TheSamba.com :: View topic - Bob's 1959 Single Cab Pickup

Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:28 am

Yesterday, I got a new battery and some Marvel Mystery oil. It's my understanding that I should pour some in the spark plug holes before spinning the engine over? It's been sitting for 20 years or so...

Mon Feb 28, 2022 2:31 pm

Drain the gas, check the timing and set with a static timing light.
Buy a can of starting fluid, but use it sparingly.
You may also want to get new set of points & condenser.
On my '78 I'm using a 2042 Compu-Fire Module Kit - 205 1971-on
I don't know if it will work on your distributor, or even if the 2041 Compu-Fire Module Kit - 009, 050, 094 will work for you.
Both of these are available from CB Performance.
When I installed mine I had to sand the base of the rotor to allow for the thickness of the timing ring that goes on the distributor.
I remember I couldn't get Otto started, but I never chased down the issue.

Tue Mar 01, 2022 7:11 pm

bobrk wrote: Yesterday, I got a new battery and some Marvel Mystery oil. It's my understanding that I should pour some in the spark plug holes before spinning the engine over? It's been sitting for 20 years or so...

Yep best way is to pour some down the cylinders and then use a spanner
and turn the engine over by hand. The starter is great to turn it over but
if you end up having a patch where the engine freezes up the starter motor
will just try and smash passed it which could cause an issue where as by
hand you can slowly rock it either way and work past it with out causing much damage.
just take your time if it does or if to does just turn over nice and easy straight away then you set.

Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:34 pm

Chased the flat front tire problem a bit, took the wheel off and got well over 100psi in it, but it's not popping in at that pressure, looks like it's leaking from only one spot along the bead. Will probably take it to the tire store to reseat it, although I bet once I get the truck running, a spin around the block might seat it as well.

Got the new battery in, almost all the electrical stuff works. No generator, oil, or high beam light, though—need to check those bulbs.

Took out the spark plugs and they looked fine. Tried to pour some Marvel in the cylinders, but didn't have the right funnel. Reinstalled the spark plugs...

Put a new fan belt on—that's a fun process!—and turned the motor over a few times by hand. There seemed to be some compression. Then used the starter. It seemed to spin fast, so I think the next job will be to check the valves. It is a 6 volt starter, though, so maybe that's why it was so fast?

Visual inspection of the engine revealed some oil leaks so may have to clean things up and figure that one out.

Mon May 23, 2022 12:52 pm

Finally got around to doing something to Otto last weekend.

Took the carb off, took it all apart and checked everything out. Rebuilt it with a new carb kit.

Looked at the air cleaner (some foam thing we bought way back when) and noticed the foam was coming apart and stuck to the cleaner. Bought a new one at CIP

Looked at the fuel line from the pump to the carb, looks fine, good thing we put high quality hose in there. Fuel filter looked super crusty, so bought some fuel filters from CIP.

Also bought some valve cover gaskets and oil change kit from CIP in anticipation of a valve adjustment and oil change.

Didn't take any pics, sorry.

Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:09 am

So I was a dope when I put this bus away 20 years ago. I didn't empty the gas tank, and now I have a huge problem. The gas tank seems to be full of chunky rust and bad gas, so this problem will have to be dealt with.

Yay!

Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:28 pm

At least the tank is easy to get out.

Filler

My buddy used a sender to blank off the tank

Looks bad inside

Bought it at Bugformance in Sunnyvale

It’s Brazilian

Pickup trucks are easy though.

Can’t figure out what’s happening here…

Tue Sep 20, 2022 1:26 am

If you still haven’t decided what to do, try calling San Jose radiator, they may be able to save that tank.

Tue Sep 20, 2022 6:41 am

ach60 wrote: If you still haven’t decided what to do, try calling San Jose radiator, they may be able to save that tank.
Already got a new tank, putting it all together now!

Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:23 am

Getting there. Rebuilt the fuel tap, sawed off the rusty sender float and grabbed just the top for a blank off plate. Waiting for the felts and another seal to install it.

Tue Jan 10, 2023 12:41 pm

Well, I did do something to my truck recently. I had to move it because I was getting a new roof on my garage!

Hopefully when the 40 days and nights of rain stops here, I'll get back to it.

Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:31 pm

Aw, my bus turned 64 today.

Sun Dec 03, 2023 12:34 pm

Yeah, I've gotten behind on this, too many other projects, but I was looking at the date and chassis numbers of my pickup and they are a little off from the chassis number list at https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/chassisdating.php

My m-code plate has a date of Feb 12, 1959 and a chassis number of 439093.

The chassis list says:

1959:
Jan: 433713
Feb: 443662

Are those STARTING numbers or ENDING numbers, or are these just inaccurate due to the shifting sands of times? And apologies if this has already been covered...

Sun Dec 03, 2023 2:46 pm

The VIN numbers in the chassis list are the LAST one of that month.

M-plate you are correct February, 12 1959. MONTH/DAY/YEAR

Congrats on owning this bus for 30 years! You were smart to hang on to it all these years.

Sun Dec 03, 2023 3:07 pm

Thanks, I still love it.

Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:45 pm

I love seeing old buses that are scruffy like mine...

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/fairfax-1959-volkswagen-bus-van-split/7702586369.html

Thu Feb 15, 2024 11:03 pm

Welp now my bus can apply for Medicare.

The weather is turning nicer so I may start to finish up some things on it.

bobrk wrote: Aw, my bus turned 64 today.