"What the #$@% did I just do?!" - Lucy, my 1976 Westfalia

[enenen]

Well I’ve been meaning to make this post for a while, but for various reasons I never got around to it. I guess it’s time to introduce myself and my bus, tell the story of how I got her, share some photos, and show the progress I’ve made so far! I've been reading here for a while, but now that I'm tearing into the bus I'm sure I'll have some questions, so I better do this first!

I’m Ian and I’m from Akron, Ohio. I was originally looking for an air-cooled Porsche 911, specifically a 1978-1989. I had been looking for a while and had started to give up due to the ever-increasing price of vintage 911s, the distance I’d have to travel to get a good one, and the uncertainty of just how much money would be required to purchase one AND get it running properly. In my quest for a 911, I ran across a dealership that was also selling an older Westy, and it got me thinking about an alternative to the 911. The Porsche appealed to me due to the simplicity, the uniqueness, and the ability to do most of my own work without all of the complications of more modern vehicles. I realized that a VW Bus would give me a lot of those same features but would also have the advantage of being the ultimate adventure-mobile as well as a much smaller price tag. So last March I started looking for both, and before I knew it my buddy in Austin sent me a craigslist ad for a yellow 1976 Westfalia bus, looking mostly original but needing some mechanical work. I sent it to my good friend Allie, since she was the most likely road trip partner, and she instantly supported the purchase. So I texted the seller. The engine had been rebuilt in 2013, and the clutch was replaced at the same time, but shortly after that the previous owner realized the transmission needed to be rebuilt, so he parked it and like many projects, whether due to finances or time availability, never got around to finishing it. My buddy in Austin went to check out the bus for me, and sent me some photos:

He also sent me some more detailed shots of some slight rust in areas and some other little problems, and it had been sitting for a while and wouldn't turn over, so it wasn't all rosy, but that was it; she was mine for $2750. I arranged a tow to a shop in Austin where I planned on having the transmission rebuilt, and whatever else needed to be done to get the van running, road-worthy, and ready for the drive back to Ohio. The next day is when I called Allie and said, "what the #$@% did I just do?!" having a bit of buyer's remorse after buying a vehicle sight-unseen, trusting the word of a stranger off of craigslist. She calmed me down and convinced me I didn't screw up.

I'm going to gloss over most of the shop issues I had, but here's a summary. First, don't buy a vehicle in Texas from across the country, on a Saturday, on a bit of a whim. Turns out in Texas, as opposed to Ohio, most auto shops are closed on Saturdays. Finding an air-cooled shop that was open to have it towed to proved to be impossible, so I just picked a reputable closed one nearby, had it towed there, and hoped for the best. They called me back the following Monday to tell me they didn't have room in the schedule, so I had it towed again to another shop that could get me in within a few weeks. I don't know if it's a VW specific problem or just how things go with all types of mechanics/vehicles, but I'm sure many of you can guess that these "few weeks" turned into a few months. Since my garage was a bit of a mess I used this time to get it cleaned up, insulated, interior walls put up, and a coat of paint on the new walls.

Allie helped put the walls up, brought me snacks and beer, and helped document the process - and around that same time we started dating, so I was hardly worried about the VW. But as spring turned into summer, I started to get impatient. I'm sure that being a one-time customer from halfway across the country was also a factor that played into being put on the back-burner a bit; gotta take care of your repeat business I guess. But I wanted my Bus! I had them remove the carb that came on it and reinstall the FI since they had a full system that they could put on, along with an electronic ignition. Finally, I had a pick-up date of July 1st, so Allie and I packed our bags and flew down to get it.

Of course when we got there, the bus still wasn't ready. Quite the opposite, as it was still buried in the back corner of the shop, blocked in by several other vehicles; an odd place for a van that had just been "road tested" a day or two earlier. I was skeptical, but they had a team working on it when we arrived so I was still hopeful. We had planned on spending some time in Austin with Allie's dad anyway, and he said it should only be another day or two, so we went on with our vacation. Three days later, and it still wasn't ready. We were starting to get worried since we both had to get back to work after our week of vacation and we could see our slow scenic ride home (with plenty of time for mechanical issues) becoming more of a cannonball-style race home, praying that nothing breaks along the way. We borrowed a car from Allie's dad and drove down towards Corpus Christi to visit my aunt - a trip we had planned on taking in the bus. The plan was to take some time to clean her up and give her a good once-over of my own with my Compleat Idiot's guide before setting out on a 1,500 mile drive, but it was obvious that there would be no time for that.

So we hung out on my aunt's screened in porch for the next couple days, looking out over her 70-some acres of south-Texas desert, drinking coffee and beers, and telling stories.

We lit off fireworks for the 4th of July - and almost set her tractor, car, and garage on fire when we failed to hose down the spent repeaters and they ignited the mortars we hadn't yet lit. That was quite the display! I was a little too drunk to run from the porch to grab a hose and put out a blaze, but I at least helped my aunt get the hose untangled before the fire spread from the garden-tractor's trailer. Here's the aftermath from that:

After 2 days there, we still hadn't gotten the OK from the shop, so we decided to head back to Austin; that way when the bus was ready we could be there right away to get on the road back to Ohio as quickly as possible. Plus who doesn't love an extra night in Austin? We got a hotel right on S Congress, and set out exploring on foot. We got food and beer in preparation to canoe in the Colorado River to watch the bats that fly out of the Congress Bridge. On our walk back, Allie got pooped on by a bird and was a bit unhappy, and I had to remind her that it's supposed to be good luck. I wiped the poop off with the receipt of a souvenir purchase, and before I could even find a trash can to pitch the poop-receipt into, my phone rang. The bus would be ready the next day! This made me want to name the bus Lucky, but since vehicles are supposed to have female names I suggested Lucy. Probably the most common name for buses, but whatever. I can always change it; I don't think there's any paperwork required. We were in great moods and had a blast canoeing and watching the bats do their bat-thing.

We picked the bus up the next day. The mechanic went over some essential information with me before we headed off, like how to start the engine - which required putting the key in, turning it to "on", and then sticking a screwdriver into the starter switch dangling from the steering column and turning the switch. I paid the outstanding balance, asked where my hubcaps were since I remembered seeing them in the photos but they weren't currently on the bus, helped put them back on, and we were off. The first thought I had upon driving the bus was, "wow, we're really going to drive this thing all the way back to Ohio?!"

We stopped for fuel, dropped by Allie's dad's house to pick up our Harbor Freight tool kit that we assembled in our downtime, eat a few tacos, say our goodbyes, and we were off to Ohio. Our leisurely route through New Orleans, Destin Beach, and Atlanta had turned into a straight line through Shreveport, Memphis, and Louisville.

We stuck mostly to state highways instead of interstates. The scenery and lower speed limits were both nice, even if it meant the drive would take a little longer. The bus felt like it was running great - as best I could guess, being that it was the first VW I'd ever driven. We stopped for some photos along the way, of course.

As the sun was setting we stopped for gas and beer near the Texas/Louisiana line, checked the oil, aaand... the bus wouldn't start. Slightly concerning, but not all that surprising since I had read the Compleat Idiot's guide. Luckily the bus was pointed a little downhill, so we pushed off towards Shreveport where we stayed for the night. It felt like it took forever to get out of Texas, but that was our goal for the day. We parked in a parking deck, at the top of a downhill section for minimal pushing the next morning. Of course that hotel was fully booked, so we lugged our bags on foot to the next closest hotel since that parking deck appeared to be the only hill around.

The bus still wouldn't start in the morning, so I tapped the solenoid with a hammer and it started right up. At least I know what to do now if we have to park on flat ground.

We got back on the road, quickly into Arkansas, when I noticed a strange noise coming from the rear. Subtle at first, I was wondering "did it sound like that a minute ago?" but it didn't take long to realize that it was definitely getting louder. As I pulled off the highway and into the gas station, it became a violent wobble. Allie hopped out to look, and sure enough the back wheel was wobbling all over the place. Popped the hubcap off and the lug nuts were barely on. "Lucy" was quickly becoming short for "Lucifer" instead of a transformation of "Lucky."

I'm way calmer about these roadside problems as I sit here almost a year later. It was blazing hot, and this part of the trip wasn't nearly as much fun as the parts where we were cruising down the highway with the engine quietly humming along, smooth sailing. To make up for the frustration, and probably to get a little cleaned up after the ordeal, we pulled off for a swim at De Gray lake in Arkansas.

Of course, the lake wasn't at the top of a hill, and that time the hammer method didn't work, so we had to push-start again.

The rest of the day's drive was pretty uneventful, and we made it to Memphis. We went to Beale street for some BBQ, beers, and live music.

The next day followed a similar trend. We parked on hills of left the bus running as much as possible, and push started when we had to; including a tight downtown Nashville parking lot where we made a stop for the Johnny Cash museum and some lunch. A group of guys paying at the pay-station for the lot watched us attempting it without offering any assistance. I wasn't very pleased with them, but we got it going without them.

We pulled into Louisville, KY just as the sun was setting and pulled over for some pictures.

Got to our hotel; the parking deck had downhill spots that were open, so things were looking up. We stayed out a little later that night since we had a shorter drive planned for the next day. And lucky us, Sugar Ray was in town playing a free concert!

Back on the road. Destination: Mohican State Park in Ohio, to meet up with my family for a camping/canoeing weekend. My cousin Tommy brought my puppy Johnny Cash to the park, so I was anxious to see him. Now is a good time to mention that Johnny has a bit of a problem with motion sickness, so naturally he puked in Tommy's car on the way down.

Made it to Mohican. Canoed, cooked, camped, and drank. Played some games, including a Survivor-style food challenge, in which my uncle can be seen failing to eat a chipotle pepper.

We rolled down the hill we were parked on, popped the clutch, and drove the last hour and a half home without any issues, other than the large pool of drool on the rear carpet. He didn't throw up though, so maybe the bus is the one vehicle he can ride in without getting sick...

[MorkC68]

Brilliant story Ian, Lucy looks like she is the same spec as our westy, Major (he came to the UK from Santa Cruz).

Good luck getting her sorted out for some adventuring
_________________
Major; 1977 Westfalia Campmobile
- Subaru EJ20
- Koni Classic adjustable dampers & Empi Heavy Duty Anti Roll Bar
- 180W Solar System

My blog: https://twolatebays.wordpress.com/

[TDCTDI]

Welcome to The Samba!
Great story, good looking bus. Hotels? Why exactly did you buy a Westy?
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Abscate]

Great journey, well done!

Stick with any person who helps you push start a Bus.....and torque the rest of those lug nuts!
_________________
.ssS!

[SamboSamba22]

Welcome Ian, nice looking Yosemite Yellow Westy.
Sure wish I could've caught you guys coming through Arkansas, Lake De Gray isn't too far from the house.
Thanks for sharing the tale, didn't do bad landing a bus or a traveling partner. I believe there must of been some good laughs between the bumps of Texas and Ohio.
_________________
The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[curtp07]

Great story and quite a bargain! Will bring you back more memories and $$ than an expensive Porsche. All the problems you have a normal for a 40+ car that's been neglected. Search here and start in on all the systems right away or you WILL be left stranded. Also carry spares. Search for what to carry.

Yea, what's with the hotels? If you need a shower, use the solar shower or a campground the money saved is tremendous.

Also, never be in a hurry to get anywhere or home and you won't be disappointed.
_________________
Subaru

[Cap10323]

Hi Ian from Akron, I'm Ian from Cleveland! I've got a 1977 Westfalia, also in Chrome Yellow.
_________________
-Ian

'77 Westfalia - 2.0 F.I

[enenen]

[TDCTDI]

The long desolate stretches of highway in Texas are great acid tests of any relationship (Especially if the vehicle has issues.), if you don't hate each other or one of you isn't buried in some shallow unmarked grave by the end of the trip, you have probably found your mate for life (We just celebrated our 20th anniversary.).
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Manfred58sc]

While I agree that Texas is best driven through on drugs, acid is not the one I would recommend. Great road trip story, cool dog.
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[sethpat]

Dude, nice score. Bus looks like it's in great shape. Any rust issues ?

[aerosurfer]

how about sone engine shots too
_________________
Rebuild your own FI Harness..My Harness

77 Westy 2.0L Rockin and Rolling Resto!

72 Sportsmobile (sold)
79 Tran$porter... Parts car money machine (gone)

[enenen]

[luke9511]

awesome stories and a great looking bus! also sounds like you may have some rust in the gas tank, may want to pull it out and get it taken care of before it causes more headaches!

[Abscate]

[Wasted youth]

What a GREAT read! Thanks very much for sharing a well written story and great pictures. You're off to a beautiful start!

Keep your spirits up by not taking any more road trips until you have gone through your engine management, fuel, braking and electrical systems. You now have a taste of how great it can be... don't let it get erroded by more preventable bad experiences.

Check out this wealth of topics:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651002&start=0

[airschooled]

Link

_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[Busstom]

^^^^^^ post-haste!

[enenen]

Well, here are those engine photos.

Please point out anything you see that is just plain crazy or wrong, because I have no basis for comparison. From what I've read recently, I've learned that it's probably pretty bad that we drove from Texas to Ohio without the engine seal and (I think) missing an engine tin; specifically the one on the rear driver's side by cylinder #4. Also, the shop that installed the FI apparently unhooked the CSV. The wiring looks pretty messy to me, but again I have no frame of reference.

I adjusted the valves a couple days ago, and got around to doing the compression test tonight.

The readings were: 1) 115 PSI 2) 80 PSI 3) 121 4) 110 PSI

So according to John Muir, it sounds like I've got a valve problem. This seems to make sense, since adjusting the valves on #2 really had me scratching my head. It seemed like no matter how far out I had the adjusting screw, I had a hard time getting the feeler in there. The plan is to pull the engine anyway, so I'll be addressing it soon. I have a new gas tank sitting in my garage, along with a ton of other parts. New spark plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter, fuel filler neck (to get rid of the fumes with a full tank or going uphill), fan screen, belt, ignition coil, starter, window cranks, rear bumper, and a whole pile of other pieces I'm forgetting. I should probably clean up and paint the engine bay while the motor is out. The priority is to get it back running as soon as possible, but I want to do things the right way the first time. I'm already depressed thinking about how long it's going to be down. Right now I'm really regretting not getting out there during the winter to knock some of these things out.

[SamboSamba22]

Ian, if I'm not mistaking, you should have hydraulic lifters, meaning no need for running the valves nor being able to insert the feeler gauge between rocker assembly and valve.
Locate the engine tin, missing a lot of times for clearance of a a/c compressor or the removal of evap/catalytic/exhaust equipment. Get the deal dude, not only does it help temps, but it'll help keep some dirt and dust from flying in all over.
Valve issues, you never know, could be pulling the head and lapping the valves. Definitely some wear and tear there, shame, numbers look good everywhere else.
Cheers man,
_________________
The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]