Date:         Sun, 12 May 1996 01:52:44 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         dworkin@ari.net (H Steven Dolan)
Subject:      Re: '68 front-end into '59 Bus? Disc brakes?

At 12:15 PM 5/12/96 -0500, JMonesson@aol.com wrote:
>I recently acquired a '68 parts bus. My question is: can I use this
>ball-joint front end on 
>my '59? Someone told me yesterday that I could. I also have a '73 parts van,
>can I use the disc brakes from that beam on the '68/'59? Any response is
>greatly appreciated.


I don't think this will work.  To quote from '68-79 Bentley for Busses,

    "Prior to the models covered by this maual, the Type 2 front axle was
similar to the front axle of the Volkswagen Beetle.  However, beginning with
the 1968 models, the front axle for the Type 2 vehicles was completely
redesigned. Although it employs the same operating principles as the earlier
axle, every part of the new unit differs in size and shape."

As a result I think you are out of luck.  The mounting points almost
certainly differ and I know from experience the trailing arms are much
bigger on the later axle. (and tougher to remove, too)

What *might* work is to find a late beetle front end, with disks, and swap
it in.  Alternatively, a variety of disk brake conversion kits have been
produced for the Beetle, which might fit.  (some of these kits also
"lowered" the front end, an interesting possibility for correcting rear-end
sag).  Not having any experience with the disc brake era bugs, I do not know
if there was any provision for power assistance.  If not, you may want to
take a second think about this, as disc brakes take considerably more pedal
pressure than drums.

                           Steven Dolan
                           Alexandrian, VA

'73 FI'ed Westy