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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22465 Location: Escondido CA
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64 ragtop volks Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2012 Posts: 543 Location: EARTH
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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new steering wheel |
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bsairhead Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2008 Posts: 3592 Location: viroqua wi.
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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64 ragtop volks wrote: |
new steering wheel |
No Porn allowed. That is one good looking steering wheel! |
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W1K1 Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2004 Posts: 4925 Location: Southern AB
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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after hearing all the repop plastic ones that break after a couple years use, it was a no brainer to go that route for us too.
I had the original wheel and a spare in good shape, until they had to come off, nope... was welded to the shaft, and we had to cut it into pieces to get it off to use the shaft.
_________________ http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php
1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap |
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Shonandb Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1204 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2024 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Finally stopped by one of those portable windshield repair places (Deco Windshield Repair) to get a couple rock hits filled/fixed from our trip up to the Yukon and Northern BC in 2022. This one was located in Canadian Tire's parking lot in Coquitlam, BC. The young guy doing the repair knew what he was doing.
Happy with the results as it wasn't worth the hassle of replacing the entire windshield.
_________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1272 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Shonandb wrote: |
Finally stopped by one of those portable windshield repair places (Deco Windshield Repair) to get a couple rock hits filled/fixed from our trip up to the Yukon and Northern BC in 2022. This one was located in Canadian Tire's parking lot in Coquitlam, BC. The young guy doing the repair knew what he was doing.
Happy with the results as it wasn't worth the hassle of replacing the entire windshield.
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getting ready for those new rock hits on the alcan?
any before and after photos, db? _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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Shonandb Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1204 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2024 7:05 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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dodger tom wrote: |
Shonandb wrote: |
Finally stopped by one of those portable windshield repair places (Deco Windshield Repair) to get a couple rock hits filled/fixed from our trip up to the Yukon and Northern BC in 2022. This one was located in Canadian Tire's parking lot in Coquitlam, BC. The young guy doing the repair knew what he was doing. |
getting ready for those new rock hits on the alcan?
any before and after photos, db? |
I have some before pics but no after pics yet. Heading down to Deception Pass State Park in WA camping this weekend so I'll take some during the trip.
Before
After
_________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1272 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:10 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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dodger tom wrote: |
took the opportunity to do something i've thought about for years: powder coating my wheels.
shined up the hub caps.
(they're not going on until i'm done retorquing the wheels, as i've read about powder coated wheels having loose lug nuts.) |
have now retorqued the wheels twice. once at 300 miles, and once at 1,000+ miles. one very-slightly-loose lug nut at 300, and no loose nuts at 1,000+.
will redo in a coupla thou.
but, shiny hub caps are going back on! _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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Shonandb Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1204 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Looks great Tom.
I rewired my trailer and added backup lights and wanted to use the yellow lamps for turn signal to match the Bus so added a 7 way trailer plug and connector. Made up a box from some sheet metal I aleady had so it really looks DIY. I may change it out in the future but for now it will work.
A couple weeks past since I wired the trailer and forgot which view I was factoring in for which wires run where. Connected it up and quickly realized I wired it based on the trailer plug view so the Bus wiring was opposite. It was easier to change the trailer plug wires so switched them and added all LED bulbs on the trailer so they are much brighter and don't draw as much power. I now have back up lights too.
_________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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Everpress Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2006 Posts: 339 Location: Fort Gordon
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Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:45 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Maybe a little long...
I bought a 1969 Camper Bay in 2019. Truthfully, my wife bought it for a 20+ year anniversary shortly after I came back from the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School.
I was told not to put a lot of work into it and "drive it until the wheels fall off" because it would never be in great shape. But I had the idea that my family could get a few years of camping in and for that to be ok at all, it needed to at least be water-tight.
When I got it, it ran, but who knows how. I ended up taking the whole thing apart (kept the body on the frame): all rusty body bits cut out and new body bits welded in (shittily - I never welded before). Bondo and paint.
I took the engine out because I was troubleshooting some minor oil leaks and had problems seeing anything due to just how soot and grime-covered the engine was. Everything that I did just highlighted things that were done just to keep the bus running. When I dove in, I found leaks at the push rod tubes (which were bent and rusty), looking at the intake manifold, it was as if the tubes were blocked over halfway with carbon, plugs fouled, cheap empi-all-in-one carb adjusted to all out everything - just dumping gas. I just went deeper and deeper. Carbon-covered valves, carbon-covered heads, and on and on.
I ripped into this thing, cleaning everything, using a few books to measure torque, tolerance, and whatever else I could to get things as close to stock as possible. I even dug out an original SOLEX carb - rebuilt both the cheap empi and the solex so I would have a spare.
Then I had a mental health crisis (nothing like PTSD and depression hitting you at the same time). I ended up needing "some time away". When I got back, I was 'medically retired' and I would look at the bus, but was too messed up to touch it with all the work I was trying to do on myself.
Years went by and then I just tried to work a little every day.
Today I put in a new coil (Pertronix Flame Thrower) and pulled that Empi POS, dropping the original in. I manually turned the engine to get the fuel pump to "prime" the carb. I connected the battery, hopped into the cab and it cranked up on the first turn of the key.
It sounded so damn good to me. I have a long way to go (timing, brake job maybe?, camper top repair/refinish, interior, etc., etc.). But this the first time I have got a VW to start without a mechanic of some sort doing it for me.
Thanks to all of you.
TL;DR - Today I started my bus for the first time in over 2 years. _________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1969 Bay Camper
Work in progress… |
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Shonandb Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1204 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 8:46 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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My Easter story.
My Craigslist bought 65A battery finally died Easter Friday. I bought it back in 2018 and it was already a couple years old so pretty happy with it lasting 5 + years in the Bus. Thought it might have been a parasitic draw issue but after checking it with an amp meter and cleaning the battery cables and contacts, it just wouldn't keep enough charge/power to start the Bus. My alternator was working as it should as I have a volt meter to see that it was charging.
Nice to have the leisure battery wired in so with the flip of a switch I could boost it without having to use jumper cables.
Resurrected the Bus with a new battery on Monday and took it for a nice evening drive.
Also picked up a screw in my right rear tire so did a quick tire plug with the hand tool set and it seems to be holding well.
Saw a nice shiney orange Late Bay on the Port Mann Bridge heading West while we were heading East but that was it - no Vanagons or Eurovans. _________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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Shonandb Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1204 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Everpress wrote: |
Maybe a little long...
I bought a 1969 Camper Bay in 2019. Truthfully, my wife bought it for a 20+ year anniversary shortly after I came back from the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School.
I was told not to put a lot of work into it and "drive it until the wheels fall off" because it would never be in great shape. But I had the idea that my family could get a few years of camping in and for that to be ok at all, it needed to at least be water-tight.
When I got it, it ran, but who knows how. I ended up taking the whole thing apart (kept the body on the frame): all rusty body bits cut out and new body bits welded in (shittily - I never welded before). Bondo and paint.
I took the engine out because I was troubleshooting some minor oil leaks and had problems seeing anything due to just how soot and grime-covered the engine was. Everything that I did just highlighted things that were done just to keep the bus running. When I dove in, I found leaks at the push rod tubes (which were bent and rusty), looking at the intake manifold, it was as if the tubes were blocked over halfway with carbon, plugs fouled, cheap empi-all-in-one carb adjusted to all out everything - just dumping gas. I just went deeper and deeper. Carbon-covered valves, carbon-covered heads, and on and on.
I ripped into this thing, cleaning everything, using a few books to measure torque, tolerance, and whatever else I could to get things as close to stock as possible. I even dug out an original SOLEX carb - rebuilt both the cheap empi and the solex so I would have a spare.
Then I had a mental health crisis (nothing like PTSD and depression hitting you at the same time). I ended up needing "some time away". When I got back, I was 'medically retired' and I would look at the bus, but was too messed up to touch it with all the work I was trying to do on myself.
Years went by and then I just tried to work a little every day.
Today I put in a new coil (Pertronix Flame Thrower) and pulled that Empi POS, dropping the original in. I manually turned the engine to get the fuel pump to "prime" the carb. I connected the battery, hopped into the cab and it cranked up on the first turn of the key.
It sounded so damn good to me. I have a long way to go (timing, brake job maybe?, camper top repair/refinish, interior, etc., etc.). But this the first time I have got a VW to start without a mechanic of some sort doing it for me.
Thanks to all of you.
TL;DR - Today I started my bus for the first time in over 2 years. |
That's great news "Everpress". Glad that you got her back running again, especially after some difficult times. Keep doing a little a day and knocking things off that to-do-list and you'll have a really nice Bus that you can drive everyday. _________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
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airkooledchris Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2005 Posts: 2714
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 6:29 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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dodger tom wrote: |
as i’ve had no luck with either paper or aluminum hoses for my dump tubes, (they always fall apart in quick order, even the official vw from classic parts), i decided to try something different.
steve kent referenced aircraft vent tubes in a post some time ago, so, i thought, why not.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php
fiberglass-reinforced silicone. got the double-walled stuff, hoping for durability.
i wonder about that plastic wrap.
we’ll see how they perform. |
if you recall, what sizes/lengths did you end up ordering, and how are they holding up so far? |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34023 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 8:46 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Took Moana and her fresh engine and tranny out to Joshua Tree Natl Park last weekend. Nice stargazing and a bonus of a Falcon 9 (Starlink) launch!
_________________ Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1272 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:35 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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KTPhil wrote: |
Took Moana and her fresh engine and tranny out to Joshua Tree Natl Park last weekend. Nice stargazing and a bonus of a Falcon 9 (Starlink) launch!
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lookin sharp, phil. _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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dodger tom Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2013 Posts: 1272 Location: Central Coast, CA, but we're all still Ukrainian
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:55 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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airkooledchris wrote: |
dodger tom wrote: |
as i’ve had no luck with either paper or aluminum hoses for my dump tubes, (they always fall apart in quick order, even the official vw from classic parts), i decided to try something different.
steve kent referenced aircraft vent tubes in a post some time ago, so, i thought, why not.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php
fiberglass-reinforced silicone. got the double-walled stuff, hoping for durability.
i wonder about that plastic wrap.
we’ll see how they perform. |
if you recall, what sizes/lengths did you end up ordering, and how are they holding up so far? |
chris, 2 1/4 inch by somewhere between 6 and 8 feet (don’t have access to my records). it left some remnant.
correlated with a 10-degree or more drop in cht. highs are lower, and the cht is much more related to air temp. used to just get hot. now, hot when it’s warm/hot outside.
they seem to be holding up well…..
…..even the cellophane. _________________ 1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled. |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34023 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:39 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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dodger tom wrote: |
KTPhil wrote: |
Took Moana and her fresh engine and tranny out to Joshua Tree Natl Park last weekend. Nice stargazing and a bonus of a Falcon 9 (Starlink) launch!
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lookin sharp, phil. |
Thanks! I'll never make the epic trips you have been sharing, but it is inspiring to me on my little trips! _________________ Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback |
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Pango Pango Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2021 Posts: 8 Location: Edmonton
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:55 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Worked on a new front emblem this past winter to fill the empty void. I used 1/4" 316 stainless and considering what I had before, I'm proud of how it turned out. Following the design a friend was able to water jet the billet. I was able to bevel edges and create the countersinks for recessed screws using some equipment at work. The rest was all hand polishing from 80 to 7000 grit, I estimate about 100 hours.
_________________ '76 Westy
'66 Chevelle
Last edited by Pango Pango on Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Pango Pango Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2021 Posts: 8 Location: Edmonton
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:41 am Post subject: Re: What did you do for your Bay recently? |
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Last fall by some odd twist of fate I came in contact a guy who managed to get a hold of my bus's original plaid interior. He agreed my bus and I should be reunited with it!
So, another winter project was to replace the current interior fabric with the OG plaid. He didn't have the front seat covers, so I purchased those new from BD. I wish the seat back covers had a little more length on the back vinyl, I had to get creative to secure it, as the attachment points have been long broken off on both seats. I also bought new head rests and got some extra new fabric for a dog mat. I think it turned out good, the plaid is overall in excellent condition. The rear seat is a little sun faded, but that's about it.
_________________ '76 Westy
'66 Chevelle |
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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22465 Location: Escondido CA
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