2002 MV Weekender - A New-to-Me Thread of My Own

[jmciii]

I noticed Broseph Stalin’s new-to-me thread so I decided to start my own. I’ve done a few piecemeal postings but here’s the ongoing narrative in one place.

2002 MV Weekender Westfalia
121,000 miles
$21,500 paid

I am the third owner.

Extras include:

-Yakima roof rack with narrow basket
-Yakima hitch carrier for four bikes
-ARB aluminum-cased awning on GoWesty bolt-in mounts
-Upgraded stereo with Bluetooth connectivity and microphone
-Kenwood subwoofer under the passenger seat (I will get rid of this.)
-Shore power modification with left-rear reflector housing a wide-gauge extension cord. Outlet is a GFI - inside where the bench ashtray came stock
-Swivel seat on passenger seat
-Rubberized texture mat flooring

Initial owner bought new from dealer in Washington DC and had the vehicle until ~117,500. Extensive maintenance history is available to me and I will summarize it here in due time. Initial owner does not appear to have any DIY inclination and there was considerable professional care given to this vehicle. It will take me a bit of time to summarize the work.

Second owner bought remotely at 117,500 unseen based on a mechanic’s advice. The vehicle was shipped.

Here are two noteworthy items from second owner’s time:

6/26/2018 – 117,820 | Upper Timing Chain Stretched | Repair as follows:

07/27/2018 – 118,071 | Left Front Wheel Bearing Repair

And here’s where I pick things up...

Keys
There was on beat-up fob key. I ordered two valet (non-flip) keys from VW dealer.
$55 per key - $75 for dealer programming.

I bought a new fob housing on eBay and moved the components and cut key into that. It feels nice and clean and the new spring allows the key to shoot out like a switchblade like new.

My experience is that you cannot get a net new electronic fob key anymore. The best you can do is a valet key via dealer.

Maintenance

12/19/2019 – 121,250 | Independent shop does the following:

-Fuel filter
-Oil change with new drain plug and gasket
-Right-front wheel bearing

Here are the various things that I’ve done myself so far over the last month:

-Repairs to the notorious left door wiring harness. Driver-side window would not go down. Back hatch would not unlock with the rest. I’ve preliminarily repaired the wires but I want to do a more thorough job. I got into the fuse box but I got nervous about dropping it down an unplugging the wiring harness. I need to do this at some point but it’s rather intimidating in there, I have to say.
-Replace hardware to secure the pop-up top to the latch. (Guidance provided by these forums on acquiring the Golf/Jetta hood latch to replace this. I acquired it via eBay from China-based seller and it fit perfectly.) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=718576&highlight=passat
-Conversion of all interior lights to LED with dimmers on the fluorescents. (Guidance for the modifications provided in these forums. Thank you.) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=653285&highlight=led

-New engine hood struts ordered via GoWesty and installed.

-Cabin filter change
-New bulb in the shifter and new plastic strip. (The light still isn’t working so perhaps it’s a fuse. I need to figure out which ones). Both via GoWesty.
-Matte black PlastiDip coating of the wheels to test out that look. (I like it a lot. Perhaps I’ll switch to black wheels one day.)

Non-Critical Purchases Made

-GoWesty telescoping ladder on the way
https://www.gowesty.com/product/ladder-step-stool/24414/telescopic-ladder-?v=

-ARB LED Awning light
https://www.gowesty.com/product/awnings-screen-rooms/25230/led-light-bar-for-arb-awning?v=

I mistakenly thought that it would come with a sleeve. (The product listing is a bit ambiguous in my view with the images all showing a black strip of sleeve. Apparently, the new awnings come with this sleeve by default. I think the site listings everywhere you look are too vague.) Anyway, it's just the light strip itself, nice control switch, and 12V connector. I need to figure out how to attach this to the awning. Velcro comes to mind.

-Small Lasko heater when there is shore power
https://www.amazon.com/Lasko-Ceramic-Adjustable-Th...&psc=1

To-Do

-Replace corroded screws/bolts on the license plate lights so that I can change the bulbs

-Update the tackiness of the door pulls and passenger handle. (I am considering Rustoleum fabric paints that seem good for vinyl surfaces. TBD.)

-Bedliner trim job for bumpers and potentially the bottom band. (I have a pack black metal fender trim covers from Bus Depot that came with the van. These attach with a tab and some metal screws up in the wheel well. They look like a challenge to get right and I’m not going to use them because I don’t like the install.)

-Update the driver-side cigarette lighter with USB port/voltmeter combo

-Curtains and upholstery update. I think the Pendleton wool seats that this woman had done to her van are amazing.

http://www.agirlandhervan.com/about-my-bus-1-1-1

But, I’m not going to spend like that. I’m going to explore some less costly ideas for covering the seats. And, we’ll put fabric on top of the existing curtains to dress things up eventually.

-DIY fly rod vault. Part of the family adventures in this rig are fishing-specific. Rod vaults are very much in fashion, it seems, with $500+ rigs made by some Colorado-based companies. Do I really need this? Absolutely not. Setting up or breaking down a fly rod is not that much of a hardship. Will I fabricate something to hold some rods to get on the water faster? Yes, I will build a rod vault and share my implementation for any interested parties here.

-Install pull-out boat loader extension into the Yakima cross bar so that I can get our 16’ canoe up there with less injury or destruction of property.

-Exterior 12V plug. I’d like to put an outlet inside the right rear reflector for power if the van is closed up. I will be looking for the best place to tie in in there.

-Wax the curtain hardware and come up with alternative sun shade privacy for the front. I did not like the fuss of getting the stock curtains all in place in the front. Perhaps it will be less involved if I wax up the snaps.

Potential Non-Essential Purchases

-Second aux battery under passenger seat.

-Solar (Either briefcase or flexible. Nothing fixed.)

-Hatch ladder and rack system. This is mostly vain. What can I say? I just like the idea. I don’t want to drill into the hatch though and this looks like a great implementation.

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/EV/ev.htm
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_________________
-John
2002 EV MV Weekender Westfalia

[Broseph Stalin]

Congrats getting an '02 with the full timing chains work done and documented recently. Nice to have shore power hookup to heat the interior.
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'68 Bus in West Germany, 1977-1979
'67 Riviera poptop conversion in the US, 1984-1990
'95 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold
'03 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold

[amyshannon]

Congrats on your purchase! I use mine as a flyfishing / Bird hunting base camp and it is an excellent Fly fishing vehicle. I did the rear pull out storage build to store most of my gear

[jmciii]

I have a few updates on my project now that the holidays have passed.


BUMPER COVERS
Inspired by this thread, I have been trying to figure out my approach to the bumper covers:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=664677&highlight=liner

I was walking through Home Depot the other day and saw a Herculiner kit on the clearance end cap. It was something like $68 down from $90 or so. I grabbed it and decided to just roll with it (pun intended) during a spell of warmer weather.

I removed the front and rear bumper covers, scuffed them up cleaned them thoroughly with the recommended solvent, and rolled the liner with the kit. All in all, I think I'm satisfied but I put this on too thick in a few areas and have some runs. I am not sure if Herculiner is inherently thicker than, say, Monstaliner. But it is very thick.

If I could get a do-over, I might thin the product a bit. What's more, I might actually follow GoWesty's guidance with a spray product. I think I might have liked the outcome better with that approach.

This was a bit impulsive. I might have benefited from better light and warmer days. The temps were fine for curing the product but I probably rushed a bit. I didn't do this in my garage due to the smell so it was all out in the barn with no power. (The reek of this stuff is real.)

Next, I'm going to use the wheel arch metal trims that came with the van. I figured out that those can be applied with strips and 3M tape vs. screws directly into the well. From there, I'm going to put the Herculiner across the rocker panels to tie it in but at a lower line than what I've seen others do. It's going to need to be warmer and lighter later for that.

I also hit the front grills with some matte black PlastiDip to test out that treatment. I like the black look and I will eventually go back with something more durable and permanent for that area. (I don't think I would use Herculiner on them because it's so thick.)

_________________
-John
2002 EV MV Weekender Westfalia

[Broseph Stalin]

If it looks good to you, it looks good to me. Mine is looking like a pinto pony right now. The gravel chips that show rust I spray Rustoleum into the rattlecan cap then use a Qtip to dab it on after picking loose paint off.

The clearcoat you have is a different animal than the Arctic White single stage, though. With clearcoat I'd think about applying 3M ClearBra.
_________________
'68 Bus in West Germany, 1977-1979
'67 Riviera poptop conversion in the US, 1984-1990
'95 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold
'03 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold

[jmciii]

It's hard to get much done this time of year even when the winter weather has not been too bad. It's really more about the rain.

I did finish my bed liner work and chose the lowest natural line of the rocker panel. I am happy with it but I am leaving the wheel arches alone for now.

Also, at the risk of offending any purists, I have paid homage to a dearly departed recreational LR Defender 110 from long ago.

Finally, I picked up a used 50" Yakima fairing to, possibly maybe, help with fuel efficiency and maybe some noise. I'm not sure I believe in this but it was a reasonable find.

Next up, gear stowage and food preservation planning. The range of coolers out there, plug-in and not, is wide. Evaluating this isn't my favorite part of this project.
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-John
2002 EV MV Weekender Westfalia

[Abscate]

We register our offense in the civlised manner of T4 owners.

Carry on.


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.ssS!

[Zeitgeist 13]

Just don't put a LR engine in there, and we'll get along just fine.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?