater, ambulance fans and ignition lock.

    The bus has had a ton of metal replacement and just finished paint. There are a couple door fitment issues that John is going to resolve on it. Then  it’s time to finally put this bus that I’ve had a love/ hate relationship with for over a decade now back on the road to enjoy.

    Thanks John, Franz, Audrey and crew for taking this on.

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 9:33 pm
    Post count: 97
    #61448
    tlambert wrote:
    Vwfool wrote:

    What’s the story on the engine? Is that dome type of fuel injection thing? This bus looks awesome!

    Looks like a Holley Sniper EFI. Pretty interesting. Haven’t seen one on a VW yet.

    Good eye… Red-E motorsports in Utah came up with an adapter kit to mount a Holley sniper EFI originally designed for a 6cyl mustang to a stock dualport intake manifold. With this being an m-coded eberspacher gas heater bus, dual carbs wasn’t an option (won’t fit). Have heard good things about this kit and the buses I’ve seen it on run awesome. Should be a good solution.

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 9:36 pm
    Post count: 97
    #61449

    … and thank god Scooby approves. I was worried.

    Franz
    Participant
    December 14, 2021 at 10:06 pm
    Post count: 5403
    #61454

    Super cool, looking forward to the EFI install and test. I assume we’ll have to install a high pressure fuel pump and modify the gas tank for a return line.

    How about the IRS transaxle ? Strait axle is so much more simple for a lowered bus….we can use this late trans core for the good parts and swap to a swing axle case and differential.

    Pat K
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 6:48 am
    Post count: 2933
    #61459

    This should be a cool build. Let’s do it!!!

    Tucked into the nice warm clean shop yesterday evening. F66C2150-2C75-4BC8-97B4-356A8DCF7CEFDD65F91D-28B6-4DB7-905D-FC84396239B6B1949861-4CF2-4A39-943F-C53AF7DF4DDE

    Getting it unloaded this morning. 391289DE-0675-467C-A5E9-FF4ACB422EC3

    We will build it if it comes.

    Franz
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 9:06 am
    Post count: 5403
    #61465

    Can we please go with a swing strait axle? IRS only makes sense if its stock height or lifted.

    16″ x 6″ BBS mesh wheels. Lots of nice repops now. Or 15″ could be cool. WagensWest front disk kit. Original type 3 rear drums. Or matching wilwood disk kit?

    John Jones
    Moderator
    December 15, 2021 at 10:07 am
    Post count: 13880
    #61473

    What a cool bus.. going to be a great build!!!!  I can already feel the momentum… 😎 😎 😎  Thanks Chad…  😎

    Irs is for offroad.. 😎

    EFI is for modern cars 😎 😎

    Oh Chad….. 😎

     

     

    Been a wild ride, but it got me here 😎

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 10:37 am
    Post count: 97
    #61474

    Pat… awesome to see it in the clean shop.

    Franz… take a look at this kit and let me know what you think: https://type-emotorsports.com/collections/type-2-rear-suspension/products/bolt-in-1955-1967-bus-irs-suspension-complete?variant=31614161387638

    My deluxe is straight axle w/ type 3 rear brakes. They are easy to put in but adjustment and repairs later are a lot easier with IRS, I’ve had both. The kit above actually works for both stock and lowered by just flipping the stub axle housing. Well, that and swapping in 944 CV parts in for stock height. It’s also purpose built for early type 2 to so no cutting or clearancing. Would be nice in case I want to make it a real camper and lift it back up later. 🙂

    Audrey Jones
    Moderator
    December 15, 2021 at 11:46 am
    Post count: 1640
    #61475

    Check out those door gaps? Pat and JJ worked on those first thing and they are Lookin gooood. no damage done to paint or anything 👌🏻 Just one hinge pin to replace.
    A9442300-8E95-4721-B39D-7B4FE50DA3F5EB401644-70AD-432D-A8D2-28679A4D0444FFEB21DA-4066-4215-A216-FFA25550E9B2
    also- would you like us to order more dynamat for the whole bus?E9BD91F9-4425-4176-AD0E-3517380A9A04

    I wonder how many pedals they use to drive in Idaho? Cause chad sent us plenty 90F5C6CC-FD55-4094-8A20-4AA632D71FF8

    Never make somebody a priority who makes you an option.

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 12:36 pm
    Post count: 97
    #61481
    John Jones wrote:

    What a cool bus.. going to be a great build!!!! I can already feel the momentum… 😎 😎 😎 Thanks Chad… 😎 Irs is for offroad.. 😎 EFI is for modern cars 😎 😎 Oh Chad….. 😎

    Well, call me a trend setter… free spirit… influencer… pain in the ass… just don’t call me boring. Scooby likes where I’m going, I can tell from the picture. 🙂

    Shortbus
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 12:46 pm
    Post count: 97
    #61482
    Audrey Jones wrote:

    … also- would you like us to order more dynamat for the whole bus?E9BD91F9-4425-4176-AD0E-3517380A9A04

    Yes please. I just threw what I had in there. Use Dynamat, Rammat, hushmat, asbestos, old socks, finely woven alpaca pube blankets… whatever it takes to quiet this sucker down the best you can inside.

    Von_hansel
    Participant
    December 15, 2021 at 1:00 pm
    Post count: 62
    #61484

    Hot DAMN this is a rad camper. Euro electric outlet, uncommon light grey paint, and Dormobile. You guys have been building some bad ass campers; one after another.

    It would be great to see the MCode plate. I take it that it has the Euro Westy lights on the long wall?

    I had a ’66 light grey kombi that was outfitted with a Sundial camper kit. All I can say is that it is nice to have a camper in a color other than pearl white.

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