TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:10 pm

Just for fun... What is your best Fix, Adjustment, or Cosmetic thing that you have done to your Vanagon - that required NO money and only the tool box or other items in the garage and your own ingenuity. When complete, it made your Vanagon Drive Better, Leak Less, or Look Better. To start things off, I sprayed all removable outside hardware; Door Handles, Grilles, Wiper Arms, Mirror Mounts, Badges, etc... Flat Black with Krylon Paint, and tweaked the lettering on the Badges with a red enamel that I also had in the garage...
Tell it if you have done the same or anything different.
8)
Cheers...

Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:32 pm

Removed all botched up wiring. Cleaned all grounds; replaced bad spades (had boxes of them) at the fuse panel.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:04 pm

Used a dental pic to clean out the serrated edges on my windshield wiper posts.

Yes, I had a dental pic in my toolbox.

And, no, I don't remember why I did, but I did.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:24 pm

Removed the horribly faded and screwed up plastic "chrome" trim around my windows.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:26 pm

i probably have 25 dental pics in my tool box, use them all the time.

best free thing i did when i bought my syncro, tighten the hand tight front axle nut to the required 230 or so ft lbs. made me feel safer. and thats just the beginning of what i found on the "VW guru shop maintained" syncro. im still shaking my head at everything.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:07 pm

cleaned the mildew off the inside of the pop top roof. got the fridge working. and fixed up some wiring.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:43 pm

This weekend I painted my grill and wiper arms flat black. Also installed a power inverter for 110v under my rear seat (nice addition for blowing up matress's).

Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:54 pm

Power Inverter, where do ya get that...? Auto Parts or Radio Shck? Or...
I like that...

Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:58 pm

harbor freight

Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:02 pm

My ventcover, stays snug even driving on the highway:

Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:03 pm

Ahma Check that... Big Help on the Air Mattress.... :lol: :D
That Vent Cover... Mighty resourceful!!!! A for resourcefulness!!!

Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:24 pm

Power inverters are available at car audio shops or best buy.

I had run power and ground from the spare battery to distribution blocks located under the rear seat a while back, makes for adding accessories much easier.

Power wire and distribution blocks can also be bought from car audio shop.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:11 pm

The best almost free thing I did for Winston was removing every sticker the previous owner had plastered upon him, inside and out, except for ONE 'VW' sticker I left on the closet as a memorial to Nick and because I don't mind that one.

I haven't been to all those places, not sure Winston has, and he went from 'Freak Van' to a respectable, well-maintained Westfalia Camper.

Well, not QUITE respectable. But the freak factor is just me, now.

:shock:

Best!

Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:13 pm

Add a MIL (CEL) light for early '93 Jetta OBD1 on my ABA 2.0 conversion:

I added an insulated muffler clamp to this lower "rad" hose support (ABA 2.0 in my Westy):

Shortened stock coolant pipe on ABA Conversion for connection to expansion tank and heater core:

Road side fix for fridge vent (worked. Was SUPER windy out.... flame was blowing out)

Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:22 pm

msinabottle....
Winston is one sweet '84. Did you leave out the A/C after removal?

Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:49 pm

Quote: Winston is one sweet '84. Did you leave out the A/C after removal?
Thank you, the Great Pumpkin is outside blushing.

No, I didn't remove the AC... That was Nick, the previous owner, he said it didn't work and he didn't want to bother with fixing it, so he just yanked the compressor and the rear cabinet gear and...

Left me to yank out the condenser (Bucko has it now), the dryer (Ditto), and yards and yards and yards of hoses. If he'd kept the compressor or the other parts I MIGHT have tried to get it working, but that little 1.9 is doing quite a bit as it is! Winston also lacks power steering, but I seldom miss that.

I had a very lovely drive home in him just tonight... Just remembering how wonderful a Vanagon, a country road, and a cool summer's night can be. I need to do a full post about him, because a very... major... project... has come to a successful conclusion.

Thank you for your interest.

Best!

Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:44 am

hiram6 wrote: Used a dental pic to clean out the serrated edges on my windshield wiper posts.

Yes, I had a dental pic in my toolbox.

And, no, I don't remember why I did, but I did.

Why you did? Easy. To clean out the serrated edges on your windshield wiper posts!

When I went looking for a large seringe so I could poke through the CV boots to grease them up, folks thought I was the biggest "junkie" around.

Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:13 am

I took the front part of the A/C complex down... it was falling apart anyway, I am getting ready to take out the other part, just a head above the driver's seat, along with the hoses and the (compressor?) on the engine with the other belt. Hoses go from right under the driver side wheel well all the way to the back. When I get everything out, I will send whatever to whoever for the cost of shipping. My 83.5 has no P/S either - but it;s all good.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:31 am

berge13 wrote: I took the front part of the A/C complex down... it was falling apart anyway, I am getting ready to take out the other part, just a head above the driver's seat, along with the hoses and the (compressor?) on the engine with the other belt. Hoses go from right under the driver side wheel well all the way to the back. When I get everything out, I will send whatever to whoever for the cost of shipping. My 83.5 has no P/S either - but it;s all good.

Hi berge

Make sure you get the shipping money first> I gave away a buzzer for free, just for the $5.25 cost of shipping months ago the cheapskate/shyster has never paid.
Good luck

Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:48 am

Quick pop top annual rennovation.

Wiped on a coat of Penetrol on two of my Westy's---

I had a quart of Penetrol in the garage reefer to keep it fresh from last year.

Total time to two new tops?

Half hour.

Nothing could be finer---or faster.