TheSamba.com :: View topic - Traveling after Building a bus for travel in Europe "euroBus"

Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:02 am

I have fresh blades for my sawzall. Let me know when you are ready to do the roof. :lol:

kj

Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:17 am

kevinj73us wrote: I have fresh blades for my sawzall. Let me know when you are ready to do the roof. :lol:

kj

I plan on getting your help.... but leave that sawzall at home! :P

Mon Mar 12, 2018 12:34 pm

I've decided to go for the Van Cafe SA 15" rims and center caps.

http://www.van-cafe.com/south-african-15-inch-steel-wheel

I can still use my stock hardware, no spacers.

If a set of steel 15x6.5 mercedes rims falls my way that would be OK but they better be cheap.... :D

Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:59 am

Purchased fuel lines, clamps, filter, injector O rings, fuel pressure regulator. Going to ship out to Denver so I can replace the fuel system the day I arrive.

$200.

Current total $3495

Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:42 am

You got all that for 200$? I think just the fuel line kit from GoWesty is $200.

No metal fuel rails?

Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:51 am

I will inspect the fuel rails when I replace the fuel lines. Hopefully they are OK.

Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:10 pm

Dave,
Not sure about the fit but I have a brand new set of metal fuel rails for a syncro that I am willing to part with at a cut-rate. I can bring them with me when I see you next week. Let me know.

All4Him

Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:13 pm

Sure. Bring them over. 👍

Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:21 pm

Oops!! Just realized that I have metal brake lines not fuel lines. My bad!!! :oops:

All4Him

Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:30 pm

:lol: It is the thought that counts. Bring them. 😀

Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:28 am

Looking forward to seeing more on this build and the process. What a great idea to have a van in Europe to travel around in when you want. Lucky you!

Where do I start the petition for a time/van-share?
Just kidding...

Sat Apr 07, 2018 11:42 am

On the run down to Key West we stayed at Steve VanB's place in Daytona and picked up these Jalousie windows for me to convert for the bus. Steve bought them at a local VW meet the week before. $200 for both including screen frames.

I also got a rear table mount off of ebay. $30.

Total

$3495 + 200 + 30

$3725

I leave next week Saturday to fly to Denver and drive the bus home to MD.

Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:48 am

Hello from the Gateway Arch. :D

Driving home from Denver after picking up the bus and socializing with the Denver folks. Darren was a great host. Minor issues. Tail pipe is no longer and the muffler doesn’t. :lol: No real problems. More info after I am home.

Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:47 pm

Dave, it looks great!!

Enjoy the rest of your ride, you're almost home.

It looks like you're headed East from St Louis on the same path I headed west to St Louis last October.

I dropped down 81 into the panhandle of Maryland and headed West.

Dave

Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:42 pm

I am home. :D

1650 miles (9am Sunday leave Denver, 2pm Tuesday arrive home near Baltimore)
19.8 mpg
1/2 quart of oil burned
Only the tail pipe and muffler broke down. The rest of the bus made it just fine.
We cruised at 65-70 mph the whole way but it was very windy and in Western PA we ran into snow.

The bus is as advertised. No rust (other than surface rust where the passenger side was scraped), tired paint, interior needs a good cleaning, but it has the good rust free bones I was looking for.

I replaced out the fuel lines (still original from the 'T' to the injectors and fuel distributor, oil looked new and clean so I left it alone. The engine has good pep and did not have any issue with any of the hills on Route 70 thru PA.

Cost to 'ship' the bus from Denver.

Airfare one way on Southwest BWI to DIA - $135
Gas home - $220
Lodging - $37 (spent one night with a driveway host and another at a private campground. I needed electric for my small room heater since temps were around 28-32 at night.)
Tolls - $14
Total shipping cost - $410

Total to date: $3725 + $410 =

$4135

Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:44 pm

So I need a muffler and tail pipe now, not after I get the Rocky Jennings rebuilt long block..... Time to pony up and get the whole exhaust system that I will eventually need. Going SS via Van Cafe. (I already have a SS cat lying around).

complete exhaust less the cat $790 delivered.

$4135 + 790

Total $4925

Sun May 06, 2018 7:40 am

Just sold the middle seat to a local Vanagon owner for $125.

Total cost $4925 - $125

$4800. :D

Sun May 06, 2018 8:08 am

This may be a stupid question ... but why not just buy a Westfalia hightop vanagon in europe and then sell it (or import it back to the states) when you're finished?

Sun May 06, 2018 8:55 am

iliketowalk wrote: This may be a stupid question ... but why not just buy a Westfalia hightop vanagon in europe and then sell it (or import it back to the states) when you're finished?

I am not a european citizen so I cannot register it there.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693991&highlight=europe

Sun May 06, 2018 9:13 am

dobryan wrote: iliketowalk wrote: This may be a stupid question ... but why not just buy a Westfalia hightop vanagon in europe and then sell it (or import it back to the states) when you're finished?

I am not a european citizen so I cannot register it there.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693991&highlight=europe

Bummer... Hard to believe that it can't be done for less than the cost of round trip shipping? ($4-6k?) Any chance of private rental? (I.e. Find one for sale, offer them XYZ to rent it, pay for insurance, etc)

Did you talk to CampervanCulture? Someone must have a workaround for this.

Anyhow, GLW/Resto! Guessing you have to ship RORO because of the hightop? What are those quotes looking like?

Cheers!