Hi everyone I would just like to introduce myself (Jamie) and Doris (blame my mrs for the name!) our project VW Splitscreen sundial 1963. Doris originally lived in California but came to the UK about five years ago. She's a rat and it has been a dilemma as to whether to take her patina/ratty ness away but in the end a plan was hatched to give extensive surgery to polish out her imperfections.

I will try to not bore but will tell you the story of how I bought Doris......
I had a few shandies at a wedding reception and got the dreaded email from eBay warning me of a camper I had been watching on eBay was close to ending. It was currently at reasonable price and in my wisdom I decided to bid it up to see where the highest bidder was and I got £100 ahead of the highest bidder. It was still what I considered a reasonable price for some of the bits on it. I stopped bidding expecting to get beaten. Needless to say a few hours later I had to explain to my mrs that I had bought us a VW Splitscreen. Thankfully I did live to tell the tale, but it gets more interesting as the van was meant to have an mot so I thought I will just hop on a train to Leeds and drive her back. In the ad it did stated the brakes were not the best, but he assured me he would fix them. I drove off into the sunset with barely any brakes and thankfully full RAC cover. I think I was brave lasting about twenty nine miles using the gear box and handbrake to stop. Eventually I admitted defeat and rang for help!!!






Good start! But hey I was the proud owner of my first splitscreen! First job was a Porsche 944 front disc conversion and as it had a some what intriguing MOT with no advisories I motivated my self by practising driving it and had great fun three or four times. Being amazed at the attention considering for my sins I have had a few quick evo,s I got lots of people taking pictures/videos of this ratty bus!








A full resto plan was hatched and thanks to this forum I was recommended to speak to Bob at restohaus who came to my rescue and despite being fully booked let me help him strip Doris down and store him at his business. With a plan to start the project at some point in 2016.






Asked Bob to chop Doris's face off before blasting for yard art!

Skip forward to the present and we are at the sand blasting stage!!!!!!

Second attempt hopefully full size pics of prep for blasting

Having fun with pictures so order is getting messed up sorry.

Pictures to follow of when I first got to look at Doris on a ramp and see what I had got myself into!

The next section are some more strip down pictures at resthaus with Bob putting up with my lack of spanner work

I felt we did well in a day getting the bulk of the van stripped down

My decision to get rid of Doris's patina has been hard but I wanted to keep her long term and couldn't bare seeing her get worse. I would have loved to strip her underneath and clear coat to preserve the rust but having seen some of the up keep to do that ie stripping it and reapplying it every few years it wasn't for me. I have a vision for her which will unravel on here!

Next step getting the nod from Bob that the engine was out, so my plan to get my technician/good mate who has put up with all my mad ideas with cars over the years, to rebuild the engine. It was a basic 1641 that had seen better days and had a lot of end float. He wanted me to stick to 1641 and go twin carbs. I couldn't resist going to 1776 mild spec but with the aim of the van handling Devon hills a little better!

Spec list
Scat economy engine kit 1776
Scat c35 cam
Full engine balance
Case tapped for full flow
Case align bored
CB 044 big valve heads
(Hopefully port matched to CB manifolds and polished)
CB slim line deep sump
New alternator
Petronix billet distributor/petronix coil
CB breather set up
Spanish twin Webber idf 44's which will be re jetted and set up on rolling road.
Empi rocker covers
Scat 1:25 ratio rockers
New clutch/ chromoly flywheel

I have probably missed some bits

I bought a soda blaster for the case and my mate knocked up and enclosure out of two oil drums I will take a picture of it as he's a clever chap.

More blasting pictures to show off all the restohaus's hardwork!