How rusty is your bus? |
No rust at all! |
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20% |
[ 31 ] |
Some surface rust on roof, undercarriage or battery trays |
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48% |
[ 72 ] |
Rusty rocker panels |
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22% |
[ 33 ] |
No rocker panels |
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9% |
[ 14 ] |
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Total Votes : 150 |
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bay window dude Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2007 Posts: 144 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: how rusty is your bus? |
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i recently bought a 98% rust free body and transmission for $500 because my old one was really rusty ( $1500 to fix) i want to see what condition other buses are in. feel free to post pics. |
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joe cool Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2006 Posts: 1259 Location: Yolo County CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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My '69 sc work truck, driven daily. |
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Redd73 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2007 Posts: 836
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:49 am Post subject: |
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99.5% rust free.
i found a few small patches of surface rust starting on the underside of the battery tray just last week. ill fix those this winter. there is also about a handprint sized patch of surface rust JUST starting on the back of one of the cross beams where the old undercoating has chipped away.
im not 100% sure im going to try it but i MIGHT see if i can remove most of the old old old undercoating this winter and re-spray it with a newer undercoating. i wont really be doing much, if any, winter driving but id like it to look a bit nicer under there. oh yeah, the vent cover on my ac unit underneath also has some surface rust on it but ill be removing it this winter to strip and re-paint as well. _________________ "...theres nowhere to go but everywhere." - Kerouac
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73 Westy 2000cc w/dual solex (engine code GE) + aftermarket AC |
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Tylinol Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2006 Posts: 541 Location: TN
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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Only 1 patch of rust through on the cargo floors, and it was patched by the PO.
Not bad for a bus that's spent its life in the rust belt. _________________ 75 Deluxe Microbus - Finally alive and kicking!
72 Fiat 850 Spider - Finally alive and...oh wait, never mind...wait there it goes!...whoops, false alarm...oh - wait wait...nope, nothing. |
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DubKru Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2007 Posts: 298
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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Under the windshield and a hefty battery tray rot. Not too bad really. _________________ 2L, Raby cam, HAM Heads, Mallory, Dual Dell 40's, Porsche discs, Fuchs (Colored matched not to my bus),tunin' the crap out of it, slammed on Wagenswest suspension.
Polish Rifle wrote: |
I like to take care of my engine and find a nice speed to cruise in on my bus, but sometimes.....you just get in the mood to run the piece of crap into the ground. |
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namwv Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2004 Posts: 80 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:32 am Post subject: 50 % Rust Free |
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Both wheel doglegs, inner wheel tub, upper 8" of drivers side sill, sliding door tract complete and last but not forgotten rear corners and rear apron. I have been told a number of times to get a body and swap everything, but it just won't be the same Olde Leroy. Will never be a show bus, just a great old have a lotta fun bus. _________________ 79 Sunroof Bus named Olde Leroy
2.0 FI |
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i_am_cool_fred Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2004 Posts: 1743 Location: Benton, AR
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:15 am Post subject: |
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no rockers just bondo...dog legs are shot...inner legs are shot....rear corners have some rust through...no battery boxes...holes in the floor....and i absolutely love driving him around. _________________ proud owner of a defunct 1979 sunroof kombi
Brian Denning, as seen on Gearz TV |
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chrisradioman Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2007 Posts: 4873 Location: Swansea (Sunny Penllergaer) Wales UK
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: |
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Some rust, as I find it I cut it out & weld in new, I am going to put 4 new jacking points on soon, there is a patch on the floor (need to remove Westy cupboard to do it) & there is a patch in the engine bay (engine has to come out to do it)
New rear corner,
New battery tray
Behind Passinger seat by sliding door,
Bottom of fronjt panel,
Inside vents,
Inside headlight bowls,
Under window rubbers
As it looks now, the previous owner changed the front steps, the rear arches, inner & outer sills, done a good job too. I am not happy with the outer sill on the sliding door side cos its not straight so I will cut this out & replace it, taking more care. _________________ http://www.vintagevwweddings.co.uk/contact.html |
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Rocknrod Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 2157 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:25 am Post subject: |
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Not bad.
The windshield channel was rusted out, the floor did fred flinstone impressions... those are both fixed. Patched the battery tray, but next time the engine is out its going to get a real fix.
The rocker panels are 100% ferrous oxide. Eventually I'll tear them out, but I'm having to much fun driving her to take her back off the road. _________________ 1971 Westfalia with a high top.
http://71vwbus.blogspot.com/ - Pictures and words... Oh My! |
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tom62 Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2005 Posts: 654
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:45 am Post subject: |
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was bad
note the board to hold the end of the bumper
now
new doglegs, lower nose, repaired rockers, and dropgates, pass door
patched a couple holes in the floor and in the treasure chest,
now it's mostly rust free!
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Saiboogu Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Western MD
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:17 am Post subject: |
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Got lucky (sorta) with my new bus - PO took fairly good care of the body. Rocker panels and floorboards all rusted in the past, according to the maintenance book, but new panels were welded in. Rocker panels could use some work - straight, but the bead wasn't ground down. I'll probably try to smooth that out soon.
Unfortunately the maintenance seemed to slack some towards the end - significant rot under the windshield. Battery tray also, but I'm not as worried about that. PO put a wooden shelf in that works for now, and included a replacement tray that just needs welded.
Sounds like some of you guys did your own welding - question for you. I have an oxy-acetylene torch that I picked up for some hobby / art work years ago. Played with it enough to get a little comfy with it then boxed it up when I didn't have room to setup. Can I do effective sheet metal welds with this, or do I need to go to a fancier wirefeed or MIG/TIG sort of setup? Can't afford to pay a body shop mucho $$ to repair the front clip, but I do need to get it patched up soon. |
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Rocknrod Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 2157 Location: North Carolina
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David Househead Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2005 Posts: 253 Location: Calgary Canada
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:53 am Post subject: |
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rusted rockers, rust under windshield & nose a bit, front wheel arches, behind rear bumper almost totally gone, one crossmember rusted
Driver's side is the worst...
_________________ (o\ ! /o) |
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Saiboogu Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Western MD
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:58 am Post subject: |
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Menace to society is probably an accurate description of my welding skills. I guess I'll fill up the tanks, find some scrap metal and start practicing. |
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California Westy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 174 Location: So California Desert
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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No rust. My 69 Westy has always been in the dry California Desert. |
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fusername Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2006 Posts: 2897 Location: Boston MA
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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well when I got a flat it did this:
see the rust spots on the doglegs? well it wasnt a flat, it was a tread sepearation, belts became giant wire wheels at 60 mph. made what used to be rust spots holes, what used to be paint rust, and what used to be bondo road debris. see the patch over the hole that led behind the spare tire well? 100% virgin olive oil baby!
anyone want a stock jack, my bus has no use for it. _________________ [email protected]
Need something custom bent up? shoot me an email, maybe we can make it work!
FORSALE: Thrust cut T4 and 1.9 main bearings
obnoxiousblue wrote: |
Maybe Ben Pon's ghost comes and vomits NOS stampings for your bus, but not mine! |
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ruckman101 Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2004 Posts: 961 Location: Portland "Little Beirut", OR
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:38 am Post subject: |
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Incidental life rust on my bus. I'm the first to address any of it. Needs battery tray, but I haven't had to resort to wood yet, that corner is having issues, too. Uhh, under my feet? Gotta get to that next. It's starting to cave in. The front window? Yikes, bubbling, I should get there sooner rather than later. The car goop might fail this winter, letting the water back in. It was leaking bad enough to short out my ignition.
I have a fantastic patina of roof rust. Very styling. A new undercoating would be wise. I've dealt with the cargo floor. As near as I could ascertain, what did it in was leakage from the side windows. Well, another area of concern, especially with my new floor in. I better get two tubes of car goop and work all the rubber before the rains set in.
Yah, gotta learn the welding. POR-15 and it's ilk can only do so much.
neal _________________ Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket? |
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Rick73Super Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004 Posts: 1792 Location: Ocala FL 34481
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:55 am Post subject: |
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The front floor has been patched, patches in both front wheel wells. The battery tray was replaced poorly, needs to be redone. There are 2 spots on the driver's side where PO hit a pole. The doors (not original) are rusting inside out, I'm picking up replacement doors. Other than that the body is straight, the undercarriage is solid and rust-free. This is a driver, not a show bus. Not bad for an East Coast bus (started out in OR). |
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Salt n Pepper Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Victoria, Canada
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject: mostly rust free |
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I have a 74 westfalia, it is all original except for a very old (good) repaint job. I am the second owner and it's been garaged all it's life with 105000 original miles. I pulled the original windshield yesterday due to a badly shrinking spongy seal. I was afraid I might find a mess under there but there was clean paint with a couple of little bubbles in it here and there - whew! There is some light surface rust in the battery tray which I am dealing with before it gets worse and some light perforation in the inner rockers, because the PO never washed underneath it. I cleaned off about a solid inch of caked on mud and grime from the wheel wells when I first bought it a couple of years ago. This is my third westy ('71 and '77) and by far the most rust free of the bunch:) I hope to keep this one forever.
[/img] _________________ '74 Westfalia
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'77 Westfalia (1998-2003)
'71 Weekender (rust in peace) |
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donemoto Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 501
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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No rust at all,....yet. Bought shell (no Windows), $1000, Camper 75 rotted out exterior-$75. Two weeks of sanding and bodywork, $600 paintjob. $20 roofrack.= FUN. _________________ 1975 Campmobile
1962 Bug Convertible
Homebuilt VW Trike
1966 HD Sprint H
1940 HD ULH Flathead
1985 Electra-glide Classic with Tour-Pac
1968 Harley Rapido
1968 Honda CL Scrambler 175cc
1962 Honda Cub 50 Step-thru
1980 Honda Cub 70 |
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