TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:25 pm

Well, hopefully I'm getting a 73 bay window that is all in all nice, has a little little rust, the guy listed me off a few things wrong with it, didn't under stand much. Something about the gear changer shifting, looked like it needed a new exhaust.

It was a bit loud too, is there anything I can do about that?

If not, whatever, but It'd be cool to fix.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:30 pm

Also, the moon roof is a bit leaky, the guy I'm buying it from said to seal it, but I'd like to use it.

Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm

Loud can be fixed, until we see what kind of exhaust and how ugly it is though I can't begin to guess.
Sunroofs can be fixed as well if they are VW ones, look for rust in the lower surround metal that's supposed to catch the water, hopefully the drains are just plugged.

Post some pics, a little critique from people who have been there and done that now could save you big $ and headaches later if it's not as advertised.

Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:32 pm

Allright, I'm supposed to be getting it on wednesday or sunday.

I dunno what's causing the leak, but he said it shouldn't be expensive to fix, he explained it to my mechanic, but I was lost.

Also, he said he keeps a load of spare clutch cables. Do they like, snap, or whatever very often?

Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:09 pm

If he keeps a "load of them" there might be a problem he's not mentioning... :lol: a lot of people keep A spare around, they do fail occasionally, just from age, but can fail particularly often if something ELSE is out of adjustment, or not working properly.

Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:18 am

Djembejim wrote: the guy listed me off a few things wrong with it, didn't under stand much.

By the sounds of your mechanical knowledge I think you'd be better off getting a bus with fewer problems. Fixing a non-working and/or leaking sunroof can be time consuming and very expensive.

Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:24 am

I live in the heart of redneck land, this is the closest bus that isn't 9 hours away that I have been able to find.

It's in okay condition, but he told me he keeps a toolkit and spare parts around.

And he said the sunroof could be fixed by a permanent seal, but I wouldn't be able to use it.

Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:40 am

Also it's got a new engine, corroborator, eh new other stuff I didn't much understand either.

But my mechanic said it was sound enginewise, just would eventually need some body work.

The only problem he gave me was the tailpipe, which had rusted and half of it had fallen off.

And, when he put the key in it started right up, and ran amazingly.

Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:48 am

Quote: Also it's got a new engine, corroborator, eh new other stuff I didn't much understand either.

Good thing the corroborator is new - I don't think they're still making them for `73s :lol:

Hey, I thought the corroborator was the thing that adjusted the head tension on a djembe? (Sorry, I digress to my past life as a music store manager!)

- Klauss

Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:52 am

Beh, I'm so lost.

I'm 16, I don't know much about cars, but my neighbor has been a mechanic for 23 years, and my best friend has been mechanicising for two years, and his father was a mechanic, and his father's father was a mechanic too.

Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:57 am

Geh, my spell check is stupid. :P

Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:00 am

Sorry, Jim - just couldn't resist. Every time I misspell something, the Spelling Police swoop in for the kill!

Hey, if you're willing to learn as you go and can put some time and some money into it, then go for it!!! No bus is perfect, and anything you buy will probably need more work than you initially imagine it will. Yeah, you'll be amazed at what you'll find! :shock: But that's all part of the passion for these things, and you've got a lot of folks here who can help you figure out how to get that baby back in the wind eventually.

Unlike all the other vehicles I've owned, I love my bus because I can say, "Yeah, I did that!"

Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:27 am

Well, I figure after I pay for insurance, and antique tags, all my money can go towards fixin' up stuff :D

Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:41 am

Ok some one has to say it check fuel lines. be safe & welcome to the bus life

Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:01 am

And please, when you are talking to your mechanic, please ask him to go slowly so that you can take better notes.
Also, snag a digital camera. A picture is word a thousand birds. (They're quite valuable)

Oh, and welcome to the addiction.

Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:31 am

Hey and welcome! Pick up a couple books and read cover to cover. First the basics, Muir's book:

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-S...amp;sr=8-1

Then the bus Bentley:

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=book6

Also, read through all the "sticky's" at the top of the bay forum here, they are free!

Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:39 am

Man, you're young...nows the time to start learning your way around an engine. Spend as much time with your mechanic friend as you can, have him explain as he goes. try your hand at a few things. This is when most of us learned how to work on vehicles, when we started to drive...

Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:27 pm

Also remember that "knowing" alot of mechanics may be good but also remember that your sense of urgency and level of enthusiasm is not going to match theirs. It is better to go into this with a commitment to eventually learning to rely on yourself as much as possible. :D

Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:23 pm

Well, my friend has never has had the chance to work on a bus before(Several VWs) He's been over six times since I got it to like look at it and play around with it, I think he's obsessed, he was mentioning I give it to him in my will, with a gnarly look in his eyes :P

And my extremely experienced mechanic took a look at it, it was in perfect working order, with some surface rust we are gonna take care of.

Original seats, mint condition, except for a tear I'm gonna try and patch.

Also, the sunroof has a leak, nothing to worry about while driving, but standing water:bad. I wanna be able to use the sunroof, but if it'll cost like an assload of money to fix, I'm allright with just the windows.

Here are pictures:

I've got the UV ray protector thing on:

I have no idea what the hell this is:

Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:27 pm

the human-like butterfly sticker, or the air vent?