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Mon May 18, 2009 10:44 pm

After waiting for a trillion years, I finally got a bus. Its a 1978. It doesn't run but I will have it running soon.

It looks to be in great condition besides the sunroof and windshield, and I'm going to be restoring it in my high school auto body class next year. But so far I just need to get it running and driving. The lady I'm buying it from said that it needed valve work that was $350 back when it was parked in 2006, but I really have no clue.

Can somebody help explain to me how to put the sliding door on? I need it to be on so I can get it on the tow truck and start working on it already! I'm so excited...this is my first bus. For some reason I didn't take a pic of the engine :? Thanks guys

Pics:

Door isn't on the bus. Can anyone help me figure out how to put it back on? I need it on to tow the bus away. I tried today with my friend and we couldn't.

The hinge...

Front is all covered in bushes.

Inside. It has all the seats.

Rusted shut sunroof...oh no

All the original stuff came with it...and some handbooks as well.

Rear end :D

Please help me get that door back on.

Mon May 18, 2009 10:56 pm

Congratulations on your first bus and welcome to the samba! That looks like a solid bus overall. What's the engine and compartment look like? Battery trays (notorious rusty spot on buses)? floors? etc? If it's been sitting, you should remove the fuel tank and clean it and install new fuel lines. The brakes should be gone through as well as pretty much everything else. This site, www.ratwell.com and your manuals will help you very much.

As far as the door, just stick it in the bus and tow it home. What's the problem? To put the door back on, you will need to remove that slider track cover under the rear right window. Getting a door working properly can somtimes be a pain so I wouldn't worry about that till I had it home.

Mon May 18, 2009 10:59 pm

A left turn would be a problem...'cause the middle seats are not bolted down and everything would just fall out...I suppose I will end up using a lot of duct tape or something.

And thanks. I'm so excited! I've been in love with busses ever since I was a wee boy.

Mon May 18, 2009 11:09 pm

Grab a piece of wood that is a foot or two tall and longer than the door opening. (scrap plywood or something) Stick it in there so nothing will slide out and you should be good to go. I wouldn't use duct tape, that crap leaves sticky residue everywhere. Maybe some cheap rope if necessary. It would take a heck of a left turn to throw a door or a seat out of the bus so I don't think it's a real issue anyway. Just prop or block them so they won't slide.

Mon May 18, 2009 11:11 pm

I will do that. Why didn't I think of that? Thanks...

Tue May 19, 2009 12:15 am

Congrats to your new ride. It's an interesting project. Hope you can post some pics when you start restoring it. :wink:

Tue May 19, 2009 12:58 am

Putting back the sliding door takes 30 seconds with some experience, and can be a pain when you've never done it. First, slide bottom lil' roller in the sliding door rail, door being at a 45° angle with left side pointing down, and door being at 45° too away from bus. Then, when bottom part is in, move back along side of bus, and put the top part in the rail (top of sliding door). And then, behind the slider track under the rear window, you'll have to find a recessed point on the rail (the rail under the slider track : middle rail). The recessed space allows you to put the wheel of the hinge on the rail behind the track. Once this is done, your door is ready to slide again. Check condition of lower frame in the bottom rail. If it's dented, or frame has a big groove in it caused by the lower roll, the door could slip out of its place and fall on the ground :shock: . Not good if that happens while towing. Hope this helps.

Tue May 19, 2009 3:48 am

The sliding door removal/installation procedure is in Chapter 1 (page 19) of that nice green manual you have there also. :)

Congrats on getting a bus, enjoy!

Tue May 19, 2009 5:22 am

Nobody mentioned that you're missing a key part to make that door work again-there is a nylon slider block that goes on the rear roller assy you have a picture of there. Search the forums, there are plenty of threads already on it.

Tue May 19, 2009 7:05 am

Congrats and welcome to the family.

Here is a pic and a vendor for that plastic hinge guide mentioned above.
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D843%2D368

Tue May 19, 2009 7:34 am

BUSBOSS wrote: Congrats and welcome to the family.

Here is a pic and a vendor for that plastic hinge guide mentioned above.
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D843%2D368

I agree. Welcome to the samba, love your bus...

Hey BUSBOSS dig the thread called "Her name is Lucy" Read his blog (or look at photos) MANY insulating shots..

Tue May 19, 2009 9:57 am

Wow why is shipping $9.16 on a tiny piece of plastic?
Does anyone have a spare one lying around or do I have to buy it from cip1?

Max

Tue May 19, 2009 2:47 pm

I got more pics today.

The engine.

Looks pretty good.

There is this hole cut in here. Anybody knows what this is for? Apparently her nephew cut it to fix something...weird.

Tue May 19, 2009 3:03 pm

Don't know why he cut it out (access the flap?), but you REALLY need a new piece of tin for that or your 3rd and 4th cylinders will overheat... probably one of those or both that need the valve work that the PO mentioned.

Tue May 19, 2009 3:05 pm

Yeah I think thats probably what caused it.

But not bad for $600!

Tue May 19, 2009 3:05 pm

maximan1 wrote: Wow why is shipping $9.16 on a tiny piece of plastic?
Does anyone have a spare one lying around or do I have to buy it from cip1?

Max

Spend $50 and shipping is free, easy to do with a new Bus.

Tue May 19, 2009 3:06 pm

VDubTech wrote: maximan1 wrote: Wow why is shipping $9.16 on a tiny piece of plastic?
Does anyone have a spare one lying around or do I have to buy it from cip1?

Max

Spend $50 and shipping is free, easy to do with a new Bus.
Oh, yeah! You'll be pouring money into it from the start, but that's a good find for $600. I have a spare nylon piece if you need it, and even got a proper nut and bolt for it. PM me.

Tue May 19, 2009 3:21 pm

Welcome & congrats on the new bus! While the door is off inspect all of the rollers and moving parts on it. When I got mine the bottom inside roller was missing and the hinge/spring was also not working properly. Pretty much anything you need you can find here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=33
Though you will find people here very helpful and often share their spares. I too have this part you are missing, If any of the others don't pan out let me know. Cheers

Tue May 19, 2009 3:22 pm

Nice score! Come pick me up and i will give you a hand with getting it running. I always thought that busses had a upright engine? Im assuming that the fan with the tubes coming off of it is an extra fan to cool the engine? How does that work. I want to come see the damn thing.

Tue May 19, 2009 5:46 pm

so-calvwdude wrote: I always thought that busses had a upright engine? Im assuming that the fan with the tubes coming off of it is an extra fan to cool the engine? How does that work. I want to come see the damn thing.

Busses from 1972 had T4 engines in the US. The extra fan is not for cooling as T4 cooling is efficient enough. It's to provide more heat.