TheSamba.com :: View topic - Fixing Up My Bus

Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:41 am

OK,

After a couple months and some 200 posts here, I'll introduce myself and my bus because we are now ON THE ROAD (for real) for the first time - as of last night.

Here she is this morning, re-released into the wild (a lot of what appears to be rust in these pics is old orange paint underneath)...

Many thanks to all the SAMBANS who have helped get me this far. I never could have done it without you, and the journey is just beginning...

And here's the backstory:

I have owned at least 10 VWs. Mostly bugs, one rusty 1960 ghia and one awesome (also rusty), 1961 panel van - the love of my life, until a wicked old woman smashed it. Don't get me wrong, I love grandmothers and old people in general, but this lady was truly wicked. Anyway. I have a lot of experience with type 1 engines, but this is my first Bay and my first T4 motor. I'm getting the hang of it. I haven't owned ANY VWs for 10 years. I've been bike commuting...

More about the BUS! I bought it for $500, not running (up to $1,900 invested now). The PO has had it since 1983 (2nd owner). He said that it ran fine when he parked it .... 4 years ago. But he didn't want anyone tinkering with it on his property. You had to take it as-is. Seemed a little sketchy, but I went for it. Glad I did. She's all original except that the bottom half has been re-painted blue (used to be orange). There does not appear to be any filler (magnet test). There is bad rust in the battery area, and not much else, except for some surface stuff. I'll be fixing all of it. Interior is good, no rips, nice door panels.

I had it trailered home, pulled the motor with a buddy, broke the "frozen" clutch loose with a hammer, cleaned out a rats nest, changed all the vacuum lines, plugs, oil, plug wires, points, etc... got a battery and had the engine back in and running on day one. Victory! Here it is with the engine out. Our first day together. That pile of fluffy stuff is the rat's nest (he was still in there, living in the air filter box, even after a ride on a flatbed truck!).

I drove the beast for only a couple days, but then she started dying randomly. Turns out the gas tank was full of rusty bits and crud. I took it to a local VW shop and they wasted a month of my life changing fuel filters and making me wait. A MONTH! I took it home again as soon as I could get it there and fixed it myself with a POR-15 fuel tank kit. Here's a long thread about that process, with pics: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=378770

Basically...

Before:

After:

While she was down, I took the time to fix up some other stuff:
- Wiper motor: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=379569&highlight=fix+wiper+motor
- Fuel sender: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380693
- Back seat: I traded my original bus seats away for a full-length fold out from a Riviera (I think).
- Replaced ALL the fuel and vapor hoses/splices.... every last goddang one of 'em!
- Fire extinguisher stashed in the spare tire bay (easily reachable from driver's seat)

Plans:
- I'll probably re-paint to the original orange/cream two-tone after doing some body work.
- Interior will be "weekender" style. So my wife, dog and I can go camping with a folding table, curtains, etc.
- I have a Pertronix kit to put in there
- I have new Werksberg kick panels in the garage
- Not to mention... New windshield/seal, tires, fix defroster, Parcel tray up front, Custom carpet kit up front, I'll get a stock muffler on there, Engine seal, Rear sway bar, Heater booster blower, and vanity stuff: Mud flaps, paint the wheels, fog lights and MAYBE a GENTLE lowering job.

Thanks again, Samba - you'll be seeing a lot of us!

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:13 am

Nice looking bus, and nice work on it so far!

Enjoy!

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:22 am

Looks good!

Have you considered trying to remove the blue paint to see what's underneath? I bet the OG paint is pretty good under there.

Do a search on "paint removal" to see what people's experience with it has been.

DJ Roberts

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:36 am

Yeah, I might, but I'm going to have to weld in a new corner at the battery anyway. Will be re-painting original color for sure.

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:42 am

Nice work so far... hope to see you and your bus in Maupin in 2010 at the RendezVW.

Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:33 pm

Same bus, same day... my co-worker just took this pic out in the parking lot at work and emailed it to me. Nice! Look what a good photographer can do for your bus!

Thu Oct 08, 2009 4:53 pm

Nice job. Is it a non walkthrough? It looks like it from the front seat pic.

Thu Oct 08, 2009 5:20 pm

nice bus but the one in the Gallery with the female is the best of the lot...more of her por favor 8)

Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:09 pm

Quote: Nice job. Is it a non walkthrough? It looks like it from the front seat pic.

Yes, non-walkthrough. Tell me something encouraging. I'm having walk-thru envy!

Quote: nice bus but the one in the Gallery with the female is the best of the lot...more of her por favor

You just made my wife's night! :D

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:12 pm

I have a non-walkthrough and like it very much. I like the nice long bench seat in front and on cold days my wife, little boy and I fit real snug in front to keep warm. I haven't seen them as often as walkthrough bays either. Enjoy 8)

Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:39 pm

So what ever happened to the rat?

Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:07 pm

That big old rat jumped onto my arm, then to the ground and ran into my garage and started scampering around under my bikes! I couldn't let him stay in there, so I chased him out - stomping and yelling at him the whole time like a damn fool (with my headlight still strapped to my head, I'm sure) - down the driveway and he went under the neighbor's fence... Maybe he took up residence in their Porsche, I don't know.

Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:22 am

:D :D :D

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:21 am

Here's the latest...

I just eliminated some light rust from the front... this is only temporary, but it will keep it from getting worse, and it looks a lot better for now!

Used Rustoluem spray primer and paint after wire-wheeling the ugly stuff off. This will buy some time until the real paint job...

Also installed my Werksberg kick panels (AWESOME!) and tidied up a mess of wires under the dash. Oh, and a nice tune up too.

Before:

During:

After:

Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:12 pm

Nice Bus! I tihnk you stole it for $500! :) I hate seeing these steals as it makes me think I paid too much for mine.... :cry: ...but when you live on the edge of the earth like me, where cars from the 60's and 70's have rotted into the ground long ago (unless winter stored since new) unfortunately if you find one here that is pretty rust free, you will pay premium $$ for it. I did consider traveling to the US to get one but once you put your traveling expenses and the cost to get the bus back it adds up quickly. You guys in the south and on the west coast are lucky!

Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:19 pm

Don't worry, I already have $1,900 into it, not including some new tools (I never count those against the bus, cuz i can use them for other stuff too).... and a LONG way to go from here.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:59 pm

Hello Dave,
Saw your posts for a while. You have a transporter just like our "Daisy". I was telling Jen about your tribulations so far.
So where do you take your for work in the Seattle area? I was thinking of going to BowWow in Lynnwood. We just bought ours this summer for a steal just like you.

I see that you take yours on trips, we should twin-trip sometime, perhaps?

Look me up, i live pretty close to you all, i think.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:46 pm

Nice bus man. Grats.

Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:56 am

Been following a lot of your posts. Your writeups for the wiper motor and the fuel sending unit were brilliant...I wish more people would post stuff like that.

Way cool ride man, and you said you're converting to a stock exhaust? When you go to get rid of that GT-style, you should most certainly drop me a line! I actually just lost my muffler today somewhere :lol: and have been after one of those four-tips. 8)

Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:51 pm

A little more tinkering this weekend. The bus is getting happier, cozier, more-reliable every day! Here's the latest.

1. Installed the cabinet/door that goes underneath the fold-out bed/bench seat - and dropped in a nice little piece of carpet. This is just for short term, but better than the dirty, black mat.

2. Made a table using a leg from a junky, used table that I bought recently. The table is plywood, bound with 3/4" trim, stained, varnished and tarnished, brass corners.

3. Here are the Werksberg kick panels installed. I LOVE them. Also, this is the first view of the dash after removing the last of the silly crap the PO had glued on there, a pen holder, an extra dome light, a sticker, and a big, wooden speaker box, installed with huge galvanized angle irons.

Up next: curtains, sway bar, etc... As a "thank you" for all my hard work, the bus decided to fix his own parking brake light. That started working all by itself. Nothing like regular driving and TLC to breath a little life back in! Better than sitting, like it was.