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karlonwheels Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2014 Posts: 128 Location: new yorkish
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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Mazeltov!
Buddy is a looker. Welcome to our strange family. _________________ 73 daily bus: "Betty June"
69 Westy Project: "Stella." |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject: Battery cables |
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Got a little done this weekend which was frustrating (the little done part), and also rewarding. Replaced the battery cables because the originals were really deteriorated.
The new positive cable has a secondary lead that I believe goes to the voltage regulator. The original cable did not have that and I will have to figure it out another day. Heck - don't even know where the VR is yet...
A bit of rust through on the battery well deck. Cleaned, primed and painted to hold the damage at bay and will add that to the "replace it" list.
I'm seeing lots of oil/gunk below the engine/transmission. Need to clean it up so I can start identifying the source(s).
Ready to install the new shocks, filters, battery and tires and that will happen next weekend. Then it'll be time for Buddy's initial shakedown cruise. YAHOO! _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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Wasted youth Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 5134 Location: California's Hot and Smoggy Central Valley
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:26 am Post subject: Re: Battery cables |
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MGBBob80 wrote: |
... Heck - don't even know where the VR is yet... |
And other such stuff:
Got that second job yet? |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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Great pictures - many thanks! _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:14 pm Post subject: Rear tires and shocks |
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Continuing on, slow but sure. Purchased 5 new tires (Hankook RA08 - 185R14C) and installed the rears and spare. Also purchased shocks and installed the rear. The shocks are Sachs Super Touring 794 031 009 for the rear and 701 131 009 for the front. I've heard that some people find them a bit soft, but I wanted to try them as I've never heard of the brand before.
Did not install the front tires/shocks as the ball joints and tie rods are shot, which caused some real interesting wear on the front tires. Discarded those and moved the old rear tires to the front, which still look pretty good. I don't plan to do much driving until the front end is taken care of. That's pretty much next on the to-do list.
All for now. Hoping to have Buddy on the road for a bit later this afternoon. Make sure the things I've done are OK before heading on to the next phase. _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:21 pm Post subject: 6-Month Update |
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Hello All,
Well, it’s been just over 6 months since Buddy and I found each other and I thought I should provide an update on what we’ve been up too. I’ve been focused on mechanical repairs and here’s what’s been done so far:
Engine: Overhauled – thought this was going to be a refresh centered around new heads, but it turned into a complete rebuild and I turned it over to a reputable shop here on Oahu. Steve’s Auto Repair of Honolulu did a great job! Replaced clutch and transmission seal that was leaking while the work was on going.
Engine tin: A lot was missing and took some time to find it, prep, paint and install. Many thanks to Ken Madson (The Bus Company) for helping me locate the pieces.
Fuel system: removed gas tank, cleaned (found a large piece of rubber inside – piece of California style filler elbow) and reinstalled. Easiest when engine is out by the way, although I understand it can be done with engine installed. Replaced all rubber lines in fuel system. Installed carbon canister and plumbed it. Replaced fuel filter.
Brakes: Replaced all rubber brake lines and flushed the system with DOT-4. Replaced front pads, clips and pins. Thankfully, the shims were there and in good shape as I could not source new ones. Adjusted rear brakes. They look brand new. Of note -three of the new rubber brake lines were German and one was made in Brazil (rear drivers side) as the vendor was out of stock on the German hose. The Brazilian hose almost failed (four large bubbles) after just 1500 miles of use. Word to the wise - do your homework and always go with quality over "what's available today."
Steering and suspension: Replaced tires, shocks, ball joints, tie rods. Adjusted steering gear.
Electrical: New battery. Cleaned up fuse box and repaired lamp wiring as necessary (rear side markers, back up lights and brake lights). Replaced interior overhead lamps. Everything works!
Exterior: Replaced rear bumper with used one that was in decent shape. Replaced both exterior mirrors. Replaced radio antenna, but now don't have a radio (see below)...
Interior: Installed EMPI plastic glove box as my OEM had been partially eaten by something… Installed new sun visors. Reinstalled the middle seat and seat belts. The seat and safety belts came with Buddy, but I had to buy new hardware to install it. Repaired windshield washer system as many of the lines were rotted and leaked. Had quite the flood first time I pressurized the tank and activated the system. Cleanup of the fuse box resulted as it got really wet... System holds air well now and works like a champ!
Vendors: For the most part, all has been extremely positive, especially with the private guys and ladies that deal on the forum. The big guys have been good as well – mostly good parts, but also some junk that I just couldn’t find it in me to install. The fuel filler elbow comes instantly to mind. Terrible. Went through several until I could source a good one.
What’s next (in no particular order):
- Heat doesn’t work (although I really do not need it). Engine compartment is plumbed correctly, but missing one heater valve and other one looks like it’s in real rough shape). For reasons I cannot explain, this is fairly high on my priority list.
- Door locks. PO delivered Buddy with keys broken off in the passenger and sliding doors. Driver's door and rear hatch work fine. Ignition and door keys are different. I’ve got to get smart on re-keying locks so I can have a one key fits all system.
- Radio: I pulled the one that came with him as it was really tacky and whoever installed it did a terrible job. I want something modern (hands free, etc.) that looks fairly period correct. Not high on the list.
- Body. LOTS to do here and this is an area that I have little expertise. Body work, window seals and prime/paint. Ultimately, I intend to repaint in original colors (lower - reef blue (L57H), upper pastel white (L90D).
- Seat belts. I intend on going to the retractable type that were available on Type 2 Euro models (I think) and U.S.Vanagons.
- Pertronix? Keeps flashing through my mind. Have read the pros and cons and jury's out on this one.
More to follow! _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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giddymachine Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2013 Posts: 15 Location: Honolulu
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Hey there. I'm in Hawaii Kai and will keep an eye out for you on the road. Got a Beige 79 Westfalia named Stuart. _________________ 1979 Westfalia FI |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:00 am Post subject: |
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Giddymachine, Thanks for reading my post! I look forward to crossing paths with you and Stuart. _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Battery cables |
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MGBBob80 wrote: |
... The new positive cable has a secondary lead that I believe goes to the voltage regulator. The original cable did not have that and I will have to figure it out another day. ... |
I think that almost all new cables come with a secondary lead whether it is needed or not. I bought a 2 gauge red positive cable from Pep Boys. On my '69 in SoCal I used the secondary positive lead for a fused circuit to DC outlets.
Aloha
tp |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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Great idea Tom - Thanks! _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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14platoon Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2013 Posts: 444 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 3:17 am Post subject: |
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Great post. I bought my first bus one month after you, this also happened to be a mini bus with the type 4 engine, you seem to have got stuck well in with yours and makes for an interesting read. I'm inspired to write a "my first bus post" too.
Keep us posted. |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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14platoon, Thanks for taking the time to read my post! Buddy's a great bus and I'm looking forward to our next maintenance adventure. _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:14 pm Post subject: Rear window seal replacement |
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Finances preclude me from fully restoring Buddy and so am on a new adventure to eliminate some rust and repair some leaky window seals. Started with the rear window as it was the worst. I used a German made seal from C1P1 and glad I did - it fit perfectly!
This site has lots of info on seal installation so I'll just briefly describe my process. I used copious amounts of window cleaner as the lubricant. Fit the seal to the glass and then inserted 1/8" nylon rope into the outer groove of the seal (leaving about 1 foot dangling from either end). 18 feet of rope made it all the way around with plenty to spare. Whoever came up with the idea of using a Bic pen to help install the rope was a genius btw!!! Fit the window/seal into the frame and pushed it in until it looked seated. Then, from inside the bus, I pulled out the nylon rope which eased the lip of the seal over the pinch weld. Hardest part, by far, was installing the seal onto the glass. I had a helper for the entire process.
Up next - the side windows!
_________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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cliveawn Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2010 Posts: 481 Location: Southern Sweden
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Really cool thread! How is the motor running after the rebuild?
Can you list for interest sake what was changed?
Some pics would be good too. _________________ ---------------------------------------------------------
Green 78 Westfalia Helsinki,
2056 with 41 x 34 valves,ported heads
Fully balanced
8,5:1CR
JPM Custom made cam
JPM 7075 dual taper pushrods
IDF 40's with 28mm venturi's
Python CSP 42mm exhaust.
115 HP
Daily driver 2017 Volvo V60 D5 hybrid
Rica stage 2 tune 345hp.
''Funny thing about common sense is that its not very common''
Seismic gun mechanic |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Cliveawn,
Engine's running great! Just over 2300 miles on the build - pulls fine up and over the Koolau's, very little oil consumption (about 0.25 qt/1000mi) and no leaks. No complaints or regrets.
Engine was overhauled by Steve's Auto in Honolulu. Steve and Alan may not be the best on Oahu, but if they're not then I have no idea who is... Unfortunately, not a lot of pictures to really showcase the event...
Work included pistons and cylinders, AMC heads, main rod and cam bearings, cam and lifters, clutch, seals and cleaned up nice and pretty. Took some time to locate the tin, clean and paint it, but its got to be worth it in the long run.
Buddy's off-road right now as a result of the window seal replacements. Hoping to get him back on the road in two weeks. He won't be running for long as I will still have the front window and the drivers/passenger doors to take care of.
_________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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cliveawn Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2010 Posts: 481 Location: Southern Sweden
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:10 am Post subject: |
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Cool!
Thanks for posting the pics,that engine case looks as dirty as mine was!
I have a little different motor to you,mine is the european twin carb type,1978.
Still a 2.0 but has solid lifters.
Its in now for a big bore kit and lots of other stuff getting done by a well known builder here in Sweden.
Do you use yours for camping or just cruising? _________________ ---------------------------------------------------------
Green 78 Westfalia Helsinki,
2056 with 41 x 34 valves,ported heads
Fully balanced
8,5:1CR
JPM Custom made cam
JPM 7075 dual taper pushrods
IDF 40's with 28mm venturi's
Python CSP 42mm exhaust.
115 HP
Daily driver 2017 Volvo V60 D5 hybrid
Rica stage 2 tune 345hp.
''Funny thing about common sense is that its not very common''
Seismic gun mechanic |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:49 am Post subject: |
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I'm using Buddy as a daily driver - back and forth to work, etc. Works out to be about 50 miles per day and he's doing great!
I have my eye on a Westy that's currently sleeping in a Nevada salvage yard. Only time will tell how that one works out. _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:04 pm Post subject: Side Window Seals - Drivers Side |
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The adventure with window seal replacement continues without major hiccup. Or minor for that matter. Replaced the side window seals on the drivers side in similar fashion to what we did on the rear window. That's mentioned above.
Both seals came from Cip1:
Center: German made w/o vent (C16-221-321C-LR)
Rear: USA made w/o vent (C24-211-845-321-BGR)
I make mention of the parts as I learned a few things about them and that's always good to share. The USA seal did not have per-molded corners and I was a little leery of that, but it turned out not to be an issue. The USA seal was far more pliable than the German seal and it turned out to be the easiest to install.
The German seal was of excellent quality and the fit was really good. It was an extremely tight fit. Of course it had the molded corners. Of note, cip1 technical support told me that this seal would not fit a center window with the sliding window option. Others told me differently and so I went ahead and purchased it. I've fed the info back so that they can update their information base.
Passenger side windows come next and then it'll be time to get Buddy back on the road for a bit. _________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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Tcash Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011 Posts: 12844 Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Which sliders did you get, the OEM or the Reproductions?
Thank You
Tcash |
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MGBBob80 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2009 Posts: 126 Location: Bremerton, WA
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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Tcash,
I believe they're OEM. They were on the bus when I purchased it and the glass panes have the VW logo. Of course a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a shot of the passenger side window which is still waiting to go in.
Any info that you may be able to provide on these windows (OEM, reproduction, etc.) would be really appreciated.
_________________ Cheers,
Bob
1978 Type 2 Transporter. 2L engine (engine code GE), Fuel Injection, 4-speed manual transmission.His name is Buddy.
"I reserve the right to be better tomorrow than I am today." |
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