early bus -> bay front beam swap?

wingman · Post by **wingman** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 2:15 am

Does anyone know whether 70 bus front beam (wide 5 wheels) can be bolt onto 63 bus?

Thanks,
Michael

Post by **Marc** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 4:13 am

Doubtful.
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=47415
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=46017

bugmandan · Post by **bugmandan** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:33 am

Baywindow busses had two different bolt patterns where they mounted to the frame. I bolted a 68' beam in my 58' Bus. I don't know what year they changed, but the distance between the top and bot. holes got farther apart. Good luck.

FlatFourFanatic · Post by **FlatFourFanatic** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:11 am

General consensus seems to be that only 68 buses came with a beam with the early bolt pattern,thus enabling fitting into a split bus. However I have found these early beams in 69 and 70 buses.All down to chassis no I guess.

Kiwi_66 · Post by **Kiwi_66** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 4:33 pm

Just check to see if the beam bolt patterns are the same for bolting to the chassis of your split. I had a beam out of a '70 bus that still had the right bolt pattern to fit in my splitty.

pyrOman · Post by **pyrOman** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 9:17 am

I have a late fatchick beam on my '65 with disc brakes. Granted I did have to modify the beam a bit but the top bolts lined up and I put an inch weld at the bottom end of it in leiu of bolts. For the wide five pattern I got adapters from Wolfgang.

I used the late beam because that's what I got for free! However, with time, the right resources, and of course MONEY, the correct way to do it is to get the early fatchick beam to bolt on your split, then get the disc brake spindles and adapers.

Don't forget to get a dual circuit master cylinder if you go with the disc barkes, it is vital to do that!

biggraham · Post by **biggraham** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 11:34 pm

A 68/69 beam willbolt right in BUT:

It raises your front end about 3 inches

It increases your track

How safe are adapters?

pyrOman · Post by **pyrOman** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 12:20 pm

Safe? I dunno! But I can easily cruise at 80mph

The Wolfgang adapters I got are made of half inch steel plate. Had them for about 7 years now, no problems at all even when driving through 40 miles of washboard down in Baja

I highly recomend them. At the time they only cost $50 a pair, may be a bit more now but still worth it, IMHO!

I also did my "shade tree" mechanic trick to lower the front by 2"... pmail for det.

teacherguy · Post by **teacherguy** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 9:52 am

Piggybacking on this conversation, what year did the bays start coming with discs? I would love to swap fronts from a bay into my '66 to get the discs and ball joints. However, I would hate to lose the wide fives and the empi look-alike 5spokes that are currently installed. I guess I could go with adapters, but would like to see what other options are out there. Thanks in advance for any help.

Chance

dickcharlton · Post by **dickcharlton** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:40 pm

I know my 72 has discs. I think they started in 71 but not positive.

germansupplyscott · Post by **germansupplyscott** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 4:19 pm

disc brakes on the front and narrow 5 bolt patter wheels started in 71.

justdubbin · Post by **justdubbin** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:03 pm

teacherguy
Piggybacking on this conversation, what year did the bays start coming with discs? I would love to swap fronts from a bay into my '66 to get the discs and ball joints. However, I would hate to lose the wide fives and the empi look-alike 5spokes that are currently installed. I guess I could go with adapters, but would like to see what other options are out there.

I'm sure it was 71, both of the 71's I've had have discs but they are different to the 72 (read: rarer=more$$$) and they all have the small 5 stud.

Rob.