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Sat Jun 14, 2025 4:23 pm

Nice Work, did that vintage speed muffler fit with the pressed bumper, or did you cut the tip?

Sat Jun 14, 2025 6:26 pm

That thing belongs in The Smithsonian.

Mon Jun 16, 2025 12:38 pm

Cleaned the roof. Usually when I wash the bus, I ignore the roof. Being short, it takes a ladder for me to do a proper job. My mechanic shamed me into it when he was talking about repainting the roof of his Vanagon, so it would look shinier. I guess that all this time tall people, those with second stories, and ferry pilots have been all been noticing the nice bus with a dirty roof. I do get scratches now and then when sliding the canoe on top (with foam pads).

Mon Jun 16, 2025 3:24 pm

staceyz wrote: Nice Work, did that vintage speed muffler fit with the pressed bumper, or did you cut the tip?

I punted and installed a repro stock muffler for now

Mon Jun 16, 2025 3:25 pm

Actually drove it to the local cars-and-coffee last weekend

Mon Jun 16, 2025 3:47 pm

Did you at least clean the one 'complying-with-the-law!' safari you had installed?

I am curious, as i considered buying a stainless exhaust from those folks - is it something about your bus that made getting the thing to fit properly impossible, or did they just screw up? Lot of money for a part that doesn't fit w/out modification$.

Tue Jun 17, 2025 6:20 am

70bus wrote: I am curious, as i considered buying a stainless exhaust from those folks - is it something about your bus that made getting the thing to fit properly impossible, or did they just screw up? Lot of money for a part that doesn't fit w/out modification$.

I'm not sure. I think it might be the part itself, since it's a very significant dimensional issue. I've emailed them and sent pix, but haven't heard back yet. If you look closely at one of the pix of the other guy who used one of these mufflers on a bus, you can see the support is interfering with the apron.

Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:08 pm

People bash on California all the time for various reasons, but it's probably the easiest state in the Union to register an old car

Thu Jun 19, 2025 8:45 pm

South Carolina will pretty much let you register anything no questions asked and gas is like 2.50 a gallon. I miss the dirty south.

Sat Jun 21, 2025 5:12 pm

Spent the entire day sanding and polishing the nose trim, then installed it, and added the insert. My fingers are literally bleeding.

Sat Jun 21, 2025 5:50 pm

thom , what grit of paper ? Wet sand ?

Sat Jun 21, 2025 6:28 pm

thom wrote: My fingers are literally bleeding.

Work your fingers to the bone...what d'ya get? Boney Fingers.

Sun Jun 22, 2025 4:49 am

They’re not my fingers so I can’t say for sure, but it looks like it was worth the effort.

Sun Jun 22, 2025 12:08 pm

panel wrote: thom , what grit of paper ? Wet sand ?

First I used a small file to clean up any really rough spots, particularly on the back side where it would contact the paint. Then I used a scotch-brite and degreaser to clean everything. For sanding, I used 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 - all wet. Then I buffed it with Enkay White Diamond, and finished it with Enkay Blue. I could have sanded some more and removed more imperfections, but that would also mean sacrificing more of the original metal. The are the original trim strips for this bus, so I leaned to the conservative side.

Sun Jun 22, 2025 12:10 pm

I installed a ]Butty's Bits accelerator pedal linkage, and it made a huge difference. I might retrofit one to my single cab, too.

Mon Jun 23, 2025 4:40 am

Fantastic results! Well worth the effort.

I'm interested to hear how the pedal linkage works. There are a bunch of items I'm thinking of buying, and this is definitely on the list.

Mon Jun 23, 2025 6:43 am

peecee69 wrote: I'm interested to hear how the pedal linkage works.

The fundamental principle and geometry is the same, but instead of the pivot points being holes in the pedal and the frame that have been there for 50+ years, it incorporates ball ends and bearings for the pivots, which takes out all of the slop. The icing on the cake is the add-on spring, which takes over some of the effort from the spring on the carb. A common problem I've had is the carb spring didn't always close the throttle, so you'd have to do a quick blip to get it to close.

Mon Jun 23, 2025 6:46 am

I fitted the Butty’s Bits throttle linkage to my Bus a couple of weeks back, and it is Night and Day better, would recommend :thumbsup:

Mon Jun 23, 2025 6:31 pm

Is the force your foot has to press down and vary the hold-down increased?

Tue Jun 24, 2025 2:05 am

BarryL wrote: Is the force your foot has to press down and vary the hold-down increased?

I didn't notice any extra force being necessary when I fitted one. I think the bulk of the improvement is the return spring that holds to the cross member. Maybe try fitting a spring first. If it works for you, but the kit and get the excuse improvement of the joints.