What did you do for your Bay recently?

[notchboy]

That plastic wrap keeps all the juices sealed in. 😎🤙🌺
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[64 ragtop volks]

new steering wheel

[bsairhead]

[W1K1]

after hearing all the repop plastic ones that break after a couple years use, it was a no brainer to go that route for us too.
I had the original wheel and a spare in good shape, until they had to come off, nope... was welded to the shaft, and we had to cut it into pieces to get it off to use the shaft.

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[Shonandb]

Finally stopped by one of those portable windshield repair places (Deco Windshield Repair) to get a couple rock hits filled/fixed from our trip up to the Yukon and Northern BC in 2022. This one was located in Canadian Tire's parking lot in Coquitlam, BC. The young guy doing the repair knew what he was doing.

Happy with the results as it wasn't worth the hassle of replacing the entire windshield.

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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[dodger tom]

[Shonandb]

[dodger tom]

[Shonandb]

Looks great Tom.

I rewired my trailer and added backup lights and wanted to use the yellow lamps for turn signal to match the Bus so added a 7 way trailer plug and connector. Made up a box from some sheet metal I aleady had so it really looks DIY. I may change it out in the future but for now it will work.

A couple weeks past since I wired the trailer and forgot which view I was factoring in for which wires run where. Connected it up and quickly realized I wired it based on the trailer plug view so the Bus wiring was opposite. It was easier to change the trailer plug wires so switched them and added all LED bulbs on the trailer so they are much brighter and don't draw as much power. I now have back up lights too.

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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[Everpress]

Maybe a little long...

I bought a 1969 Camper Bay in 2019. Truthfully, my wife bought it for a 20+ year anniversary shortly after I came back from the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School.

I was told not to put a lot of work into it and "drive it until the wheels fall off" because it would never be in great shape. But I had the idea that my family could get a few years of camping in and for that to be ok at all, it needed to at least be water-tight.

When I got it, it ran, but who knows how. I ended up taking the whole thing apart (kept the body on the frame): all rusty body bits cut out and new body bits welded in (shittily - I never welded before). Bondo and paint.

I took the engine out because I was troubleshooting some minor oil leaks and had problems seeing anything due to just how soot and grime-covered the engine was. Everything that I did just highlighted things that were done just to keep the bus running. When I dove in, I found leaks at the push rod tubes (which were bent and rusty), looking at the intake manifold, it was as if the tubes were blocked over halfway with carbon, plugs fouled, cheap empi-all-in-one carb adjusted to all out everything - just dumping gas. I just went deeper and deeper. Carbon-covered valves, carbon-covered heads, and on and on.

I ripped into this thing, cleaning everything, using a few books to measure torque, tolerance, and whatever else I could to get things as close to stock as possible. I even dug out an original SOLEX carb - rebuilt both the cheap empi and the solex so I would have a spare.

Then I had a mental health crisis (nothing like PTSD and depression hitting you at the same time). I ended up needing "some time away". When I got back, I was 'medically retired' and I would look at the bus, but was too messed up to touch it with all the work I was trying to do on myself.

Years went by and then I just tried to work a little every day.

Today I put in a new coil (Pertronix Flame Thrower) and pulled that Empi POS, dropping the original in. I manually turned the engine to get the fuel pump to "prime" the carb. I connected the battery, hopped into the cab and it cranked up on the first turn of the key.

It sounded so damn good to me. I have a long way to go (timing, brake job maybe?, camper top repair/refinish, interior, etc., etc.). But this the first time I have got a VW to start without a mechanic of some sort doing it for me.

Thanks to all of you.

TL;DR - Today I started my bus for the first time in over 2 years.
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1969 Bay Camper
Work in progress…

[Shonandb]

My Easter story.

My Craigslist bought 65A battery finally died Easter Friday. I bought it back in 2018 and it was already a couple years old so pretty happy with it lasting 5 + years in the Bus. Thought it might have been a parasitic draw issue but after checking it with an amp meter and cleaning the battery cables and contacts, it just wouldn't keep enough charge/power to start the Bus. My alternator was working as it should as I have a volt meter to see that it was charging.

Nice to have the leisure battery wired in so with the flip of a switch I could boost it without having to use jumper cables.

Resurrected the Bus with a new battery on Monday and took it for a nice evening drive.

Also picked up a screw in my right rear tire so did a quick tire plug with the hand tool set and it seems to be holding well.

Saw a nice shiney orange Late Bay on the Port Mann Bridge heading West while we were heading East but that was it - no Vanagons or Eurovans.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[Shonandb]

[airkooledchris]

[KTPhil]

Took Moana and her fresh engine and tranny out to Joshua Tree Natl Park last weekend. Nice stargazing and a bonus of a Falcon 9 (Starlink) launch!

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Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback

[dodger tom]

[dodger tom]

[KTPhil]

[Pango Pango]

Worked on a new front emblem this past winter to fill the empty void. I used 1/4" 316 stainless and considering what I had before, I'm proud of how it turned out. Following the design a friend was able to water jet the billet. I was able to bevel edges and create the countersinks for recessed screws using some equipment at work. The rest was all hand polishing from 80 to 7000 grit, I estimate about 100 hours.

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'76 Westy
'66 Chevelle

[Pango Pango]

Last fall by some odd twist of fate I came in contact a guy who managed to get a hold of my bus's original plaid interior. He agreed my bus and I should be reunited with it!

So, another winter project was to replace the current interior fabric with the OG plaid. He didn't have the front seat covers, so I purchased those new from BD. I wish the seat back covers had a little more length on the back vinyl, I had to get creative to secure it, as the attachment points have been long broken off on both seats. I also bought new head rests and got some extra new fabric for a dog mat. I think it turned out good, the plaid is overall in excellent condition. The rear seat is a little sun faded, but that's about it.

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'76 Westy
'66 Chevelle

[notchboy]

Looking very nice Pango
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