TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:34 pm

Folks. I grew up in this 1970's Camper Van. This was our family car until the early 1990's my parents got a station wagon for the 6 of us. Parents split up, Mom got both the van and the car and for some reason, parked the VW on her property and that was it. Its in the same place its been since the mid-1990's. Fast forward and call it a mid-life crisis project but I've always wanted to restore it. I have a couple issues though. I live on the opposite side of the US and second, I have NO clue the cost to take on such a project. Obviously, there is sentimental value here but dropping an unnecessary amount of money into something that doesn't make sense isn't something I'm looking to do. Here are a few photos showing the van and engine. Would love your thoughts & opinions

.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:48 pm

A lot of rust there... are you set up to do fab and welding? If not, this is not worth it. My SWAGS:
$2K to get it across the country
$20K bodywork
$5K interior
$5K mechanical
So you are over $30K, which can buy you a decent runner camper here.
All my numbers are suspect, but I bet the total is about right.
How much is it worth to you to have THAT camper, and mot just A camper?

Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:50 pm

would this be an appropriate time to cue the bears?

Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:27 pm

KTPhil: You're probably not far off. The good news is that the labor hours in CA are $80/hr but in NC, they're around $25/hr. I also plan on doing the stuff in the interior myself. I already have an engine guy who has worked on VWs all his life and specializes on Air Cooled engines. He's not a rush to get it done buy and thankfully has plenty of land and garages that he said if he had to rush, it'll be expensive. If he can work on it gradually, the cost would be half but to rebuild the entire engine, it would be around $4,000.

For Bodywork: I have NO CLUE how to do any of that stuff but I have a few connections at various trade schools that might be willing to do the body work for their students and I would only have to pay for materials. No labor at all. I fully understand the quality won't be showroom but for my purposes, I don't really care about that.

As for message board Bears, during Covid I entered the RV world having never owned one. No one can beat up newbys more than getting towing advice on facebook groups.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:42 pm

frankcal20 wrote: As for message board Bears, during Covid I entered the RV world having never owned one. No one can beat up newbys more than getting towing advice on facebook groups.

the bears is an instructional video meant to answer the very question you are asking.

as far as beating up on a newbie, we “seasoned vets” have obviously chosen to ignore any such common-sense warnings.

should you choose to join, welcome to the club. or, should i say welcome back.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:45 pm

dodger tom wrote: frankcal20 wrote: As for message board Bears, during Covid I entered the RV world having never owned one. No one can beat up newbys more than getting towing advice on facebook groups.

the bears is an instructional video meant to answer the very question you are asking.

as far as beating up on a newbie, we “seasoned vets” have obviously chosen to ignore any such common-sense warnings.

should you choose to join, welcome to the club. or, should i say welcome back.

Got it. Never heard that phrase before but I'm a big fan of doing things myself. Should the van come to CA vs staying in NC to get fixed up, I'll do a TON myself over time. The key will be to insure it runs before I ever consider having it brought out here.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:54 pm

As long as you recognize it will cost you thousands more than it will be worth. And, it will not be a one month project - instead it will be a three or four year long project at the least and cost some serious money. You will not find it as pleasant to drive as in the 1980's or early 1990's. The speed limit from 1973 - 1995 was 55 and reasonably enforced. Today it is anything less than triple digits on many Interstates. Some states have an 80 - 85 mph limit on some of their Interstates already. The first question you will ask when you get it back on the road is what can I do to have more power to keep up with traffic. If you can drive your present car at 55 - 60 over in the right lane for a week without going nuts, you might be able to tolerate a bus. That said, they are a lot of fun if you have time and health to use them.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:55 pm

What matters is the frame underneath. The rust seems to mostly be near the ground so it might be beyond repair. Hopefully it's good though if so I would definitely call it fixable. The rust along the side is in an easy enough spot to repair because it's mostly flat with some simple curves. It will definitely cost you a lot of money if you can't do most of it yourself, but it seems you have enough connection to it to warrant saving it.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:08 pm

In todays world it will cost you $2500 just to have it trucked to the east coast

Edit: West Coast

Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:53 pm

What is been sad is true, but you can’t replace sentiment the value. If you get it to your house and you realize it’s too much don’t do it. Or you can do little things at a time until it’s where you want it to be.

I hope one day my son puts a post like this up about my bus.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 7:23 pm

you might check out rich’s build thread for his ‘71.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702826

lots of folks aim for “as new.”

others aim for a functioning vehicle. they rock the patina.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:49 pm

dodger tom wrote: you might check out rich’s build thread for his ‘71.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702826

lots of folks aim for “as new.”

others aim for a functioning vehicle. they rock the patina.

I agree. Some people can be happy with a functioning bus and live with some flaws.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 pm

frankcal20 wrote: KTPhil: You're probably not far off. The good news is that the labor hours in CA are $80/hr but in NC, they're around $25/hr.

what crystal meth smoking fool works on rusty junk for 25/hr. not a chance in hell a legit shop works for 25/hr

Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:46 pm

frankcal20 wrote:
That is a decent bus by east coast standards. Im going to an event this weekend and I know there will be several busses on the road in a similar shape.

The real answer is probably in the frame and front beam mounts etc on the bus. Some rust is a pretty easy fix, some is relatively inoperable.

The chance of you finding someone in California to fix that rust for less than a year's tuition for their kid is about 0% though.

They would probably just go cut parts of a much nicer bus which should itself be getting restored but is in a junkyard because it had several centimeters of rust under the windshield or something.

BTW I notice that one doesn't have windshield surround rust. Very odd, especially for a Cali bus to have rust at all and very odd for a bus from the rust belt not to have rust first there.

KTPhil wrote: A lot of rust there... are you set up to do fab and welding?
If he had those skills, he wouldn't be asking, Im 99% certain.

Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:47 pm

One of our members recently took his Prius in for a $4000 brake job. I think he said the shop hours were $200/hr or more because it’s a Prius

Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:42 am

frankcal20 wrote: The good news is that the labor hours in CA are $80/hr

where? :lol:
I'd venture to guess that it's probably double that here in California .

Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:29 am

Quote: BTW I notice that one doesn't have windshield surround rust. Very odd, especially for a Cali bus to have rust at all and very odd for a bus from the rust belt not to have rust first there.

That windshield surround is a rusty Charlie Foxtrot. It’s all under the rubber

The only person who will work off hours on a restoration….is you.

If it’s worth 30k to have the family Bus , go for it.

Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:42 pm

Do you guys know where the vin # would be located? My Mom, whos in her late 70's is sending to me but unsure if they are on the dash by front window or buried inside an engine department. She lost the original title so we are filing for a duplicate.

Lastly, thanks for all the info. I followed and read the thread on Rich's restoration of the '71 Bus. It excites and also scares the hell out of me. Given my limited mechanical experience, I think the best route will be to pay someone to get it firing, rolling and stopping safely first (if the frame is still good) and then knock out the interier mods as I go in baby steps. As y'all have mentioned, the more I can do, the more I can save.

Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:47 pm

Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:58 pm

You can get it driving no problem. The rest will have to be fixed in time.

On a late Bay the VIN will be in the drivers door jamb on the silver sticker. Or also on the dash. Or also in the rear engine hatch stamped on the left hand side just on the inside of the engine bay.

Q: Regarding your project...how do you eat an elephant?

A: One bite at a time.

Start with the small things and do one small thing a day. In a few weeks, you'll be surprised at your progress.

Post it up here to show all the naysayers and people who said it couldn't be done.