The Dubtricks Blog: Read VW Magazines Free and online

The Dubtricks Blog: Read VW Magazines Free and online: If you're anything like us, you can hardly move for the VW magazines strewn around your house and / or workshop, so we love the idea of onli...

Cleaning with Virgil

Now that the hippie bus has left the building, I started cleaning out the white riviera, with the help of Virgil!  Next up is removing the old blown motor and putting in the new long block I am picking up tomorrow.

The Dubtricks Blog: Mini Blog: How to Research the History of your VW

The Dubtricks Blog: Mini Blog: How to Research the History of your VW: A customer asked me earlier this week how he should go about finding out the birth date of his early Baywindow Campervan, and how he c...

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Happy Holidays!  I will be taking a couple days off, see you all after the weekend.  Hope all is well!

Hippie Bus Moving On

Well I let her go but I did get to keep a couple choice parts to put on Nilla, the rivera.  The VWOA hitch and dash table will be a nice addition to this camper which I am planning on using a lot.

After buffing...

After taking off most of the paint, I went to town with the buffer on one door.  The results speak for themselves.  I can't believe the original paint shined up like it did.  Now I need to figure out what I am going to do with her.  I have a friend who is wanting to take it off my hands pretty bad and I might just let it go and put my effort into the rivera camper...

Graffiti Remover Test

Took a few minutes today to see if the graffiti remover would work and it was much easier than I thought it would be.  This test patch came off with little effort.  I am going to do another couple patches and possibly bring out the buffer to see how well she shines up.

The Hippie Bus

Well here is why it is called the hippie bus!  It is actually pretty straight and dry, considering how well it was taken care of!  I mostly wanted it for a couple parts but I am contemplating taking some graffiti remover to it and see if I can get back to the original paint.

TWO new project buses!

So these showed up in my yard today.  The white one is a riviera camper now named "nilla" and the tan one is lovingly called "the hippie" bus, as you will soon see.  Since I have a couple new project buses, I decided to let Rose go to a friend.  Sad to see her go but I know that she will be taken care of.  More to come this weekend on these two.

The Mailman Came! Additions To My Collection

I have a soft spot for old VW manuals and radios (weird right?), so when the mailman came today I was excited.  I added a new radio and manual to my collection, pictured above with another couple I already had.

Before and After: Project '63 Done

Well she is done (for now).  I added the final touches today, can you tell what they are?

Vintage VW Picture Of The Day

VIDEO: Motor Running

Here is a video of the new motor running that I took today.  Its all setup now and runs great!  (I know the belt needs to be adjusted)

Next up is to install the final touches for now (rack, new tires) and then I am moving on to a new project...

Motor in..what a great sight!

So I forgot to take pictures of it going in, well because I had my hands full!  But here it is...I did the initial run in and adjustments, then took it around the block and it is sweet!  Now I just need to drive it for a bit and make sure it is all set up.

Motor Build Up Part 2

Put on the heaterboxes, oil cooler and shroud (not pictured).  This should be a pretty sweet motor if it runs like it looks!

Motor Build Up Part 1

Today I put on some tin, the distributor, carb and some various parts.  I should be able to finish it up and get it in by the weekend!

Longblock all ready for some love

Buttoned up the long block for the bug and am collecting up all of the tin and components to build it up this week.  Its a 1600DP, all stock except for the full flow oil filter.  I can't wait to fire it up and go for a spin!

New Project: '63 Beetle

I picked up this dry '63 for pretty cheap with one catch, it has no motor.  Good thing I have been building up a 1600DP daily driver motor and don't have a home for it yet!  Other than the lowered beam and color, it is pretty stock and will stay that way.

My First VW

I was searching through some old photos and found the one and only picture I have of my first VW, a Manx replica I picked up for a song and drove for a summer.  It was sitting for sale in the backyard of an older gentleman who had towed it behind his motorhome but couldn't travel anymore.  It had a for sale sign in it but considering it was not visible from the road, I don't think he wanted to give it up.  He liked me and practically gave it away, and I had a great time with it!

Video: Single Wheel Trailer on a Bus

Here is a little video showing the single wheel trailer on the bus while driving.

I Have Tunes!

I was in desperate need of some tunes in the bus and now that the other projects are out of the way, I hooked up these Sony speakers and deck.

Propex Finally Installed!

I hooked up the top end and ran the intake and exhaust lines under the bus.  The exhaust runs out the side and the intake runs across to the other side so no CO2 will be recirculated.  Ready for winter camping!

Propex Test

I spent the last couple days building a temporary cabinet and hooking everything up for the test.  I fired it up and set the thermostat and it worked great.  After some checks for leaks, I turned in for the day.  I will do the final hookup tomorrow.

Vintage Manx

I would love to build up a real Manx buggy to look like this one.  The widened stock wheels, stock seats and wheel, all of it...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Propane Tank Install

Rose does not have a propane tank like the westys, so I picked up this new unit and thought it would be a good place to start on the install.

Using the included brackets, I drilled holes on the passenger side and mounted it up underneath.  It tucked up nicely.  I then ran the propane line along the underside of the floor to the drivers side where the propex will be mounted.

Propex Install Started

Started the process of mounting the propex heater today (and filling in the holes in the floor from the PO).  I can't wait to test it out in this cold weather.  More install pictures to come.

Vintage VW Picture of the Day

Rose the Red Nosed Bus

The tires came this morning and while putting on the new spare I found a surprise!  This old bus is very faded but the nose was partially shielded by the spare, leaving a red nose.  Festive today..

Tune Up/Exhaust on Rose!

I spent the weekend tuning up the bus and installing the new distributor.  I also prepped/painted the new stock exhaust so it will hopefully last longer than the last one.  Productive!

Next up, Rose the bus!

Now that the buggy is complete, my next project is to finish up Rose the bus.  I have a few goodies coming up including a Propex install, new propane tank, upgraded stereo and more...

Buggy Before and After

I picked up this buggy as a truckload of parts.  It was a father son project which was torn apart and never finished.  I quickly realized that almost everything was there to build it up and after some paint, powder coat, blood, sweat, and tears, here it is.

First drive: My Buggy

I took the buggy out for its first drive and it was amazing!  I forgot how much fun it is driving a buggy, especially on the street where everyone waves.  It took a couple months, but I am glad I took on this project.  So much fun!