TheSamba.com :: View topic - Swiss cheese

Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:28 pm

That‘s what I thought. If someone want to sell one, let me know ☺️.

Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:39 pm

Currently I‘m trying to remove my Hehr windows. I got all out beside of one. This one was glued into the frame (yellow glue, soft).

Also all the frames were glued in with some other stuff (white glue, quite hard).

Direct force was not working :P. Next up is 1) a heat gun or 2) some nitro thinner or 3) a freezing spray. If someone had a similar issue or knows the stuff, I‘m open to helpful tips of cause :).

Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:09 pm

Somebody really wanted those to stay in. :-)

The correct stuff used to seal them was called 'dum dum' and is now called 'Mortite' at Home Depot:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-90-ft-Grey-Weather-Strip-and-Caulking-Cord-B2/100152937

The Jalousie thread is a weath of info on everything jalousie:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7709073&highlight=dum+dum#7709073

Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:19 pm

srfndoc wrote: Definitely a repro rack/clamps.
Oh. In the photo it looked longer like the '62 style but now I see its shorterness.

Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:26 pm

swiss_bulli wrote:
Direct force was not working :P. Next up is 1) a heat gun or 2) some nitro thinner or 3) a freezing spray. If someone had a similar issue or knows the stuff, I‘m open to helpful tips of cause :).

Heat gun would be my first tool of choice. Take your time, be patient, don't force anything.

srfndoc wrote:
The correct stuff used to seal them was called 'dum dum' and is now called 'Mortite' at Home Depot:

Not sure they have Home Depot in Switzerland.

Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:02 pm

cdennisg wrote: swiss_bulli wrote:
Direct force was not working :P. Next up is 1) a heat gun or 2) some nitro thinner or 3) a freezing spray. If someone had a similar issue or knows the stuff, I‘m open to helpful tips of cause :).

Heat gun would be my first tool of choice. Take your time, be patient, don't force anything.

srfndoc wrote:
The correct stuff used to seal them was called 'dum dum' and is now called 'Mortite' at Home Depot:

Not sure they have Home Depot in Switzerland.

Good point! Amazon.de to the rescue (amazon.ch seems to refer here):

https://www.amazon.de/Frost-King-F4-Caulking-9-5-o...ds=mortite

Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:31 am

swiss_bulli wrote: Also all the frames were glued in with some other stuff (white glue, quite hard)....If someone had a similar issue or knows the stuff, I‘m open to helpful tips of cause :).
Barf. It looks like latex caulking. That stuff is a pain to get free. Doesn't look like a razor knife can get in there but maybe a hand held stiff-back razor blade or try to pound on a stiff-back razor all around by hitting it with a little hammer and a small hardwood block.

Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:13 am

StockNazi wrote: Looks like a reproduction rack to me. Uprights and corner pieces look like they do not have a casting ridge. Bows are painted the same grey color like on repo racks. Repo clamp hardware.

Cool SK BG/TR colors. Does/did it have the SK code in the headlight bucket?

Sorry StockNazi I looked over your question last time. The code isn't visible in the bucket, but that might be, because of the new paint job of the previous owner. I bought some paint remover and will check, if there is still something underneath.

Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:56 am

Thanks for all your tips. I can't really concentrate on the restoration, as I have just started on a new job role working 100%+ and doing some evening classes for higher education. As some of you mentioned on this forum, I try to do all the time a little bit. Currently, I'm normally able to get into the garage twice a week for 2 hours each or so. The interior disassembly is nearly completed.

It is time to do an anthem on my newly bought heat gun. That was my favorite tool in the past weeks :). I bought the Bosch PHG 630, which has three airflow stages and variable temperature setting from 50 - 630°C (around 1166 F). It was the solution for most of my problems and helped me removing the window frames. I normally don't do marketing for a product nor am I working for them, but I'm really happy with it.

This is me (not anonymous anymore *shock*) happy posing with the first frame out. It took me about an hour for the first, but I was getting faster :)

With the help of the heat gun, I could remove all camper window frames and the last window which was stuck completely. It also helped my getting the window seals soft to remove the front, rear and the one stationary side glass. Another issue it helped with, was the passenger side door remote lock screw. I did soak it in penetration oil and used an impact screwdriver, but it won't move. Well, my heat gun did the job. The paint is now brown around the screw, but as I will paint it new anyway, I don't bother.

It even helped me removing the steering wheel. I read a few posts about how to remove it before and some of them used hot water. The heat gun worked well for me. Unfortunately, the wheel was stuck really well and I tried removing it before, only with a puller. This hurt the wheel quiet hard, but I might be able to restore it with some putty.

The removed wheel with a lot lost plastic:

I used this metal removal helpers bought from NLAVW, but they were not strong enough for my puller force...

Here you can see the two coins I put on the top of the wheel screw to secure the rod thread. Well, they had a hard time. And here is the putty I bought to try repairing the damage of the wheel:

As always there is still one enemy left :). I wasn't able to remove the wiper switch yet. I have the Hazet tool, but it won't move and the escutcheon is already damaged because of this. Also penetration oil didn't help yet and I fear using my heat gun here, as it might destroy the electrics. I think of cutting through the escutcheon with a dremel and replace it with a new one...

Enemy :)

Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:51 am

I love this picture, keep at it even though slowly as it will add up and good luck with the new job/classes. Slow and steady.

Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:43 am

Beautiful bus; congrats!

If we ever make it over to Europe with "The Toaster" (our '67 Westfalia), then we can have cheese and toast together (or perhaps some Chäs-Chüechli).

Your Westy looks great.

-Dadacheese

Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:41 am

Thank you Linda :).
Dadacheese, you will have a travel buddy and some cheese for sure!

Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:05 am

It is just -10 degree celsius outside (14F) and my garage is only heated with a small electro warm air heater when I‘m around. Not so much progress therefore :). But the wiper switch is removed now. Thank you heatgun ;-).

I did remove the wood roof support for the poptop. Mine was held in place by the screws which goes down from the metal springs of the poptop. Which I think it is the correct way. It had only 3 screws each side, but there is a place for a 4th. Was this used normally?
I wasn‘t able to remove the wood support, until I figured out, there are more screws. This is the moment I realized, someone in the past did a massive bondo job here. The carves done by my wire wheel are only through the layers of bondo/paint to find the additional screws. I think they are wrong?

You can see the red through the carves and that must be the original paint. I‘m so happy, that I was able to buy an original touch-up paint stick with liquid in it. Now, I can ask the painter for a perfect match!

Last, but not least, there is a metal support riveted to the fresh airbox. I didn‘t see it in the SO42 manuals. Does somebody know, if this was an addition from the factory to hold the wood panel in place?

Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:27 am

I don't remember seeing that when I re did the roof in my '65 SO42. There should be a wood bow but not that close to the air box.

Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:59 am

Hi Crofty

I did some research and another previous 67 owner has confirmed he had this part too. It supports the roof panels.

I found an old thread (https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=146337), where it is pictured as well:

What I don't understand yet. In the partslist for SO-42 there is mentioned, that another woodbow is on the roof (number 4). I don't have it, but I also do not know, where there could be any place for it...

Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:45 am

The small bracket above the air box is correct, may be a later poptop addon piece to help secure roof panel. Also seen here:

I don't believe these other screws are original, probably added to secure bows if original screws broke off in wood.

Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:46 am

srfndoc wrote: The small bracket above the air box is correct, may be a later poptop addon piece to help secure roof panel. Also seen here:

I don't believe these other screws are original, probably added to secure bows if original screws broke off in wood.

Long story short: I'm going to be hacking a complete used Westy SO-42 pop-top assembly into a tin-top Bus someday soon. I do not have that metal angle-iron piece by the rear end of the air duct. I'll either need to make one up or perhaps someone out there has an extra lying about they could sell to me (hint). Anyway, could someone who currently has one exposed take some accurate measurements of it (including the "gap" if any between the bottom of the metal angle bracket and the bottom edge of the curved cross-roof support bracket). Maybe mention how many screw attach it to the curved roof support and how many screws attached the birch panel to the angle bracket also. I may ask Clara to make me up a set of new wooden bows and braces for my roof conversion, but some assistance with the measurements of that bracket will be helpful to myself and others in the future. Thanks for your help!

Bill Bowman

Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:55 am

Wow yet one more thing to track down in my garage full of my westy parts. Thanks.

BulliBill wrote: srfndoc wrote: The small bracket above the air box is correct, may be a later poptop addon piece to help secure roof panel. Also seen here:

I don't believe these other screws are original, probably added to secure bows if original screws broke off in wood.

Long story short: I'm going to be hacking a complete used Westy SO-42 pop-top assembly into a tin-top Bus someday soon. I do not have that metal angle-iron piece by the rear end of the air duct. I'll either need to make one up or perhaps someone out there has an extra lying about they could sell to me (hint). Anyway, could someone who currently has one exposed take some accurate measurements of it (including the "gap" if any between the bottom of the metal angle bracket and the bottom edge of the curved cross-roof support bracket). Maybe mention how many screw attach it to the curved roof support and how many screws attached the birch panel to the angle bracket also. I may ask Clara to make me up a set of new wooden bows and braces for my roof conversion, but some assistance with the measurements of that bracket will be helpful to myself and others in the future. Thanks for your help!

Bill Bowman

Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:57 am

How is the canvas poptop tent secured to the wooden frame in this photo? It appears to be behind it.

Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:38 am

LAGrunthaner wrote: How is the canvas poptop tent secured to the wooden frame in this photo? It appears to be behind it.

Its stapled as usual, just hard to see in that photo is the canvas is similar color to the wood: