65 deluxe "the bavarian"

[esde]

Glass in

Modified a beetle exhaust to sort of clear the bumper, and frame. After this picture I cut and welded it some more to clear the NOS mud flaps I found

And mounted the full flow oil filter on the frame, the hoses have right angle ends to get over the mud flap

found a belt to work with the 356 generator pulley, valve cover gaskets, gas, and it fired right up. Exhaust sounds pretty good, though the bumper does get pretty hot in the middle..

Link

Getting closer to drivable for Flanders.
SD
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[lumber-baron]

What a gratifying moment!!

[esde]

I've been feeding the bus a steady diet of short sessions, either before work or after. Kind of a pain but forward progress all the same.
I patched up the center heater tube. Not my finest work, or factory correct, but sturdy and functional. There are no original parts to be salvaged and the aftermarket hasn't really stepped up with an affordable option sooo…
some exhaust pipe, with a mitered piece in front to make the connection.

And in the rear, an ugly chunk of pipe picked from flaps.

Airtight and solid, squirted with epoxy in and out, done.
Got onto the remaining roof repair. As long as it isn't done I can't put the edges of the headliner back, and I'm deathly afraid of it tearing. So I got to it.
Here's the worst spot getting biopsied.

It's bad, right down through the flat of the gutter section to the top of the rear cargo door. F.

The shitty part of the roof construction is that the gutter/ roof edge is made of a simple box beam. So once it rusts through in one spot, the water cab freely run up and down the entire gutter seam, without having an easy place to drain out. It's terrible. I jacked the front of the bus up and poured ospho into the front of this box section till I had it running to the back and let it dry. Hopefully this might neutralize the rust that hidden where I can't get to it.
The roof was blasted and primed many years before I got it, exposing any tiny rust pin holes. I ground them out a bit, set the mig on low, like 11 volts with 030 wire and started plugging away

a few small patches here and there

So, closing in on the end of the roof repair. Going through a check list.. brakes were in need of adjustment. But the front adjusters were hard to spin, despite going together with anti seize. Turns out the holes for the adjusters was tight at the bottom, and the adjusters got stuck. Took a few minutes with the lathe and cut them to fit. Rear KYB gas adjust, front KYB GR2. Went about mounting the sway bar from a 66 that I parted out. Man what a chore. Honestly, I probably dropped the bar, clamps, my tools, everything dozens of times till I figured it out. Then it took 10 minutes and it was done. You just can't have too many clamps, and you have to have several different styles.

I was hoping to take it for a spin today, but house and kid stuff got in the way. Maybe tomorrow, I'll drive it the few blocks home after work. It's been tagged and insured for months, and is dying for a short trip.
SD
_________________
modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[esde]

been a while with no updates..
The bus is running and driving, and gets a little love here and there, in between all of the other projects. I had some rotten luck with aluminum pop out window frames, and rather than start all over with new steel frames, I just picked the best 6 from the pile and did the best I could without splitting the frames apart. Not the best but should get a few years if they don't see water often. Sanded, primed, correct blue-white paint, and new outer seals.

It did make it out to a show in early October, my son and mother tagged along for the day. Being as it was the week before halloween some decorations were in order.

The boy does love the bus, man he jumps not the drivers seat at every chance. So, chock is always under the wheels and never leave the key in it..

I did buy myself a cherry of a Christmas gift, a correct for 65 short middle seat! Complete with the armrest and ashtray!
Fresh off the greyhound bus, yo!

So, I have to get the cargo floor fixed, as there's presently no place solid enough to secure this sucker. See how one thing leads to another? But that's ok, that's how things get done sometimes..
Merry Xmas everybody!
SD
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[SplitBusVanatic]

Just read from page 1.
Well done on a great mini resto.
Some very tricky jobs done.
All the best.

[esde]

Thanks for the kind words. I learned a ton on my first bus project, where I bit off more than I could chew. Then I had to weld and fix absolutely EVERYTHING, before I got to take the bus for a spin. It sucked.
This time, I've got the projects staged. This go around, the bus gets made safe and watertight, and mechanically sound. I can run around, drive it as I wish, and tackle the smaller restoration projects as my enthusiasm (or wallet) wants to. There's a three full months of welding on the floors and rockers (at my pace) to be done, in a year or five, and after I'll enjoy it some more. Then think about paint and whatever..
I'm in no rush
SD
_________________
modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[mandraks]

[esde]

Had an open house at my new shop today, with a band, several hundred people, and my wife catching some photo's with a new camera body. She had seen the print of this picture that I keep in the front of the bus, and staged a recreation with my son.

I'm pretty happy with the results, especially the huge grin.
_________________
modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[esde]

Wow time flies.
Moved, so the Bavarian went from the back of one shop to the back of a new barn. Busses are a big commitment, and several other projects have gotten in the way. But I pulled this out, got it running again, went to a local cars and coffee thing, grocery shopping, and then to my sons trunk or treat.
You just cannot beat an old bus when it comes to making people smile.
Moving out day

Local car show. I didn't even wash it. Possible that I never have

Cops did ask why I was 43 years out of date. Told them I'd rather take the ticket than have the sticker scraped. He laughed and let me go

The namesake "the Bavarian" sticker on the dash

Creepy doll that lives in the spare tire

My wife at the trunk or treat thing

My sons kick ass zwitter costume

and with some real hippies, my aunt and uncle.

Friday it gets trailered to my city shop, where I'll tackle the front valence, both doglegs, and the front floor. We'll see how long this takes, and how much more I may tackle. I did decide to install an entire new roof skin, as the pin holes on this still weep, and the only way to kill the rust 100% is to pull the roof off. I'd love a sunroof (not 21 window) but I'm torn about the extra cost and keeping it original. Tough choice.
Stay tuned
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[vw356]

Great bus! And I super like the beetle Halloween costume too!!!
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Current projects:
1950's Volkswagens!
51,52,54's,55,56's,57,58's,'60's And then a bunch of '60's, but the '50's are my favorites..

[timjames722]

Great bus, Seth! And killer metal work. When the time comes, I'll get my SO42 down to you for some metal.
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66 SO42 L87

What's the point in callin shots? This cue ain't straight in line.

[esde]

I never did post last years Christmas card, so here it is, Just a year late. You can find this years card in the Oval forum under Jimmy Sprinkles..
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=785760
Merry Christmas to all of you and yours!

You can find this years card in the Oval forum under Jimmy Sprinkles..
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=785760
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[Blue Baron]

First read of this thread.

Great photo!
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We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.

Heinz Nordhoff

[BarryL]

Funny Photo Card.

How did you get the cat to pose?

[esde]