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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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 Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:13 am Post subject: My 1972 & 75 Westys |
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This is my intro to the bay window section/my build thread so I can keep track of progress on both of my busses. I've had my bus for about a year, but have been on the samba for much longer. Before I got into bay windows, I had a 71 super convertible, and recently picked up a 64 sunroof beetle on top of all the other projects I already had going on.
We will start with the 72 as it is my personal bus, (I plan on selling the 75 at some point) I was lucky enough to find this bus on craigslist, it was on for about 3 hours before I got a hold of the guy and bought it that night. It was originally purchased in Europe, and then spent most of its life in North Carolina before it was moved up to Vermont. It has been up here for a while, but was in dry storage and is in amazing condition. Undercoated, and never driven in the winter. I have a few small rust spots to fix, but nothing major (battery box, one of the outer rockers, and a rear quarter is rusty from a light hit at one point). Supposedly it was in non running condition when i purchased it. Some new filters, fuel lines, and fresh gas I had it running in about an hour. The carbs were always a little off, but it ran and drove well so I left them alone until recently, but I'll get to that in a bit.
My dad loading it on the trailer the night we picked it up.
Drove it home from work the next day
First purchase was new tires, you could see the air through the sidewalls
Much better
The next thing addressed was the interior. The seat covers were driving me crazy.
New seat stand covers, new seat foam, and new covers all done by me, purchased from wolfsburg west
Up next I replaced that empi muffler, it made my bus sound so uneven. I was very happy with my vintage speed replacement
Pic from the stow car show when we were all meeting at a friends house. The beetle was my first vw, now sold to my best friends mom. In this pic you can see the one spot of rust it has in front of the rear wheel
Pic at work
This summer I installed a new hidden stereo in the glove box. All new speakers front and rear. Someone had already cut holes in the door cards so I just reused them, and I put the rears under the fold down seat in the rear. I just open the cabinet while I'm driving so I'm able to hear them. I also put a small seat behind the drivers seat in the small cubby. Sounds great now, and still looks mostly stock. And currently I'm working on the carbs, as my bus started running like garbage the other day. I have the left carb off and am rebuilding that one first I need to rebushing the throttle plates, I have purchased the bushings and can't wait until it is running and driving again. I'm down to one car right now, and for me that is very unusual! Future plans for this are to bring it back to mostly original I want to repaint it, and replace all the seals. I have my grandmother working on some new curtains for it using a factory looking yellow and brown plaid. I guess that sums up the 72 on to the 75!
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars....
Last edited by 1982gl4 on Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:25 am Post subject: |
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The 75 isn't nearly as nice. I picked up last week and don't know too much about its history. Has 102k on it I know that it lived south for most of its life, and then was parked under a pine tree about 10 miles away from my house for the last 8 years. The reason it was parked was whoever worked on it didn't tighten the flex plate bolts (yes it's an auto  ) But it looks like the crank survived along with the block so I'll be looking for a flex plate soon.
It looks bad, but underneath I have seen much worse
love the interior
This Saturday I pulled the engine to see what was going on (found the broken flex plate) Now I'm going to reseal it, clean it, find a flex plate and put it back in.
Here are some pics of the solid parts
The driver's side looks just like this as well.
Fender wells are all decent
I think I can get some front and rear quarters, along with some battery boxes, and rocker panels and it should be good to go. It won't ever be a perfect rust free bus, but should make a good driver. [/img]
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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Tcash
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Bala
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2003
Posts: 2613
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:29 am Post subject: Re: My 1972 & 75 Westys |
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Welcome to the wonderful world of buses!
Thought this was kinda funny, here's my dad helping load my bus onto the trailer when I purchased it. 
| 1982gl4 wrote: |
My dad loading it on the trailer the night we picked it up.
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_________________
1976 Westy
1966 Beetle |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Tcash for the links. I have already read a few of those, all have been very helpful!
Bala, nice bus! I just read your thread looks great! Nice having family members to help you out!
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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secretsubmariner
Champagne Wrangler
Joined: January 08, 2011
Posts: 3104
Location: Tulsa, OK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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Sweet buses dude! That 72 is sharp!
I love the 75 auto...if you were closer I'd almost have to place an offer. I want an auto camper! 
Good luck, and continue with updates, please!
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks man! I have yet to drive an auto, I'm interested to see how it goes. As for updates I already have one, I have been home with gout, at least I think that is what it is. I'm on medication now that will take care of it, and I won't have this problem again. So I decided I couldn't take sitting any longer and limped out to the garage to finish the left carb for my 72.
All I have left is to rebushing the throttle plate. I was able to pull out the old bushings, I just have to drill it out a little and press the new ones in. you can see the old brass bushings were very small, and the nylon was very worn at this point. The new bushings are much larger, and are all brass.
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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Worked on both busses today. Got a ways on the 75, and made anit-progress on my 72... I tried out rebushing the carburetor, made a jig for my drill press. All went perfect until i tried to press the new ones in. I measured the clearances, and I wanted them to be super close so they wouldn't fall out, or spin. Well id didn't work as the housing split when I very gently tried to tap the new ones in. Off to the classified to find some carb parts. Usually I do very well at this sort of thing, but it didn't work out this time. The next ones will be sent out to someone who knows what they are doing.
The PO of the 75 came into work when I was out this week, and left a folder of service records off with me! Turns out the bus actually came from Windsor Ontario. It has had a bunch of service done to it over the years, and has most of the dealer stamps in the original owners manual. It has had new cylinder heads at one point in its life. Looks like it actually has the 107k the odometer reads! Anyway on the the work I got done today. I decided to remove all the engine tin and make sure there were no mice nest kicking around in there. Turns out it was all very clean. Took the valve covers off engine looks super clean inside. I did find some carnage from the flex plate letting go. The end of the crank sensor is a little messed up. I'm hoping it will be ok, there's just a small nick in it so we will see... This week I'll be sandblasting, and painting the engine tins while I wait for new fuel lines, clamps, vacuum lines, and all the tune up stuff I have on the way for it. While the engine is out I'll pull the gas tank tomorrow, and see how that looks. I'll also get some battery boxes on the way and replace those while I have nothing in there.
crank sensor
super clean inside the valve covers.
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 8:39 am Post subject: |
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More work done on the 75 today. Pulled the fuel tank and filler neck out. Glad I did. The filler neck looks sketchy I can see through both rubber ends, the metal is fine, but from what I understand the long rubber section is no longer available? Luckily I work at an exhaust shop so i should be able to bend a new one up no problem, I just need to get rubber for both ends to connect it to the tank. The tank it self looks fantastic, it was very clean inside, very light rust here and there, and no old gas. I don't see any place where it could have leaked. So i'm going to assume it was drained at one point. Time to start making a parts list so I can get some stuff on the way for this. I would like to get it running!
Pretty clean for sitting for 8+ years!
Going to be ordering a new one of these!
In person you can see light on the other side of the cracks  glad I didn't try to put gas in it before hand!
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well camping season is here, and I needed to get the 72 up to snuff. The green bus is on hold as I purchased a home, moved, and now I need to get my datsun finished, although I have gathered a lot of parts for it over the winter! This winter I also found time to rebuild the carbs, and replace the base plates on the 72. While I was doing that I was checking it over, and found the shock bushings had all but blown out, and I also wanted to get the heat working. Ordered some new konis, and heater cables, the shocks went it great, the cables not so much... I ended up having to cut out the cable guides and replacing them. I also replaced the fuel gauge sending unit, so I don't run out of gas (again). I also re clocked the rear torsion bars to fix the sag it had going on. After that I had a heck of a time trying to get it to run well. I was chasing every system trying to figure it out (it was skipping under load, and at higher rpms) turns out I had a faulty pertronix unit. Put a new set of points in, and it runs great (well I still need to adjust the carbs some) but I have all of my rpm range back!
cutting out the old tubes
The new ones going in.
I cheated, hopefully the green bus doesn't mind...
Konis are here!
I welded a nut onto the rear suspension because the tool kept trying to slip off, Hopefully I wont need to do this again, but if I do I left the welded nuts in place
Sitting nice and level now
[/img]
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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Sloride
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2002
Posts: 926
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1982gl4
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Worcester, VT
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks man! I have really enjoyed it so far. Today I had an interesting development, I started the 72 drove it out of my garage, went out to shut the door, and lock the place up, got back into the bus and the charge light was on, and the fuel gauge was no longer working. I didn't have time to mess with it this morning, so I hopped in my legacy turbo and took that instead. Tonight i had a chance to look at it, it turns out when I opened the fresh air vents the other day, it knocked a wire loose from one of the switches on the dash, that shorted out, and cause this to happen, I taped it up until I can get a new end for it tomorrow. A pretty typical day in air-cooled ownership I would say...
_________________
1971 Beetle Convertible:sold
1964 sunroof
1972 Bay Window Westy
1975 Bay Window Westy Auto
1956 356 A
And several old subaru project cars.... |
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