TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1960 SO23 Westy

Mon May 27, 2019 6:47 am

npbusguy wrote: andre b wrote: bus looks great..what tires are those?

Thanks Andre. The tires are General Grabbers and they have gotten a lot of good reviews in the 15"radial tire thread. awsome..il have to try em out,love the way you did the interior paint color..great job.

Mon May 27, 2019 8:19 am

Planning on painting the tent mounts?

Mon May 27, 2019 9:41 am

Breathtaking... and what speedy progress too! Are you taking it overseas?

Bill

Mon May 27, 2019 8:58 pm

Another major assembly day today. Too tired to write descriptions, but you get the idea.

This is the original door panel to the bus, but when I got it, it was covered in blue paint. I'm really happy to see how well it cleaned up.

Tue May 28, 2019 6:41 am

Looks great Neil!! You must be very happy! Curious me is wondering about your rear cargo door interior panel. Why the there are 4 holes on one hinge mounting spot and 3 on the other?

Tue May 28, 2019 6:47 am

Looking great! This project is the opposite of your 15 window build from a time perspective.... Like switching on an an episode of American Chopper after finishing the box set of Downton Abbey.

Tue May 28, 2019 6:23 pm

Thanks guys. It is a bit faster than I'd care for, but I've got a deadline of I want to ship it so I can drive it around Europe for the next few years.

Michael, there are two matching sets of "3 holes" and one ship hole that a previous owner put in the panel.

My buddy Mitch came out and helped all weekend. He loves the mechanical details and spent all day yesterday sorting out the wiring, and today he installed the engine.

On the other hand, I groove on the details, like this amazing bulkhead panel set that Lind graciously have up for this project.

The bus is starting to take shape, and The front door windows are assembled and ready to go in, though I forgot to take pictures of them, so here is a parting shot of the bus until next weekend.

Wed May 29, 2019 10:06 pm

I'm digging the stuff in the background, like the other buses, and the pile of vintage workshop manuals. And is that a Porsche I spy through the window of the partition photo?

Thu May 30, 2019 4:11 am

npbusguy wrote: Thanks guys. It is a bit faster than I'd care for, but I've got a deadline of I want to ship it so I can drive it around Europe for the next few years.

Michael, there are two matching sets of "3 holes" and one ship hole that a previous owner put in the panel.

My buddy Mitch came out and helped all weekend. He loves the mechanical details and spent all day yesterday sorting out the wiring, and today he installed the engine.

On the other hand, I groove on the details, like this amazing bulkhead panel set that Lind graciously have up for this project.

The bus is starting to take shape, and The front door windows are assembled and ready to go in, though I forgot to take pictures of them, so here is a parting shot of the bus until next weekend.

Mitch is the man - he helped me get my interior ceiling panels in the westy. He knows how big of a pain it was

Sat Jun 01, 2019 7:38 am

npbusguy wrote: so I can drive it around Europe for the next few years.

whereabouts? shall we do a SO23 meeting....? 😎

Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:11 am

Roof panels are a real bitch to install. Just make sure you put the cab overhead panels in first. I didn't, and oh boy...

Mon Jun 03, 2019 5:29 am

After a long weekend of cutting, cussing and fitting, the interior is in. I'll stain the wood panels later, but it is together.
We also put some gas in the bus and drove it for the first time since it was parked in a field in Wisconsin in 1983.

Enough words, you guys want to see the pictures....

Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:46 am

Looking good

Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:21 pm

What wood did you use for the paneling?

Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:34 pm

I used 1/8" Baltic birch, which is what was available in 5x5.
Yeah, I know it should be limba, but I have a deadline to meet, plus it is a driver and not a show bus, so the interior will get some wear.
Maybe I'll add some limba vaneer when I refinish the cabinets, but it isn't too important to me right now.

Here is a strange tidbit for westy perverts: the water tank straps are different lengths depending if the strap attaches to the spare tire well (a little shorter) or to the bulkhead behind the driver.

Mon Jun 03, 2019 5:17 pm

Great restauration considering the timing.
getting bodywork right the 1st time is the most important, after that all cabinet and panel can be addressed later with limba.

Mon Jun 03, 2019 7:52 pm

npbusguy wrote: I used 1/8" Baltic birch, which is what was available in 5x5.
Yeah, I know it should be limba, but I have a deadline to meet, plus it is a driver and not a show bus, so the interior will get some wear.
Maybe I'll add some limba vaneer when I refinish the cabinets, but it isn't too important to me right now.

Here is a strange tidbit for westy perverts: the water tank straps are different lengths depending if the strap attaches to the spare tire well (a little shorter) or to the bulkhead behind the driver.

Well, that explains why my straps don't fit right.

Sat Jun 08, 2019 6:16 pm

I think it’s time to put a Sweetass silver white emblem on that thing. Then we can all fly to North Carolina, drink at it, and wipe our dong prints off the dove blue paint.

Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:02 pm

Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:28 pm

looks fantastic neil! with the tight deadline you have I am amazed how well this has all come together! congrats