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Mon Feb 24, 2025 2:40 pm

Slowly assembling my 1957 23-window

Mon Feb 24, 2025 2:45 pm

^Whoa... Gorgeous Thom!!^

Mon Feb 24, 2025 6:56 pm

Candy coated.

Thu Feb 27, 2025 1:44 pm

thom wrote: Slowly assembling my 1957 23-window

'bout time! Thom, you slacker.

Thu Feb 27, 2025 7:00 pm

BarryL wrote: Switched out still working Airtex fuel pump for rebuilt Sparx Werks square top fuel pump on the '67 Westy.

Just felt for safety it was time.

Switched out that Square Top in those photos for another Square Top one by Sparx Werks.
More on that later.

Decided it was time for new hose from gas tank outlet to firewall. Sucked it dry using the inlet hose to the fuel pump. Used my new Anti-Gravity Battery.

New hose going on soon.

Wed Mar 05, 2025 2:19 pm

Installed a set of Unimog mirrors on my single cab. You used to be able to get these for ~$20 NOS; years ago I bought an NOS set for €10 each from a German UniMOG supplier; they're almost $40 now. They were originally drab green, but I rattle-canned them black.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 8:21 pm

Back on the ground, supporting its own weight for the first time in over a year.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:48 pm

Your bus is so boss. I love your spray booth curtain holders.

Sat Mar 08, 2025 7:36 am

first fire, yet again. lets see if we get more than 11 miles this time!

Sat Mar 08, 2025 9:02 am

David Raistrick wrote: first fire, yet again. lets see if we get more than 11 miles this time!

Fingers and toes crossed!

Sat Mar 08, 2025 2:18 pm

cdennisg wrote: David Raistrick wrote: first fire, yet again. lets see if we get more than 11 miles this time!

Fingers and toes crossed!

made it 32 miles of back roads around the house.

low on power (but I pulled timing out of it before I left)

two oil leaks. pass valve cover, fine whatever. but the oil pump leak pisses me off.

between the Andrig Evo One fan and the hydraulic lifters, though, it's _so much quieter_. the fan noise is very different.

Sat Mar 08, 2025 3:51 pm

David Raistrick wrote: between the Andrig Evo One fan and the hydraulic lifters, though, it's _so much quieter_. the fan noise is very different.

...at least until I turned the heat on. (not because I needed it, but because I wanted to make sure it was working...) yikes, that fan is _not_ optimized for running heat....but the airflow boost is obvious.

bumped the timing back to where it should be, better. survived another 30 miles.

Sat Mar 08, 2025 3:55 pm

David Raistrick wrote: David Raistrick wrote: between the Andrig Evo One fan and the hydraulic lifters, though, it's _so much quieter_. the fan noise is very different.

...at least until I turned the heat on. (not because I needed it, but because I wanted to make sure it was working...) yikes, that fan is _not_ optimized for running heat....but the airflow boost is obvious.

bumped the timing back to where it should be, better. survived another 30 miles.

What is different about the heat with that fan? Should still push plenty of air. Different sound?

Sat Mar 08, 2025 4:21 pm

cdennisg wrote:
What is different about the heat with that fan? Should still push plenty of air. Different sound?

yep. it's fairly high pitched whistle at the engine compartment (and you can hear it driving). it increased like 10x when I opened the heater.......the heater mufflers dont absorb _that_ sound.

lots more heat volume though.....good defog should be a thing now. have to see if I can tolerate it on long drives.

Sun Mar 09, 2025 7:59 pm

What did I do for it? Make it not start.

I used an air compressor to blow out debris and loose rust off the floor to prepare it for removing the rust and giving it some fresh paint.

Then I took out one of the cabinets in the camper, the one with the icebox and sink. I couldn't see myself using it, and it made it tight getting things in and out. It will be put in storage for now.

Next was removing the radio and an aluminum holder for it that was jammed between the dash and the tray.

Wipers don't work, so I wondered if it had something to do with the switch, and that seemed to be the best place to start. Blocking it was an add-on oil temperature gauge that didn't work, so that came off, and wrapped the ends of the wires with electrical tape for now. I still can't see the back of the wiper switch and couldn't figure out how to remove it. So, rather than risk breaking something, I put that on hold until I can do some research.

Next to it is a rocker switch, pretty sure it's not stock. And I have no idea what it does. Left it in for now, plan on tracing the wires to see what they lead to.

Put the driver's seat back in to take it for a drive. When I turn the key on, I hear the fuel pump, when I turn it further to start there is just a clunk, and then nothing. Before the motor would turn over and start up. Either I did something to the wiring, or by odd coincidence the starter decided to go out just to mess with me.

Researching on what the problem could be while also considering putting a new wiring harness. I have no idea what some of these wires that aren't connected go to, and wonder if there could be problems. Such as the large wire connected to the 7th fuse has a blue wire spliced into it and I can't figure out where it's supposed to be.

Sun Mar 09, 2025 9:26 pm

unsolicited advice: debug what you have before you try to rewire it with a new harness……. you know what you have worked before so it can work again. with a new harness you are starting with nothing working, and (always) a bunch of things not-stock.

learn what isnt stock and why, put those back to stock or keep them, then consider a harness (or not)

Sun Mar 09, 2025 10:12 pm

Thank you. Some of the best advice is unsolicited!

Been looking through the forum. Seems I should try banging on the starter, arcing a screwdriver across the solenoid, and pushing it to possibly unstick the starter.

I have removed the non-stock radio. I have yet to remove a DVD that's mounted to the ceiling. Its wiring won't be as obvious as the radios was. But yeah, I'll run down and remove wires that are not being used or figure out where they go. It will be interesting if the only reason the wipers don't work is that a wire is not connected. I'll have to see if I can find a wiring diagram.

Mon Mar 10, 2025 2:58 am

ComfortablyNumb wrote: When I turn the key on, I hear ... just a clunk, and then nothing.

Charge the battery and/or test it. I had the same issue intermittently last year. It was a weak battery. Sometimes it would start with a flick of the key, other times I'd just get a lound 'clunk' like the solenoid was firing but the starter motor wasn't turning.
I mostly do short journeys and had left the battery connected over the winter months when it wasn't used.
On advice from others on the forum, I charged the battery out of the truck, which fixed it.

Also, banging on the starter motor isn't the right thing to do.
If the symptom was silence or a quiet 'click' when you turned the key (no clunk), but you had lights etc., it might indicate a stuck solenoid. If that were the case; the 'trick' would be to gently tap the smaller cylinder (the solenoid) that is piggy-backed on the body of the starter motor, not the starter motor itself.
Gently tapping the solenoid may cause a stuck solenoid to release. You can sometimes hear a stuck solenoid ping back in to place under spring pressure when you tap it.
Hitting the main starter motor body can deform it and the stator within, causing the rotor to hit the stator.

Tue Mar 11, 2025 11:39 am

Out in the daylight for the first time in over a year

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:12 pm

After driving for errands and getting gas I was decelerating to turn onto my street and press my garage opener when I heard rods suddenly knocking. I slowly gave it the gas after turning and for sure the rods were knocking.

I panicked and stopped. That's when I realized the Redheaded Woodpecker was back onto my local telephone pole for spring.