Winter project. Meet Niknak the T3 hightop.

Still can't get the sliding door to shut properly. There's zero adjustment left in any direction. This is as good as it gets.

 

This camper has a missmatch of drivetrain and linkage parts.
Gearbox looks like a pre 82 one with the mount for the bearing pin and has an early relay lever fitted. The front gearbox mount has a strip of steel welded on to hold the linkage mount instead of it mounting to the gearbox.

The linkage is of the later type (mostly) with the selector cup which isn't supposidly compatible with the early relay lever on the gearbox.

The rear linkage has this weld half way along which i assume isn't factory. Looks like two different bits welded together (maybe to make it fit).

Gave it all a coat of gloss black.

 

Looks like this van was built up from a bare shell using whatever one of the POs had lying around.
The gearbox is definately an early 6 rib 091 (possibly aircooled petrol) one like this with the earlier style relay lever mounted on the nosecone but with a diesel bellhousing fitted.

The linkage is the correct (for the year of the van) later style but with the rear section of the linkage shortened to match the position of the relay lever on the box which is about 6" further back on the correct year box like this.

 

I've still not managed to get the linkage to work fine with all gears. 1,2,4 and reverse are great but in 3rd the lower ball on the relay lever on the gearbox pops out of the selector cup on the linkage locking it in gear.
Its using a diesel linkage with a dogleg in it like this:

which is correct for a diesel van but as the selector shaft on the aircooled gearbox exits about 6" further forwards and maybe 3 or 4" lower the angle of the linkage is too steep.

It sits like this (yellow line) vs level as it should.


I think if i can reduce the angle of the bends in the gear linkage (its only like 1" steel conduit) to straighten it a little it should sit more level and maybe not pop out.

 

Not at all like the factory intended but now all 4 forward and reverse are available once again.
I finally managed to get it all working properly this afternoon. Flipped the diesel rear linkage part upside down, turned the mounting bracket over and split the U/J and flipped one part of that over as it hit the handbrake rod. All gears are easy to find and it shift surprisingly well. Gearing is horrible though as hills my caravelle storms up in 4th, this 1.9 n/a diesel struggles with in 3rd.



I don't think i've seen one of these seatbelts on an 80s car before.