Building a Cal Look Bay Window

[rick m]

I've noticed the bay windows are really popular in Europe.  For those of you that own one and have lowered it, what did you do to achieve it?  I need info on the front and rear suggestions.

Rick M

[louisb]

Bays can look really cool when done right. There is a '69 Bay double cab roaming around here I have wanted for the longest time. Put it on a set of gas burners or five spoke empis. Lower it, hop up the engine and you have the perfect "shop truck". I seem to remember Sarge posting some pics of a nice bay from one of the dealerships he worked for with Porsche rims, etc.


--louis

[rick m]

yeah...already rounding up parts. I wanted a 68-71 so I can use my inventory of type one motor parts.  Not a type 4 fan.

Rick M

[Lee.C]

Great mind think alike dude - you not seen my thread  http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,9971.0.html

I'm thinkin lowered, rollin on fuchs, with a HOT 1915 in the back 

I'm not really going for cal look as I want a Deluxe with all the trimmings 

[Zach Gomulka]

You can get drop spindles on an exchange basis from a few guys on thesamba, that will get you down 2 1/2", adjust the rear down equally and I think that would make for a good looking bay. The spindles are welded though, so wheel choice is important if you plan on using a stock width beam.

[Neil Davies]

You can get drop spindles on an exchange basis from a few guys on thesamba, that will get you down 2 1/2", adjust the rear down equally and I think that would make for a good looking bay. The spindles are welded though, so wheel choice is important if you plan on using a stock width beam.

You can also use a split bus beam, making dropped spindles easier and safer.

[viNce]

Mine is lowered with a 4.3" adjustable narrowed beam, dropped spindles on the front, and adjustables spring plates and one spline, nearly OEM confort and low 

All work done @ Vintage Autohaus, france. -> http://www.vintage-autohaus.com/Accueil.htm



All pics on my blog 

[rick m]

I love the stance of your Bay Window from the work done by Vintage Autohaus. That is the look that I am going for. Great input.

Rick M

[Lee.C]

Yeah thats about the stance I am thinkin of - Maybe a tiny bit hight at the front or maybe just some taller tires, Very similars to Alex/Jesus 

I contacted those guys about a couple of their buses but unfortuntely they were both sold 

[Jesus]

Mine is a Cal Look Bay as much as Loads of Bugs Claim to be Cal Look

Its a 69 Deluxe Microbus from California, Hence the LHD,

Up Front:

Running a Creative engineering Ball Joint Narrowed weedeater 2 beam,

Welded Drop Spindles

BIG 4 Pot Willwood Calipers on BIG vented Disc's

Crap BRM's running 175/55/15's

At Rear:

2 Outer and 1 Inner? (was a long time ago) Drop

was running 6" RACE weight erco's with 205/70/15's till i managed to create a hair line crack going sideways round roundabouts in Oslo.

Now running the OLD trusty BRM's can only get 195/65/15's on them due to the crappy offset, Seriously considering milling the back of the wheel down a bit!

Creative: http://www.creative-engineering.com/

Wagenwest are good in the states!

Once you get Proper LOW the only way to go is Link Pin Split beam, with drop spindles, disc brake conversion and some subtle chassis notching! And adjustable rear Spring Plates at the rear with again SUBTLE chassis notching for both Drive shafts and arms!

Mark Prosser from Autotechniks is truly the only person in the world that KNOWS his shit and abuses his own busses hard! I trust him with my life!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Autotechniks-Type-2-Performance/110083145937?ref=ts

Ok now i'll bore you with some pictures, The beige 68 belongs to Mark and I own the Blue 69

Street Guise:







Race Guise:








and Mine:









I can't find a decent cab pic,

But Essentials are, Half leather recaro's Autometer Monster Tach with Shift Light, Oil Temp Gauge, Gene Berg shifter with my Line Loc Button


Don't forget to check out

www.ultimatestreetbays.co.uk

it's a international club for anyone with a bay window that gets a 1/4 mile ticket of less than 18 seconds!

Maddog and I (the founders) increased international relations with a trip to our only non UK member this summer.

Drove my 69, 2500 miles from the UK to Norway for SCC this year, it was the best adventure of my life, and i couldn't have done it with out my trusty Bed on Wheels!

My 6 yr old (still on the same pushrod tubes) lil 1776cc engine managed to get me there and back and also hit a new PB on the track of a backed up 16.7

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,9968.0.html

above is the thread about our trip!

Hope my random post has helped in some way! 




Vince Looking good Buddy, Those Gas Burners have really grown on me

[Lee.C]

perfect just perfect (apart from the round side refector - I prefer the rectangle ones )

 

[Jesus]

Round is 68 Only dude

I prefer them roundies!

[Lee.C]

Looks like I need a "69" the dude 

[rick m]

What size engine is in the AUTO TECHNICS bus?  I like the stance on both of these bay windows.  This is the next project for me.

Rick M

[holmsen]

I think Mark is running a 2332ccm.
This is my daily driver, adjustable front beam, one outer drop at the back
Engine is a T4 2056ccm. just capable of running under 18, 17,62

[Jesus]

What size engine is in the AUTO TECHNICS bus?  I like the stance on both of these bay windows.  This is the next project for me.

Rick M

He is running the OLD 2276cc motor that has now done 4 years HARD service, he takes his summer holidays in his van and generally drives down to the south coast of Spain,

It was the same engine he run in his black front paneled camper that performed those monster burnouts @ EBI2,

Jan is correct @ Volksworld he did have the 2332cc out of the green panel van in the beige 68, but the valve guides needed attention so with a swap about of ancilaries the 2276cc went in instead.

[rick m]

Holmsen,

A very nice looking Bay Window.  Who did you get your dropped spindles from? Also, if they are welded/dropped spindles, how much do they push the rotor or drum out past stock width?

Rick Mortensen

[Zach Gomulka]

I do not like the look of rubber band tires on the front of some of those buses!

[rick m]

Yeah,  I won't be doing the tiny tires either. It is not safe for something of that weigth with a forward rake.

Rick M

[Lee.C]

Yeah,  I won't be doing the tiny tires either. It is not safe for something of that weigth with a forward rake.

Rick M

Agreed dude - I wan t mine to be "level" No rake 

[Jesus]

Yeah,  I won't be doing the tiny tires either. It is not safe for something of that weigth with a forward rake.

Rick M

How would you KNOW?

Have you run a bay with a rake?

Have you ever run 175/55/15 tyres?

Tyre technology these days means these things are possible if you do enough research 



Trust me after 65,000 miles and 100 passes at least down the track,(at which time i over inflate the fronts), they are perfectly safe! I wouldn't endanger myself or my passengers!

Not to your taste is one thing, and acceptable, NOT SAFE however....

[holmsen]

Trust me after 65,000 miles and 100 passes at least down the track,(at which time i over inflate the fronts), they are perfectly safe! I wouldn't endanger myself or my passengers!


Sorry Jesus,,,(for bad language ),,but that's one Hell of an achievement right there  Guess that dude, Mark, is it? knows his way around those small T1's   
And Rick, agree on the wheels, a more beefier 185/65 look better 

[Jesus]

Cheers Jan

and if I lived where you do in Oslo I'd run 185/65's too, those roads are HARSH!  

[volksnut]

Rick, on my old bay I ran a adjustable beam from Franklin's and 1 notch in rear, the wheels were 16x7 Audi A4's that fit on late bay disc's and drums, cheap and stopped/handled nice....

[rick m]

The Audi wheels look kinda cool. I am going for more of a Cal Look with BRMS or Alloys.  Hey Jesus, what brand and tire are you running on the front. I am 100% on board with low profile tires. I thought they were referring to something like 145"s or 135's on the front.  I ran 40 series tires on my Porsche Carerra tht were 275's. I had them over 130mph and the ran fine.  I was just referring to the narrow style fronts that many US buses try to run.  I am game for the low profile series tires that have a nice footprint.

Keep the Bay Window shots coming. It is giving me a lot of ideas for my project when the Chop Top is done.

Rick M

[Berger]

This is my 72`bay, running narrowed adjustable beam with drop spindles from Wagenwest. It`s going to get a new beam this winter as the adjusters are at top position and it`s a little bit to low. It`s currently got a 1950ccm t-1 engine with 108 hp. New 2110ccm engine in this winter
I use 185/65-15 up front and 215/70-15 in the rear.

Berger

[rick m]

Berger,

Is the company you got your spindles from in the US or Europe?

Rick M

[Jesus]

The Audi wheels look kinda cool. I am going for more of a Cal Look with BRMS or Alloys.  Hey Jesus, what brand and tire are you running on the front. I am 100% on board with low profile tires. I thought they were referring to something like 145"s or 135's on the front.  I ran 40 series tires on my Porsche Carerra tht were 275's. I had them over 130mph and the ran fine.  I was just referring to the narrow style fronts that many US buses try to run.  I am game for the low profile series tires that have a nice footprint.

Keep the Bay Window shots coming. It is giving me a lot of ideas for my project when the Chop Top is done.

Rick M

No Worries!

I just hate people inferring something is UNSAFE, I took it personally and for this i apolagise!

I've run all kind of makes, my favourite grip and look wise being the yokohama's i ran, but they wore out REAL fast, currently running Continental Contakt 3's 175/55/15, they are not as grippy as the yoko's but i also get at least a year if not 2 out of them, were as i was going through the yoko's every 8 months!

I know what you mean about the narrow aspect,

I TOO was very concerned about running a narrowed beam, and only chose to do so as by adding welded drop spindles and the disc brake kit i had, it had pushed the track out that little bit to far, the edge of the rim sat under the lip of the arch, preventing me from getting the front of the van down and the rake I was looking for. Running a narrowed beam has brought my track width back to inside the lip of the arch. To be honest the main difference i've noticed is due to the drop spindles giving me much comfier and longer suspension travel the front of my van is no longer MEGA stiff so i can't throw it in as hard as i used to round corners, but on the plus side i get places with my fillings and brain still in tact these days

Try Wagenwest for spindles and beams in the states Rick

Berger, I LOVE your van, Early sign written Panel Vans ROCK!!!!

[Berger]

Berger,

Is the company you got your spindles from in the US or Europe?

Rick M

As Jesus says, it`s in the US
http://www.wagenswest.com/parts.html

Berger

And thanks Jesus, I love yours too. Fantastic rake! 

[fastfred]

that's mine. lowering job by "Kieft en Klok" using T2D/KnK technology. www.kieftenklok.nl and www.typetwodetectives.com