Been a joy

I know it's been a little while since I've given an update on our van.

Truth is, We've just been enjoying it too much to take the time to write anything.

So, here is a little update from the past 8 months...

Lucy just loves "her camper".

Every chance she has, she'll jump up in it ready to go on her next adventure.

Installation of the auxiliary batteries under the driver's seat was a breeze. Three wheelchair batteries wired together for a combined 66 amp hours.

Early February, 2020

  Our local VW camper club called T.O.W (Tents on Wheels) got together for a campout at Bear Lake.

Lucy is such a camera hog!

Late February, 2020

This is just an outing of just us.

We had a great time at The Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve in Atmore, Alabama. 

I decided a automatic transmission fluid temp gauge would be a good idea.

With the Subaru engine running like a champ, I wanted to be sure the transmission wasn't getting too hot.

March, 2020

 It finally happened!
The wait for the ARB is over.
We absolutely love this awning. So easy to use. And, very high quality. 
 No excuse to pop it out for a better camping experience, or just shade at a car show.

I was also able to install our new 3000 Watt power inverter. Wired to the auxiliary batteries under the driver's seat. 
Now, Mo can have her hot coffee anywhere we are. 😉

On the road

Getting to drive our newly rebuilt camper has been such a joy!

I don't know if everyone has the same luck as we had getting it running and driving, but we feel so very lucky that it all went so smoothly.

For the past few weeks we have been putting as many miles as we can on her. Trying to make sure everything is working as it should.

So far, everything has been running perfectly!

We took a morning drive out to check out a new camp spot on Bear Lake in the Blackwater State Forest.

 After driving up in the woods, we ended our day at the beach to watch the sunset. Oh, the perks of living in Northwest Florida...
Drive in the forests, among the tall pines. Then drive along the sugar white sand and emerald green water of the beach all in one day!

Finally, the time has come for our first campout!

We packed up the camper (and trailer) and set out for Labor Day weekend at Karick Lake just north of Baker, Fl.

It was a little hot in the middle part of the day, but so nice and beautiful in the mornings and evenings.

We had our window unit A/C to keep it cooled off though.

I guess it's time to repaint the trailer to match the new camper...

Moving on its own power for the first time

On the road. Like getting the engine to run, it just went into gear and we drove around the block.

It's almost like I know what I'm doing. lol

It runs!

The day finally came to turn the key and see if the junkyard engine was worth the $900.00 we spent on it.

Finished the wiring harness. The plastic box will live right behind the passenger side tail light. Fits pretty much like it built for it.

I REALLY thought it would have taken more to get it running.

I basically added gas, topped off the coolant and oil and... it just started and ran!

Almost there

We are so very close to getting this engine running.

All that's left is to fill all the fluids. Coolant, oil, and gas.

Installing the rest of the coolant lines

 After getting the engine in I started on the rest of the coolant lines. 
Everything went pretty smoothly. The two-piece stainless steel coolant pipes from busdepot.com fit very well. 

I used some old rubber hose and some strapping material to hold the pipes up into place.

































  

Now, on to the exhaust.

I got the whole exhaust system from smallcar.com. Again, what a nice product! I haven't had it on for long to see how it will hold up in the Florida humidity, but so far very impressed.

This exhaust tucks up underneath the rear bumper just like the original did. Looking at the van, you can't even tell I installed a 2.5L Subaru engine. ;)

The time has come... engine install

It is now time for the Subaru engine to be installed into the Vanagon.

After cleaning the engine and sending the heads off for a pressure check. I put the engine back together with new head gaskets and reinstalled the intake manifold.

Once I got the engine all back together I installed the adapter plate and mated the engine to the transmission together.

Mounted the engine support bar, keeping the bolts a little loose for adjustment.

 Placed the engine and transmission onto two furniture dollies. 

 Simply slid the engine and transmission under the van on the dollies...

 Placed the jack under the center between the engine and transmission and slowly lifted them both up until the transmission mount was up against the chassis. 

Put the four bolts into the chassis that supports the transmission.

 Once the four transmission support bolts were in, I lowered the engine down onto two jack stands and repositioned the jack to lift the engine the rest of the way into the engine bay.

I couldn't be any happier with how well this conversion fits.

The engine support bar and everything seams like it was built from VW to fit.