Kombia the 1974 Midwest Bus Migrated South to Louisiana

PicklePickle · Last edited by PicklePickle on Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

I decided to start a restoration thread for Kombia our 1974 Bus to post all of the changes that I make to her instead of posting random things here and there. I have actually been doing a lot to her and should have captured it all, but I've only missed a few weeks worth of work and nothing super heavy. This is not a severe restoration case. Being fair, most of what the bus needs is just TLC. Nonetheless, I'm going to start by posting a few pics of how she looked when we picked her up back in May in Independence, KS before our long trip to Gonzales, Louisiana. Then I'll follow up with some work done up to this point.

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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
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1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

Cleaned wheels with wirebrush, then sanded and then painted them with about 5 coats of light silver wheel paint.

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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

iprangen · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

Didn't you blow out a tire and ruin the left rear corner? Scary! Trailering must be fun! Very Happy

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject:

Cleaned up the front rubber mat. Scrubbed real hard for a long time. Then I put three layers of wheel silicone on it and let it sit overnight. Then I wiped it down. Looks like new now.

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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

cc79westie · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:

Wonderful work so far...just keep at it Smile

Love the color too!
_________________
1979 Westfalia (Sage Green)
1966 Pontiac GTO
1977 Chevy Monza 5.0 V-8
1984 Datsun/Nissan 300ZX
1989 Plymouth Reliant K

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:

First the passenger front door. Then the sliding door followed by the rear section, I polished each panel by hand painstakingly. The process has taken an hour or two each day for a couple weeks. Today, finished it off with a coat of Meguire's paste wax.

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I have almost no fingerprints left on my hands now, but since this is the original paint I am very happy with the results. Now it's on to the driver's side!
_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

Karl · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject:

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject:

harlannj · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject:

i love the rain guards on the passenger and drivers window!
_________________
1991 VW jetta GLI 16v

PicklePickle · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject:

Okay, well a little at a time. As long as we keep making progress I feel good about Kombia. One thing I am learning as I round the back of the bus in the compounding/polishing process is that it is actually much easier to repaint than it is to bring back oxidized paint through compounding/polishing/waxing. However, I just can't bring myself to paint over good paint and this just requires elbow grease and a lot of time. So, no pics of the over all work as I am not done with the back yet, but here are some photographic notes I took along the way regarding the lights--I'll definitely need new ones, that's for sure.

Here's what was left of the right side marker. Barely even any red left in it. It almost looks like really cruddy euro lights!
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I think there were sea urchins in there or something...
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After removal and polishing, things aren't looking so bad though!
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The right rear lense doesn't look TOO bad for it's age
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But the housing itself is toast
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The left rear side marker was pretty much the same story as the right, but the mounting area cleaned up nice:
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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

Bay Window Steve · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:35 am Post subject:

Very nice. Love that color orange, and looks like you are being very diligent.

I'll keep track of your progress. Very Happy

_________________
'73 Transporter - Driver
'69 Deluxe

Member: WTKHABG

Original Air Cooler Member

PicklePickle · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

Well more polishing and scrubbing today. Here are a few photo notes along the way:

Engine compartment door seal:
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Cleaned the inside of the engine compartment door:
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The license plate light seal is gone, but the assembly is overall great condition. I don't have photos of it but I boiled the whole thing in vinegar and now it looks good as new!
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And last for today, the light assembly reflecting in a very hard earned polished paint:
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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:39 pm Post subject:

Not much to report today. I pulled the heat deflector off of the engine so that I can get to work renewing it. But here is a picture of my polishing work finally finished on the back of the bus. After I finish the deflector, I can finally move along to the driver's side.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject:

Another minor update. I would like to be making more rapid progress but since every time I order something I have to wait at least two weeks to get it (when ordering from Bus Depot), it really slows me down. Anyway, I got a few replacement lug nuts and this sliding door lock grommet--now installed.

Lock grommet
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New lug nuts (some weird shiny alloy)
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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject:

Well, I've been working here and there over the past couple weeks still in the cleanup mode. I am extremely pleased that I am FINALLY finished with polishing. Every square inch of Kombia has been hard polished by hand except the roof and behind the front bumper. The roof will be painted as soon as we get her on the road--there's just not enough paint left up there for my taste. Behind the front bumper will be done when I pull it off for painting (I can do the polishing while I wait between coats).

So, here are some more pics!

New locking gas cap:
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Entirely new OE VW tail light and housing:
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While the lens wasn't so bad, the housings were in bad shape:
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During front cleanup. I had already cleaned everything here except the fresh air vent area:
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Noting the headlight connector and wiring colors:
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Funk in the fresh air vent area:
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Plungers holding open fresh air vents:
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Fresh air vents closed:
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Fresh air vent area cleaned up:
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Time to stand back and see whether the last 2 hours were a waste or not i think not):
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On another note, I have the headlights completely cleaned up and drying in the extra bathroom inside. The chrome headlight rings cleaned up beautifully by lightly rubbing Fast Orange on them. Now they look brand new! I'll take pics when installing them back again.
_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

p3acefr0gs · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject:

Pickles, how did you get that rubber mat so clean? Wheel silicone? Im not sure what that is and where I could get it.

PicklePickle · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:38 am Post subject:

I cleaned the mat the old fashioned way. Scrub brush and comet several times over (front and back). Finally, I cleaned it with something called Awesome, it is a degreaser and acidic so you can't leave it on there long. Dilute it down 10/1 and rub off the oxidized (correct term?) thin layer of dried rubber--you know the kind that might leave your fingers black when you touch it.

As soon as it dried, I followed up by spraying what I call Wheel Silicon. It would be more accurate to call it "Tire Silicon," because it is sold as a spray for tires, but, well a habit is a habit. Anyway, Wheel Silicon comes in many brands but is generally used to moisturize and UV protect tires as well as give them a shine. It is clear. You'll find it at any parts store or Wal-Mart called Tire Wet, Wet'n Hot, etc. It is extremely beneficial to all rubber and vinyl products as it provides a highly penetrating lubricant that penetrates deep into the rubber on which you spray it, and unlike oil based "shine" products it does not evaporate away and leave the rubber even worse off than it was to start.

I sprayed one coat and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Most of it absorbed. Then I sprayed a second coat and wiped away the excess. 30 minutes later I sprayed a final light coat which left the rubber looking new--not shiny, but new. It still looks that way since doing it several weeks ago.

It's still old rubber, so you need to clean it with soap and water every few months and then give it a refresher spray of wheel silicon.
_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

PicklePickle · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:39 am Post subject:

Removed VW emblem and cleaned/polished up. Also, got my freshly polished up (inside and out) headlights re-installed.

Just after removing emblem:
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Closer:

Someone once asked for pic / photo of the emblem retainer clips. Here it is except mine were old and brittle and broke a little when removing the emblem:
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Notes:

Headlight all nice and installed:
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Note that the headlight ring DOES have and up/down position. The bottom has a notch for drainage as shown here:
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_________________
"Aircooled VWs are like roaches in that if you let one in, they'll soon be nesting all around you in great numbers."
-------------------------------------------------
1966 Volvo 120 Amazon "Shaky"
1974 Orange Bus aka "Kombia"
2012 White CC Sport aka "Nim"
2013 Verde Chiaro Green Fiat aka "Fifi"

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Kombia the 1974 Midwest Bus Migrated South to Louisiana
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