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Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:16 am

obus wrote: i vote for buying a less rustier bus. I waited and saved up enough duckets to buy one that was mostly solid. I had to sell a rusty beat up 21 window and had to "settle" for a Standard but i am happy.The running and driving thing to me is less important than finding one that has less rust. You can always find mechanicals later but it is much more difficult to find a rust free bus!!! I bet you would spend probably 2k in metal and body work neccessities anyway so why not find a good one to begin with as J.Pickens said.

x2

Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:17 am

skramyrral wrote: I have 67 also that looked very similar to yours when I started to restore it. I am doing all the work myself. I figure I have spent in excess of $12k and 2 years already. If you have the cash, buy one all fixed, If you have time and money to pour into it, but it. The fun is in the fixin' if that is what you like to do. My $.02[/img]

this is the bus pictured in his gallery there are more photos there[/img]

Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:46 am

I might be the only one but this struck me a bit funny. Both the '67 you are looking at and "skramyrral's" '67 have the same picture of the cargo floor with the closet cabinet sitting behind them

HIS:

YOURS:

This is the sort of future you have should you decide to bring that bus home. Hopefully with a better time frame as you mention wanting to be using it this year.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:04 am

No way you will be camping in that bus by this fall. If that bus was completely rust repaired and painted right now, you wouldn't be camping in it by fall unless you towed it to the campground. Just the wiring, seals and mechanical work would take you all summer.
That's a big project. A lot of parts appear to be missing. This translates to money--a lot of it...believe me I know and the bus I started with was a complete creampuff compared to that crusty old thing.
You need to look past this year's budget...better to buy a complete bus without all the rust and enjoy it while you work on it.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:55 am

66busman wrote: I like both of your buses, if it's any consolation 8)

Cool it makes me happy & boosts my confidence :lol:
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:56 am

Seems to be a lot of naysayers here. From my own personal experience I bought a westy in comparable shape to hers, and have pretty much enjoyed it how it is. The rust doesn't bother me because I know that I paid very little money for the bus to begin with and it isn't like the bus is going to crumble into the ground overnite, or even in my lifetime for that matter. It doesn't need to be perfect just get it going and use it what it was meant for. Of course it is nice to have a rust free bus I'm sure but not everybody has thousands of dollars to throw at a nice bus...

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:56 am

slow36hp wrote: Linda Grunthaner wrote: slow36hp wrote: might do good to keep looking not sure where your budget is but alot of welding on the plate for this one

Thanks, I'm having my friend who is picking it up check to see if he can weld it up faster than me. He will call before he hands over the cash to be sure.

Is this the only spot you have doubts about also? If there are other concerns let me know, I haven't handed him cash yet. As for a budget this bus is $2600. should I wait for next years budget?

Linda honestly i would just keep looking. that entire lower nose i bet is trashed as well as all pillars and outriggers. weld on the bus you got while you are looking.it will give you practice and increase the value of that one which could be sold to supplement whatever you end up with. rust repair and reassembly could easily add 2-4k to the bus you are looking at that isn't even addressing if you want to paint it.i have seen several nice kombis under 4k that if someone had a camper kit would make nice rides.

PM me on what you have if I don't go through with this :lol:
Thanks for the advice.
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:53 pm

66uno wrote: The underside looks dry. The cargo compartment has rust mainly along the side. Cut it out and replace. Grind all the rust down, treat and POR15. Hell, a plywood subfloor goes over it alll anyways.

Yeah, it might be better to find a nice dry bus out of southern California and have it shipped. But, not all of us are trust fund babes. . . some of us actually work for a living.

I would love a California bus that was my original plan but the shippers are going through the roof with this crappy gas situation, last year would have been better to do that. I think the last time I priced CA to NJ it was over 2K. I would be better off waiting till I moved back to my native CA in 8 years with prices like that.

I got a price quote on both rockers from my body guy for $400. (I buy the parts) which I think is a good price and it gives me time to work on the rest of the body myself. I sent out my friend to check out the bus and pick up if decent and if it has no other surprises I'll go for it. He headed out yesterday but it rained like hell out here east of the Mississippi. I just found out it also has the working icebox & water pump with cabinet. The interior all looks the same as posted so it should look pretty good.

I’m doing the best I can afford to although if I had 10K for a nice bus and 2K for the shipper I would rather buy out west.
Wish me luck.
Linda

Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:55 pm

arthurnugen wrote: Linda,

This bus is much better than the last one. I am looking forward to your next find which, judging by your progress, will be a much better project. I would hold out for one that runs and drives. I think you will be much happier with a project you can drive on occasion now and work on as needed.

Arthur

Actually this one does run & drives which will make it easier and more motivating to work on.
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:16 pm

mufasavnvmc wrote: Linda, I would tackle it. I am a welder and have all the equipment at home. If you want to learn to weld and other talents then go for it. The under side looks good and its just a little rust repair. If you are not to piticular all of the floor will be covered by plywood so learn to weld the floor in first then go for the body work. I agree with others it is alot of work and you should work on the mechanicals first. Make it pretty second. If yo take your time and go slow you can become a first rate welder, I am self taught and I can do a fair job. If you start with a crusty bus and it doesn't work out you still have alot of parts to sell and then look for that ultimate bus. Good Luck Mufasa

Thanks Mufasa,
Actually I am an industrial arts certified teacher, and do my own welding at home I have MIG & a gas torch now but the rusty 66 Microbus needs so much chassis welding I thought it would take 2 years of evening work. I guess time is more valuable right now so I though this little westy looked like I can get her road worthy this summer (she is a driver) I’m going to go with my body guy’s offer of doing both of the rockers for $400. (I buy the parts). I can do the small cosmetic welding on my own as time permits as well as the body work and assembly. He can do the rockers in 2 days and I can continue with my summer school teaching without skipping a beat.

I see you have a 67 Westy too can I pm you for info tips?
Thanks for the vote of confidence,
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:47 pm

StockNazi wrote: that defienetly looks better than your other bus, much better. hell, that looks better than the first rusty bus i learned to weld on.
if you have not seen the bus in person, i would do that first, and take somone with you who has done some welding on a bus before.

if you decide to buy that bus, i would get it running and driving first. you can have some fun enjoying and driving your bus and do some of the welding it needs at the same time. that bus looks solid enough to be able to do that with.

Thanks StockNazi,
She is a driver which will make it so much easier to work & drive. I weld but yes the 66 blue & white microbus was way too much work. My body guy will do the rockers for $400. and I can do the rest.
Thanks ,
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:50 pm

slow36hp wrote: Linda Grunthaner wrote: slow36hp wrote: might do good to keep looking not sure where your budget is but alot of welding on the plate for this one

Thanks, I'm having my friend who is picking it up check to see if he can weld it up faster than me. He will call before he hands over the cash to be sure.

Is this the only spot you have doubts about also? If there are other concerns let me know, I haven't handed him cash yet. As for a budget this bus is $2600. should I wait for next years budget?

Linda honestly i would just keep looking. that entire lower nose i bet is trashed as well as all pillars and outriggers. weld on the bus you got while you are looking.it will give you practice and increase the value of that one which could be sold to supplement whatever you end up with. rust repair and reassembly could easily add 2-4k to the bus you are looking at that isn't even addressing if you want to paint it.i have seen several nice kombis under 4k that if someone had a camper kit would make nice rides.

slow36hp,
If my guy tells me the outriggers & pillars are bad it's a no sale. The owner said it is clean but you can never be too sure. Thanks for the advice very good points.
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:51 pm

suebug wrote: I bet you could do it, Linda. Scavenge your other bus for pieces and parts. Go get it, girl!

Suebug,
I'm going to try not to butcher the 66 so I can make some cash back but I have no problem swapping out parts and the seats are the first to go :D
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:02 pm

Mowser wrote: I might be the only one but this struck me a bit funny. Both the '67 you are looking at and "skramyrral's" '67 have the same picture of the cargo floor with the closet cabinet sitting behind them

HIS:

YOURS:

This is the sort of future you have should you decide to bring that bus home. Hopefully with a better time frame as you mention wanting to be using it this year.

Mowser,
Very deja vu, but great photo which I'll send my body guy to help with the rocker job. I want to do most of the work myself but the price is great for the rocker work so I can take my time on the rest. Being she is a driver (my pickup guy will know for sure when he starts it up) it will be easier to move around & work eventually a driving resto-job.
Lin
PS Skramyrral your doing a great job keep up the good work.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:09 pm

Major Woody wrote: No way you will be camping in that bus by this fall. If that bus was completely rust repaired and painted right now, you wouldn't be camping in it by fall unless you towed it to the campground. Just the wiring, seals and mechanical work would take you all summer.
That's a big project. A lot of parts appear to be missing. This translates to money--a lot of it...believe me I know and the bus I started with was a complete creampuff compared to that crusty old thing.
You need to look past this year's budget...better to buy a complete bus without all the rust and enjoy it while you work on it.

Chris,
She is a driver now and all the parts are boxed. My body guy can have the rockers done in 2 days I can do the rest in their shop. Exterior paint is scheduled for winter and paneling for spring. After I reinstall the glass I'll just toss in the z-bed & pads, I have no problem camping in the rough. The owner says she is a driver, if my pickup guy (mechanic) says it isn't a driver he will drive home empty and I'll look some more.
Lin

Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:25 pm

I just finished my drivers side rocker today. It took over 10 hours. So if your guy will doboth sides for $400 in 2 days I would watch him to see that he is doing it properly or just slaping them in.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:56 pm

Linda,

It might behoove you to learn how to mig weld sheet metal on your blue and white bus before messing with the westy yourself. The worst that can happen to the blue / white bus is that you eff up and burn holes in it and have to fix it. I'm going to buy a crap bus to learn how to weld on as well.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:28 pm

Apparently she is even better that the photos. My guy started her up and drover onto the trailer. The bus looks nothing like the photos, it looks better. I don't understand that because it should be the other way around. It is cleaner, straighter, and much more solid and has less rust than the photos. She is now sharing an eighteen wheeler trailer with 2 early 60's Corvettes to keep her dry while I order the gaskets for all the glass. She looks so good I may just put in the glass and driver her home and work on the body later. I want to drive it now.

I already see some items I would swap out with the other bus like the faded large wall closet cabinet and the rusty hub caps. Apparently the brakes were done not too long ago and just need to be bleed. I’ll take my time swapping out the interior and other parts.

As for welding the rockers yes I see how much will be needed, the inner and outer rockers as well as pillars. I also see how expensive the Gerson parts are so it may be best that I put off the repairs until I can afford the better (expensive) parts or just do a few parts at a time and yes use the old bus to practice on as well. I’m just glad I won’t be welding in cross braces on the chassis of any bus because that looks like a difficult job to be upside down welding all the time.

I'll post more pictures if it is dry tomorrow.

Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:34 pm

skramyrral wrote: I just finished my drivers side rocker today. It took over 10 hours. So if your guy will doboth sides for $400 in 2 days I would watch him to see that he is doing it properly or just slaping them in.

skramyrral,
Your doing a really nice job on your bus. And yes I see how extensive it is please continue these great picture posts :D
Linda

And yes I may have to be there when he does that welding or do it myself so it is exactly what I want.

Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:26 pm

I don't recall who posted this site but it shows everything i need to know to put this bus together.

But I wish I had a good book of the head liner dimensions. Are there any out there? I am not sure if I need the bow sizes as I haven't opened the bus to see the goodies inside. I will surly post the pics when i do. It's like Christmas and my present is in the bus :lol:

Look I can almost measure these wooden slats. Anyone out there with a size and type of wood for my roof rack?

http://torlasco.tripod.com/westy/id4.html

Lin