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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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 Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject: 74 Fuel Filler Door Oddity? |
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I'll soon be swapping engines in our 74 with the 1.8 I've been rebuilding, and plan on servicing the fuel tank while I'm at it. Our Westy has a fuel filler door, which to my understanding changed in 74 and should not have one?!
Was this a mid-year change, and does anyone else have this?
It makes me wonder which type of fuel sender I have as well, (ie. the $40 one or the $140 one  ).
I'll know soon enough.
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mintonman
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Joined: October 20, 2003
Posts: 4245
Location: between Trenton NJ. & Philly Pa.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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is your 74 fuel injected??
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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| mintonman wrote: |
| is your 74 fuel injected?? |
That's a negative, Ghost Rider. She's stock dual carbs.
Did a mid-year switch to F.I. coincide with the removal of the fuel filler flap?
I'm stumped.
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mintonman
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Joined: October 20, 2003
Posts: 4245
Location: between Trenton NJ. & Philly Pa.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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I'm thinking thats what happened. You probably got one of the last doghouse motor bodies.
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[email protected]
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Joined: June 12, 2003
Posts: 747
Location: Colorado Springs, Co.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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73's have the filler door. Maybe yours is an early 74 that was built from a 73 body at the factory?
Best Regards,
John
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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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after further investigation courtesy of the bodyshop, it seems some previous owner had some shady bodywork done on this. From the photos below, the guy doing the bodywork (from now on referred to as Bob) agrees this section was replaced with an older one, and very poorly!
Holy bondo overload! Well, I guess that's why the bodywork is getting done...it sure needs it. I'd like to take the person who did this crap & wring his neck!!
Not very visible in this shot, but you can tell there was some welding/priming in that area at some point. I wonder what kind of accident would justify that level of work in this area!
Bob showed me a garbage bin FULL of cheap sheet metal, fibreglass, bondo/rust chunks, etc.
In any event, I'll post more updates in a separate thread as the Bob continues his work. I've been stopping by every few days to drop off parts as needed & snap photos along every step of the way.
Let this be a lesson to some folks how a bus may only show small rust areas...
If he's on schedule, I should have this back before the end of July.
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VDubTech
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Joined: December 29, 2002
Posts: 9142
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| mintonman wrote: |
| I'm thinking thats what happened. You probably got one of the last doghouse motor bodies. |
T4 motor started in '72. Last year for the fuel filler door was '73. F/I was only available in '74 on CA automatics...first year for F/I across the line was '75.
What's the production date of your Bus? Either someone really liked having a filler door and put it in there, or you have a very early '74 with a '73 body. |
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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| VDubTech wrote: |
| What's the production date of your Bus? Either someone really liked having a filler door and put it in there, or you have a very early '74 with a '73 body. |
I'm not sure on either of those possibilities. Have a look:
Like I mentioned earlier, it appears someone replaced the entire rear passenger side panel, including filler door already attached to the panel.
When I get more photos I'll post links, but to see the area up close you can tell the panel was in fact replaced.
Whoever did this bodywork previously had only one intention in mind, to save money. Now I'm paying to get it done right and have panels welded in, vs. the fibreglass/bondo-buggy approach.
As far as authenticity goes, all bets are off with the bus being outfitted w/ the 76 & later camper interior, the seats/beds to be re-covered in vinyl (kids spill things, so it's just a practical matter) and the new colour will be Dove Blue.
As for the engine, it's stock displacement with some changes. I still have to transfer some parts from the original engine, but for the most part it's done, just sitting waiting for the bus!
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Last edited by Mark on Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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VDubTech
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Joined: December 29, 2002
Posts: 9142
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Engine looks good. The production month and year are printed on a sticker on the B Pillar when you open the driver's door. Model years changed in August so anything built 8/73-7/74 is a 74 model. |
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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks much VDubTech, I'll have a look early next week when I drop off some parts for the restoration and snap a photo of that area. Damn that rear hatch seal is $$$!
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Amskeptic
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Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 8568
Location: All Across The Country
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject: Re: 74 Fuel Filler Door Oddity? |
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| Mark wrote: |
I'll soon be swapping engines in our 74 with the 1.8 I've been rebuilding, and plan on servicing the fuel tank while I'm at it. Our Westy has a fuel filler door, which to my understanding changed in 74 and should not have one?!
Was this a mid-year change, and does anyone else have this?
It makes me wonder which type of fuel sender I have as well, (ie. the $40 one or the $140 one ).
I'll know soon enough. |
If you have the quick fuel gauge needle and the old-style idiot lights, you have a late '73 bus/early '74. Does your sliding door handle allow you to draw the back of the door flush when you pull the outside handle up? Definitely '73.
Colin
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Mark
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Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:58 pm Post subject: Re: 74 Fuel Filler Door Oddity? |
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| Amskeptic wrote: |
If you have the quick fuel gauge needle and the old-style idiot lights, you have a late '73 bus/early '74. Does your sliding door handle allow you to draw the back of the door flush when you pull the outside handle up? Definitely '73.
Colin |
Err, uh, yeah. Colin is there anything you don't know about these machines? 
Looks like there are a few more things for me to check next week when I drop off the parts @ the bodyshop, as I simply don't know the answer to either of those points you mentioned. Are there any further 'tells' that would shed more light on the year this was manufactured?
With all these oddities, I'm leaning towards calling our Westy "Fat Bastard" w/ emphasis on the "Bastard".
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