1978 Champagne first bus

[secretsubmariner]

Ok dudes + dudettes, I need some advice

The front door lock + latch mechanisms are cleaned, greased, reinstalled, and function very smoothly, like new!

The deck lid catch was removed, cleaned out, and packed with grease, functions very easily now, (no sticking, major bonus)

The rear luggage area hatch never had any problems, unlocks and locks very easily, so I just put a dab of white lithium grease on the key and slid it in and out of the lock a few times. Works great.

It's time to address an issue with my slider door.
The front catch (with the interior and exterior handle, lock, cylinder, etc.) has seen quite a bit of damage. A buddy of mine was driving my bay around the yard with the slider open several months ago. He hit the brakes and the door rushed forward and slammed shut. Afterward, the interior lock will not engage and LOCK the door. It only slides down about 1/3 of the way.

I'm not really into splitting the lock mechanism, drilling rivets, etc. to fix this. It's been slammed the wrong way many times (before and during my ownership ) and I'm not opposed to replacing it outright. But I want your opinion. Can I split the mechanism easily and correct what's making this not lock? Or would it be simpler to purchase a good used one and swap my lock cylinder over to it?

I can't find any photos of the front lock mechanism split apart, nor a thread that details this type of repair, if its even possible. I just wanna keep the looneys in the hood out of my bus!

Thanks to you for your time, I hope to have a more exciting update soon.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[secretsubmariner]

I decided to just go with a good used one from the bus company.^


ENGINE WORK:

-have the crank, flywheel and rods balanced ~$170
-have case mic'd $freebie
-Have case halves, tins, certain metal FI bits, oil cooler, other engine parts run through the parts washer
-Wash fan shroud, heater boxes at car wash $40


ENGINE PARTS TO BUY/INSTALL:

-obtain good cable for NOS thermostat. $5

my thermostat cable, i don't think it's right, show me yours

Thermostat Cable

-obtain lower sled tins
-obtain exhaust hardware, inspect exhaust and determine if anything needs replacing.
-obtain FI intake runner boots $24
-obtain 2 oil change kits
-obtain rod bearings $40
-obtain cam bearings $30
-Paint tins and FI parts $freebie

BUS MECHANICALS (ESSENTIAL FOR DAILY DRIVIN'):

-Rebuild CV axles w/new boots (need 1 boot $8 )
obtain locking plates
-replace front shocks $90
-fill ball joints with grease through their torn up boots
-check tie rods for play, replace as needed
-get windshield wiper fluid working
-Remove and refurbish windshield wiper motor, new blades
-get hazards working
-obtain and install fire extinguisher retaining clamp

BUS MECHANICALS (CLEANING):

-Replace window rubber in front doors
-degrease front beam/suspension
-Remove and refurbish front door handles, locks.
-Passenger & Slider door lock matched to key. $45
-Fix the opened-door catch mechanism, doesn't hold door open atm
-sand, Ospho and Rustoleum insides of front doors, clear drain holes
-reinstall appropriate sound deaden-er in front doors
-Repair driver's side window regulator
-Install correct vapor barriers on doors
-Remove seats and carpeting, sweep out, simple green floors
-Insulate interior, clean
-Ospho and rustoleum any interior surface rust
-Wet-Vac rear seats
-obtain and install correct sliding door connecting rod, insulate
-obtain and install late bay locking decklid latch
-power wash carpets at car wash

EXTRAS:

-Add 1 knob in dash and install under-dash lighting
-replace all plastic dash vents

-----------------------------
I finally have all the engine parts in one place. Moving has been a real bitch.
They're in the back of my new daily driver, ready to take to the shop! After a good balancing, rounding/polishing, etc, I'll pay for that, my lifters & cam, and my bearings. then It will be rebuild time. I also ordered the AFC FI book from VW on ebay, it's a 1976 version but it will do when it comes to diagnosing and testing the components.

While I'm waiting on the shop, I'm going to start rounding up spare fuel injection parts for swapping, testing, and spares.

_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[secretsubmariner]

I don't know if it's impolite to post the costs of things, but I'm a bare-it-all kind of guy

So I've been totaling up the cost of everything as I go, I made a list a few pages ago of my total $$$ into the bus. Now's time to budget out the cost of all the last engine work I need. Then I'll move on to FI shit.

Estimated Costs of Engine Work: Phase XXIV

Camshaft: $135.00 - cb performance
Lifters (matched): $112.00 - cb performance
Balance rotating mass: $180 - some machine shop.
Rod Bearings: $40 - Bughaus
Cam Bearings: $30 - AirCooled.net
Oil Gallery drilling, tapping, plugs: $80 - Bughaus
Estimated Total: $577 + tax, shipping

Savings goal: $700

[secretsubmariner]

My case is fubar'd

well maybe not f'd beyond ALL reason..but f'd.

The shop has told me I need to get the case 'line bored'

I've heard this is rare for type 4 cases. anyway.

I'm stressin', homies!

So far, the rods will be rebuilt, and then the rotating mass will be balanced. I'm hoping to simultaneously get the case line bored and tapped/plugged on the oil galleries. I'm not purchasing a damn thing for rebuild until the machine work is done across the board.



If anyone has any words of encouragement, or more particularly, a first-hand account of their experience and the cost of line boring a type IV case, I'd love to hear about it.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Stuartzickefoose]

Line boring is quite normal for engine rebuilds, and isn't a huge deal. Cracked cases, or broken cases, are a bigger deal
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[Tcash]

Line boring is only a problem if you cannot get the bearings of the appropriate size. In the past Type IV bearings where hard to get.
Have your crank mic'd and micro polished before buying bearings. This way if the crank needs to be turned you don't get stuck with the wrong size bearings.
Good luck
Tcash

[secretsubmariner]

It's been a big, fat minute since I updated.

Just got the case back from RIMCO VW in CA. Had the bore done along with tapping the oil galleries. Haven't opened the box yet.

Ordering up a hydraulic cam and lifters today.

Rounding the crank and having the rotating mass balanced asap.

I've saved about twice the amount of money I decided I'll need, because it always goes over budget with money and with time.

After that, I'll get all the bearings I need and we'll start rebuilding. I'm hoping to start the rebuild by my birthday in May, but we'll see.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Xevin]

Funny you post today. Was going to text Stuart today to see what Happen to you. Sounds like you got a good game plan.
_________________
Keep on Busin'

[secretsubmariner]

Hey Xevin. I was growing restless and started to be more of a do-er rather than a talker. Staying off the computer. Saving money and trying not to get burned out, really. My life has had way too many ups and downs (more downs than ups lately) so I've stayed away from the occasional toxic environment this place can be sometimes.

Still got major love for my bus tho
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Stuartzickefoose]

I feel you there bud!

Excited to hear more details
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[secretsubmariner]

Stuart your dash is lookin' real fine these days.


My crank and lifters came in from RIMCO. Super stoked, they are very nice looking.

Over the past 6 or 8 months, I uprooted my home and everything in my life to be with my girlfriend, only to have it all blow up in my face. What an awful thing it has all become. So now, I'm back at my old place, sans girlfriend, with boxes of my engine shit all over the house and shed. So yesterday I consolidated and found all my internals that I stashed after we split the case.

So far I have pistons, crank, fan, fan hub, clutch disc, flywheel, pressure place, rods and all the bolts set aside. The only thing I'm waiting on...hearing back from RIMCO about whether or not they can polish/turn the crank before balancing the rotating mass. Once it's back I'll just need bearings for the crank and cam, and rebuilding will commence... Hopefully just a couple more weeks, and maybe I'll have everything done and ready by my birthday in May. We'll see tho.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Stuartzickefoose]

Dude...sorry to hear about Stephanie

Can't wait to see this thing built again!!!
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[Bala]

Stick with it man! I want to see you driving that bus again!
_________________
1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

[secretsubmariner]

[Abscate]

I hope when you said 'split the case' that it wasnt part of the settlement....
_________________
.ssS!

[secretsubmariner]

LOL. No, just the literal splitting of the case halves for rebuilding. I made sure to keep all my assets independent.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[tonychavalia]

sorry about your troubles. Keep yourself busy it makes it a bit easier. Ive been following since the beginning i want to see youtube vids of that bus running.

[secretsubmariner]

I've been doing little things and hanging in the bus with some friends to keep the ju-ju strong. finally have enough cardboard together to ship the shit to rimco safely for my standards. pictured here are my drummer (front seat), my brothers gf (girl), and my buddy Josh with me on the center seat.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Stuartzickefoose]

Wow you grew your hair out! Haha
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[secretsubmariner]

Yeah...I grow it, I cut it, I grow it, etc. Y'know, the usual hair type shit. lol
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI