Randy in Maine's "new" bus.....

[Randy in Maine]

This is a 79 P-27 bus I "saved" out of DC over a year ago. I was just going to put an engine in it and sell it.

As I got into it, I realized it was about as rust free and straight as I had ever seen. Last summer I decided that it would eventually be my "new" bus, so it went to the paint shop to be done right. The paint guy is slower than death, but he did a nice job on it from what I can tell as I look at it close up. Base coat/clear coat with lots of color sanding in between. He really did a nice job and want me to show it, but I am not really a show guy as you know.

I have all of the new window, door, poptop seals and all of the other stuff to go into it and will put the best of my "old bus" into it (the Raby Camper Special, Konis, alloys, Berg shifter, etc). It will have the rebuilt seats with seat heaters and I will be soundproofing it shortly. I also have the "out the bumper" trailer hitch. I am rebuilding the westy furniture out of baltic birch because I want to. Maybe a granite countertop also. It won't be exactly stock, but neither am I.

Those holes in the pop top are for some semi trailer "ultrabright" LED brake lights/running lights. The body shop guy sort of built up the angle of the fiberglass back there so that the angle is a lot closer to the 90º to level so that the lights can be seen better.

I will take some pictures as I put it back together.

I will be selling the "old bus" when I am done (hopefully to fund a baywindow pick up truck). It is still pretty good but has some rust around the windows and really deserves a new paint job itself.

Here is how I soundproofed the "new" bus. I ordered up 160 square feet (80 1' x 2' panels) of Damplifier from Second Skin. It is sort of a thick (~3mm) aluminum foil over a butyl membrane and sticks pretty good on a clean surface.

Here is what I started with....

It cleaned up pretty good with some "scubbing bubbles" and a good rinse....

The Damplifier has a paper backer that peels off and sort of looks like this....

I used full sheets whenever I could and you have to measure sometimes as you install...

They stick pretty good and then you use a small J roller to get good contact with the surface and roll out the air bubbles. Sometimes you have to slice it with a utility knife to get all of the air out that you can. The foil is sharp and I did manage to cut myself until I smartened up and used some gloves.

Here is sort of what it looked like when I was done. The plan was to cover about all of the inerior painted surfaces that would not show when the interior is re-installed. I went double layers over the engine compartment and under the rear seat. I used the small leftover pieces to do the spare tire well, most of the driver and passenger seats, and around the pedals.

Well here is the final soundproofing layer.

Also from Second Skin, it is called "Luxury Liner" and is about 3/8" thick. The bottom side is a high density foam and the top surface is some sort of a vinyl/plastic like layer. I bought 10 sheets (4'x2') and will use them all. I ran the new rear speaker "Monster Cable" and the 2 x 10 gauge wire for the heated seats taped to the damplifier layer and covered by the Luxury Liner.

It gets sprayed with an headliner type adhesive on both sufaces and is sort of like a contact cement. I did not attach it on the flat floors or over the top engine lid. I am not sure just what the floor surface will end up looking like as yet. Bamboo? Carpet?

I used some black duct tape to hold it all in place while it dried. I may leave it like that. I don't know.

So all in all I am in this sound deadening thing about $800 including shipping. It was kind of a lot of dough for me, and it all weighs about 100 pounds total. It took a few days to install it but it seems like a pretty decent product if you take the time to install it well. I deleted the 3/8" waferboard under the living room of the bus and will install the new floor on the 1/4" plywood that the carpet was glued on.

I am working on the windows next.

[Joey]

Very nice Randy. That's a lot of soundproofing. You won't be able to hear the sweet sound of the air-cooled engine while zooming down the highway. You better get lots of gauges so you know what's going on back there.
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Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[Randy in Maine]

Joey,

I made the "Luxury Liner" mat over the engine lid removable so that I can still drive around with the engine lid off and hear that sweet turbocharged sewing machine sound that we all love. Still music to my ears.

I have that gauge thing well in hand.

Is it spring there yet?

[73 KAFER]

Hi Randy,
Man, that looks very nice, glad you made it a keeper as it really looks great. Keep the pics coming as you go along if you don't mind.

Mark
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1973 Beetle
#3 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=775620Kafer-Cup vintage road racer

[Randy in Maine]

Well so far I have also painted the dash, put on the new wheels/tires, took apart the ventilation system and cleaned it, and removed most of the poptop hardware for painting and swapping most of it out for stainless.

Rebuilding the jalaisie windows is pretty labor intensive. I had those widows all tinted and took all of the aluminum parts off to a local guy for media blasting. I will polish them up and then clearcoat them.

I have also cleaned and relubricated most of the sliding door hardware before it gets re-installed. I am going to do the windshild wiper system if I stillhave any time AND the patience to do it.

The more I work on this thing (and there has been plenty of it), the more I appreciate the genuine craftsmen who put these things together when they were new. I know the parts were all new back then and they actually did it for a living (so they had all of the tools and procedures down). For a reasonablly priced car back then, they were pretty well built.

But a lot of this stuff is just really labor intensive. I also see why you really could never afford to have someone "restore" a bus for you by the hour. It would just cost you tons to have it done well.

[Emeritusx]

That is freakin' sweet. I just (re)got a 78 - you have inspired me... Can't wait to see the granite tops... I think that's a great idea.

[Randy in Maine]

Actually I am reconsidering the use of a granite countertop.

It occurred to me that in the event of an accident (like running into a tree) about the last thing you would need going through your head would be a granite coundertop.

[durfeec]

What year westy interior are you using?
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1960 Bus Panel/Camper

[Randy in Maine]

Some more progress to report. Finished the damplifer & luxury liner on the area above the front seats which will be hidden with the headliner. I bought 10 sheets (4'x2') and will use them all.

Rear tinted side windows are now in.....real work to install without the 6" suction cup the pro guys use....

Here is the rear untinted window. The defroster grid was 20 ohms (I don't know if that is good or not though)

New windshield after I broke the old one.....

New H4 Bosch 60/55 watt headlights...

New Hancooks 195R14s...serious meat D rated.

New door seals everywhere. Poptop seals.

I changed out most of the external hardware for stainless whereever possible....

And the high mounted LED tail and brake lights....

[Stuggi]

Looking really good, so far it looks like a brand new bus.
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1970 Beetle
1969 Panelvan

Orange VW Fest!
Pulled out of a Lake Fest!

[Finks]

Any news? I am working in OOB this week so would like to stop by and check it out.
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'73 Super Beetle
'71 Bus

[Randy in Maine]

Sure come on by.

I am likely to put you to work though.....

[Finks]

Good, will call you this afternoon.
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'73 Super Beetle
'71 Bus

[Juice C]

Thats gonna be one serious luxury bus. Cant wait to see it all done. Looks super nice.

[whobba]

Randy in Maine's rockin' the Type 4.
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[OTO X58]

That's going to be super quiet! Looking forward to watching it come together. But are you worried about that sound deadening retaining moisture and causing rust? Every older car that i have ever had with foam installed on the panels has had rust there.
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-Thomas

RIP HBB 10.10.84 - 12.25.09
1958 Ragtop Bug Build - Subaru Swap!
1957 Gazelle Beige Ghia FOR SALE
1957 Dove Blue Kombi field find

[Randy in Maine]

I am not really worried about the sound deadening stuff absorbing moisture. It is really not set up that way.

Right now I am trying to get this new garage built. 2 car 28' x28' x 12' tall with a 12' by 28' woodshop attached. Radiant floor heat. Car lift. Big screen TV. No beer cooler. No need to get wild you know.

[Kirk]

How is it possible I'm jealous of your bus and garage all in the same thread?


Nice work.
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Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[OTO X58]

[Randy in Maine]

It is a closed cell "foam" (actually more of a mat). All of the factory weep holes are open for drainage though.