Taking Bets.....

ski2liv · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 4:51 am Post subject: Taking Bets.....

Ok so I rescued a beautiful 78 westy from the clutches of someone who let her sit and start to decay.

Sh's running horribly... but does run...

She goes into the shop today for a tune, compression test, once over, pre-inspection, and the start of a long restoration process...

Who wants to guess how much it'll cost today???

I'm placing my wager at $650.00 and boy do I hope I'm guessing too high!!

Bajatacoma · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:21 am Post subject:

Man, that's pretty much impossible to guess. I hope it doesn't turn out like mine- I could get it to turn over and fire if I shot starter fluid in it and then pumped the gas a lot. It's still in the shop. The heads were bad, the fuel injectors were bad, it leaked (oil and compression), etc. I went for the complete rebuild for the sake of reliability, but I'm scared to ask what it's going to cost me.
_________________
'78 Westy

Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?
Hunter S Thompson

chabanais · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 9:40 am Post subject:

Yeah your transmission could be bad which is maybe why the Bus sat. Or maybe the brake rotors are warped. Or maybe the generator is only working at 50%.

Could be $300 to $1,500.

Good luck with that!

nodtobob · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 9:49 am Post subject:

yeah man I would hope that it is under a $1000 , I'll say $800

bljones · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 10:26 am Post subject:

if it is JUST a tune-up, pre-inspection, compression test, etc. tehn put me down for $500. (hey, i'm an optimist!)

No cheating- if you get a call from the shop and it's under, no telling 'em to do more stuff to pad the bill! Laughing

_________________
OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

2%

Joel Rosado

With the description and details you gave, i guess the brakes need to be cleaned from old fluids, maybe the cylinders are dryed out ,lines dirty, maybe some wire eatten or rotten somewhere,carbs dirty, gas left on the tank messed up, filters clogged,contacts rusted,terminals in need of grease or maybe replacement.Taking this simple facts ,i guess over $1000. If it has an original engine,those carbs will ned to be cleaned and shyncronize. Be ready for surprises. When i got my 78, it was standing for 2 years. it started and run but the rack and pinion( i hope i got the correct parts) where almost fuse by the time without passing thru the oil on the tranny. They broke 5 days latter for a whooping $350 dollars replacements.So,it can be cheap( wish you luck), or expensive(sorry). Another matter is the mechanic doing the job and the parts needed to do it. Some are easy to get ,but others are a real pain in the butt!!. Anyway, I wish you luck.
_________________
Joel Rosado( papun's son)

chabanais · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 11:51 pm Post subject:

Well you can look on the bright side. Once you've replaced every moving part with new and/or reconditioned parts or restored the parts you currently have then you'll have a new old car!

After sinking far too much money into my Bus initially it's run flawlessly for 8 years!
_________________
"I spud therefore I yam."

jeremysmithatshawdotca · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:14 am Post subject: Too much money

So the question is, after 8 flawless years was it still too much money? Wink

ski2liv · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 4:43 am Post subject: The verdict is in....

Well you were all pretty much right on.. and it's good to know some of the hidden surprises you guys found in the past....

The mechnic isn't done, but has determined that getting it running was easy as can be... it only took $72 to get her running.. she just needed a tune!! YEAH!!!!

HOWEVER... to pass inspection we're looking at a complete exhaust system top to bottom... AND she needs a new front axle beam... So bottom line is she's running for $100.... she'll pass inspection for about $1500.

They said brakes are good, but they'll do the hoses anyway when they do the beam. the only thing they haven't checked yet was the clutch and transmission... I drove her when i bought her a week ago, so I know it works.. but I don't know the level of wear on them...

So does anyone want to send the mechanci $1500 and save me a lot of time and effort rebuilding my exhaust system and ripping out the front axle beam??? - Hey I'm optomistic too!! HA HA

Actually it's about what i expected... a little worse... I knew about the exhaust and the beam, so those aren't surprises... though I thought the beam would pass... so that was a little downer... but she'll be on the road in the spring.. assuming nothing else major is found!!!

Joel Rosado

Just keep on working on it. At the end you will have spent more than it will look worthy off, but only you will know how much effort ,pain, sufferings and money took to get it done.I spent a lot on mine and everytime someone ask if i sell it, i allways take my records and tell them,"HERE, TAKE NOTES AND BILLS,PARTS RECEIPTS AND PUT THEM ALL TOGHETER ,ADD $1500 TO IT FOR MY WORK AND SUFFERING AND IS YOURS".To date, no one can match that price.I hope you can finish it and enjoy a nice trip to the mountains, stopping at a nice hill and smell the fresh air.it will be worth every penny.Good luck buddy.
_________________
Joel Rosado( papun's son)

chabanais · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Too much money

Adventurewagen · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 4:58 pm Post subject:

Whatever you put into your bus you will get it back out. If you put the work in yourself, it will really pay off in the long run. Me and a buddy work on our buses together, which helps. Save your 1500 and go to the store. Buy every VW book you can get (Haynes, Chilton, etc.) Then start off by getting a small set of tools. Pick something easy like a tune up and start with that. Before you really need a new exhaust you will be able to replace it yourself for alot cheaper, and you know the work is good.

Anyway, thats what I have done and it really has payed off. I have put 10k on the bus just this summer, but not without its problems, which hasn't been a problem since I can fix it myself.

Goodluck!

NeverHadaBeetle · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 7:51 pm Post subject:

I have a beam. And with that beam all VW lovers will hold hands and rejoice and they will rejoice safely. They will rejoice in good times and they will rejoice in bad times. They will rejoice rust free and they will rejoice drum to drum for $200. But most of all, they will rejoice. I'm not sure if they will rejoice about shipping, but they will be rejoicing most in zip code 65804 if you want to check. Let me know if they are interested in rejoicing in your area. Good luck with your bus.
_________________
"Well, we shot the line and we went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
An' eleven long-haired friends a' Jesus
In a chartreuse micra-bus."

jeremysmithatshawdotca · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 8:32 pm Post subject:

I have a joyous beam too, but shipping would probably be even more joyless from Canada! Albertans rejoice!

static · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 8:35 pm Post subject:

Speaking of beams, did you see those photos of the Jim Beam factory on fire?

Damn near brought me to tears..

ski2liv · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2003 7:07 am Post subject: You guys are the best....

I love that you guys are all so supportive and helpful.. it's good to knowI'm not on my own with this. no one's offered to show me how to do the work yet though HA HA HA

I ahve all the guides and will be embarking on a fix-it journey very soon...

Thanks for the offers for the beams. THe shop has one they said... and they'll either sell it to me or do the work for me. So I'm not too worried... yet. All I needs now is a few hundred beans and more time than I have!! EASY!!!

thanks again.. and learn my name.. I'm sure i'll be bugging all of you with endless questions very soon!! HA HA

-joshua

bljones · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2003 11:06 am Post subject:

since you are in the philly area, one point in your favor is that you aren't too far from the Bus Depot in perkiomenville- they probably have all of the parts you need to get your beast back on the road.
_________________
OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

2%

ski2liv · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 4:37 am Post subject: you betcha

very good point... I know where perkiomenville is and when I realized i could drive there to get parts... well you can imagine my excitement...

i think I'll save a few hundred bucks and then head there some day and frolic like a kid in a candy store!!!

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