TheSamba.com :: View topic - My 1971 Bay Window Westie build thread-The wanderer-

Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:50 am

when you are ready to paint it again you might consider buying/renting a small compressor and a decent spray rig. the end result will look a hell of a lot better than brush painting does.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:07 am

I'm doing about the same to my Bus nice thread, some more good info.
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/EssentialUpgrades.html

Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:11 am

p.s. get the brakes looked at that parking brake is out way to far IMO

Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:47 am

theizzardking wrote: i believe i`m making enough progress to start this, keep in mind i`m doing a build up not a resto. I`m a 26 year old with mortgage payments, 3 cars, a boat, and a girlfriend. My wallet leaks like a sieve. If i had the money

good deal on the bus, good paint job (it doesn't have to be great if you are just trying to seal everything up and make it look better from a distance), hot girlfriend, good post, good deal all the way around. I give this thread 2 thumbs up :D

Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:21 pm

WOW!~! Thanks for the Props (i guess that`s what you'd call it) guys!

i have a buddy that`s pro house painter he`s got a nice rig, i`ll hit him up
when i need something purty,

how do i check the e-brake adjustment? good eyes on that one!! i know nothing of these things, and having an experiacned group looking at things pointing out stuff like that is a big help, i mean how the heck is a newb meant to know where the e-brake is meant to sit?
the brake works fine, but could be worn or miss adjusted due to this post!

i just found what maybe a good deal what do you guys think?i`m driving down in an hour or two to have a closer look so don`t rob me!!!...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/725103445.html

what do you think this would cost me in plywood and harware to do a custom job. i have a sink
and pump already i was planning on building a small table with notches to hold a colman dual burner camping stove, over the sink.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:32 pm

hey thanks for the info! i`ll be doing alot of that for sure soon really like the clear info on headlight upgrades! part numbers right in there and everything!
i think it`s already been switched to Pertronix, i'm going to be busy sorting the rest of it out!

Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:33 pm

sorry need a quick response on this, bump

Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:39 pm

got one from the man himself VDUB tech

VDubTech
To: theizzardking (Online)
Posted: Today 2:36 pm
Subject: Re: hey can you have another look at my rebuild thread, Quote message
Are you talking about the interior you're going to look at? Looks a little steep to me to be totally honest. Last early interior I sold (out of a '71 Westy) included everything on the inside of the Bus--all the camping stuff, all of the wooden interior panels, the trim, the screws and hardware to reinstall(individually bagged and labelled) and all of the cabinetry, cots, etc. etc. Basically everything except the front seats because the buyer didn't need them. I don't know, I guess it isn't awful, but it does seem a little high to me. And his "Price is not negotiable" doesn't give me any good feelings either. Everything is negotiable, as it should be.

Brian

response: yea it included all of the stuff you listed above, but i think it might be steep as well, i think i can do better for cheaper with a custom job..... i just needed some conformation

Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:35 pm

my be it was just the angel but im no pro but you do want to have the brakes looked at all the same.
why do any extra work?

Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:26 pm

well after much discussion(on my end) and little debate(her end) the wifey
decided that 30 year old stuff in good condition is still 30year stuff, she thinks we can do much better, I agree, really the lack of "creative freedom" or making her personal is kind of a draw back as well. I think i can get more done for the money myself. How is the overhead storage attached? ;-) i`m buying the rest of the stuff to complete the interior over the next few days.
I`m also going to have her checked out, what do you guys think about $140 for a buyers inspection?

Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:11 pm

I think 140$ is expensive. Could be money lost if the inspection is done by someone who knows nothing about ACVW's and VW buses in particular. If I were close to you, I could give you that inspection for free, but I'd have to swim for a few thousand miles. Same thing for the great guys that are over here on Thesamba. I think that with a good book (Muir, Haynes, Bentley), you could learn a lot about your bus by doing it yourself, and save money. But you need a book, time, basic tools, and the will, a lot of. Other option would be to have it checked by someone who knows ACVW in your area. Find a good reputable shop and bring your bus there. Worth the extra gallons of gas if it's done properly and honestly. Last option, not the best, bring her to that inspection you know, and pray that they know their job.
Adjusting rear brakes is quite easy to do. You can check by the inside of the rear wheels. There are holes there normally hidden by small rubber plugs. Remove them. The 2 center holes are for adjusting the shoes. The others are to check shoe thickness. Lift the wheel and adjust with a screwdriver to bring the shoe as close to the drum as possible, until it touches a bit. The wheel must still be free. And it's done... :lol:

Pierre

Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:25 am

yea, i think it might be a bit steep. But it`s through bow-wow Vw which from my understanding is the local vw haven, if there`s anyone else from the seattle area feel free to chime in here on what you guys think.....

also anyone have a source for lift spindles? i think i may lift her skirt up a bit,
further down the road i`m just building an excel spread sheet of desired mods and prices and sources and and and ect............

Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:40 pm

If it's the local VW guru, so go for it. It should be money well spent, at least, not completely lost.

Pierre

Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:14 am

this weekend we`re remaleing the z-bed will post foto`s soon showing each piece after has been traced and cut. thanks for staying tuned guys!!!!

Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:40 pm

ordered these today!!!!!!!!!!! exciting!!! went with the DD cht guage as it has the auto-cali feature and went with the cheap vdo oil temp guage as well as a few things to make drving her more pleasure able.

1- ODYR-11-1 Odyssey Series Cylinder Head Temp [ Bezel:Black,]) @ $124.95 = $124.95

1- SEN-11-8 Cylinder Head Temperature Sender Length 18' for 14mm spark plugs) @ $25.95 = $25.95

$150.90 SubTotal
$0.00 Sales Tax
$10.12 UPS Ground

$161.02 TOTAL (Visa)

________

total arouns $270 for some good stuff i think or am i going the wrong way here?

Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:26 pm

Buy the Muir & Bentley manuals and learn how to care for your bus. Save the $140 for later. I might pay a shop $40 for a check of the engine and drive train, but most of the other checks you should do, you can do yourself -- and you'll know it is done right.

Do things like replacing fuel lines before buying shift extensions. Make safe operation the first priority. You ca help youirself by clicking around The Samba to find out what is where; like tech procedures, bumping & painting, and parts for sale.

Sounds like a good buy. Enjoy it.

Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:47 pm

yea, fuel lines and brakes are one of my top priorities.
the shift things were more of an impulse buy and some cheap, lazy day fixes.
Not to mention she just sits around and waits for me to drive her around the block a few times every couple of days. i was under there looking at engine compartment earlier today trying to figure out where everything sat in relation to each other.(with the free copy of Bentley's i got with the bus)

As well as trying to figure out if i had dog house stuff or some other crap when i noticed that there are some very large holes all around my engine and the seals are all twisted, good cond. but twisted and pulled away from the seem.
I recall somebody saying that the engine compartment was meant to be sealed and almost creates a vacuum to help with cooling. Is this deptramental? anybody know a source for a kit? and a source for a tin kit as well?

Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:51 pm

Buscuss wrote: Buy the Muir & Bentley manuals and learn how to care for your bus. Save the $140 for later. I might pay a shop $40 for a check of the engine and drive train, but most of the other checks you should do, you can do yourself -- and you'll know it is done right.

Sounds like a good buy. Enjoy it.

hey thanks man! good looking out! Maybe i`ll just have the power/drive trains examined! saved a $100 bucks there!

Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:20 am

found a great page on getting your vw ready for high heat and dust areas,

http://wetwesties.tripod.com/switch.html
\
just thought i`d share!

Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:33 pm

finished the flooring on teh back hatch bed a week or so ago, too much work and not enough time to post!!! here's how it looks, i`m also securing the wood to the sheet metal via m8 button head cap screws black-oxide finish
also not shown is a 1.5 inch weather strip i got from home depot, it`s referred to as a threshold weather strip basically a piece of 1.5 inch rubber to cover teh back of the bed where the rear hatch drops down i sealed this down using
some 3m rubber to steel adhesive i got , it`s really good stuff we use in aerospace apps. so far it`s a prefect fit and seals perfectly!
also i`m sealing the bolts with blue or green loc-tite, the low yield one, as i`m just looking to seal the holes not loc the bolts.