77 Cape Cod Sage

[60vwnewengland]

The last thing I thought I'd be doing during this COVID-19 pandemic would be buying a bus. It was part good luck and partly good timing.

Background information here. Wife and I live in DC. During this pandemic, we left the city and are waiting out this pandemic at her dad's house in Brewster. He's has an immunodeficiency so it made sense to be on the Cape to do grocery shopping and things like that.

So, I was at the hardware store two weeks ago and was in line picking up new toilet seats for the father-in-law's house because we're putting a lot of mile on them. While waiting outside, some contractors were talking (practicing good social distancing) about a vw bus for sale on the side of the road in Truro, Ma. I asked the guys. "Hey, I got a bus. Is it for sale?" they said yes. So I asked them, "Are you guys going to buy it? I don't want to go look at it, if you're working on a deal with the owner." They said no, and told me where it was. I threw my money for the toilet seats at the Ace Hardware clerk, went home, dropped everything, grabbed the wife and said, "There's a bus for sale on the side of the road in Truro, we gotta go check this thing out."

We're driving out to Truro, and if anyone else knows this area of the cape, it's way out there. Outer Cape Cod. My hopes weren't that high, because of the salt air and half expected it to be a vanagon or something.

We're driving a long on Route 6 in Truro and I see it on the side of the road with a for sale sign and phone number written on the sign. I was like, alright a sage green westy pop top. good deal.

I start crawling around and I'm like...

This thing is solid for a Cape Cod bus!

Wife is there with me. She see me freaking out about this bus. She gives me the go ahead to call the number. Long story short, some back and forth with the owner and I got it for $1300.

I met up with the owner the next day, and she told me she's had the bus since the late 90's and stopped driving it in 2005 or 2006 because she couldn't afford the maintenance. She gave me the westy tables new pop top canvas and seals and the deal was done. I called AAA and now we got a new lawn ordainment at the father-in-law's house.

I really can't get over how solid this bus is for New England, especially Cape Cod!

It's about 95% complete and untouched. Original front floor mat is still glued to the floor.

The deluxe table arm was under the bed.

GD coded motor is in there. I spent last weekend vacuuming out the mouse hotels. the engine seal fell apart as I started vacuuming.

Upgraded heater boxes. (will need to wire wheel these and repaint)

Also not sure if the wireing harness is suppose to be tied up like this..

Not sure where this wire leads or where it's suppose to be plugged in.

The motor turns over by hand! So, I did a valve adjustment (.006) and none of the valves were tight, in fact they all seemed a little loose. I could hear compression as I was doing the valve adjustment. So I'm feeling pretty good. I drained the 15 year old gas out of it and that's where the motor stands now. The wiring will need to be double checked. New gas lines and fuel tank rubbers are in order. But overall i'm feeling good about this.

The bus smells. So I investigate and find some possible culprits.

Bingo!

Under the dash has some hacks. Black tape and household wire nuts going on. Not sure what those blue wires to the fuse box are doing...

So then I'm thinking. This bus is so nice and the odometer reads 92K. I'm thinking that only 92,000 based on the condition of this bus. I draw this conclusion based on the red paint on the speedometer cable.

So that's where it stand as of now. Will need new brakes, shocks, and motor refresh. Not a whole lot of work should be needed. All in all, this will probably be one of the best buses I ever buy that was for sale on the side of the road.

It goes to show you that there's still buses out there.

Buddy is coming next weekend with trailer and till bring it back to DC/VA. Plan is to get this one going... maybe it will be our bus we keep on the Cape?
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
LLAP

[Abscate]

Probably summer driven only, so no,road salt.

People who think ocean salt air rusts like road salt just haven’t been there.

Truro is a l..o..n..g way around the horn, my haunt is on the other side...lCuttyhunk
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.ssS!

[hazetguy]

Link


nice one!

[alman72]

what came inside the box/stool???

[60vwnewengland]

[Royce123]

I have just started restoring the same bus here after 13 years in storage.Time
seems more abundant for this, now with quarantine in place.I have pulled the front end off and have inspected and cleaned all parts from steering to rubber wheels.This is not an easy endeavor for I lack the knowledge, but thanks to the Bentley Service Manual deconstruction was adventurous and rewarding.I now am looking for advice from this collected source of experienced VW owners.As I become more familiar with this site I hope to use it to my advantage.Thanks Royce.

[alman72]

so sorry you don't get to join the poo pail club. Did ya ask the lady selling if she had any thing else that might belong w the bus? the pail and a tent are sitting in the corner of her garage right now....

[JaimeH]

Great score. Glad to see it saved.
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1978 Transporter 2.0 FI, BA6
Special Thanks to Razor's Customs, Boscawen, NH

[tractoman]

Nice score, might pull the plugs and add a little oil to each spark plug hole and turn it over for a day or two by hand. Also change the oil and filter. On mine I pulled the oil pressure switch and used a brass fitting and tubing to put oil in the cooler and gallery before firing it up. Also, you can unplug the double relay assuming your injected and turn it over with the starter and plugs out to build oil pressure before firing it up.
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Mike
'75 Westy

[Jetfxr69]

Awesome find and save. Little jealous of course, but ive been lucky enough to have found a couple myself, so. M-plate info (vw porn), please.

If your trailer gig doesnt work out, I can carry it up north for ya. Will even do it on the cuff. Cheers!
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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Zappa

‘77 westy Seamus
‘76 tintop Crusher
‘77 westy The Judge
‘72 tintop bastard westy Hudson

[WildIdea]

Sweet bus! Looks like an awesome candidate to put some love into and get back into service.
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1977 Sage Green Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691987
1965 SWR Walk-Through Standard
1960 211 Panel American Camper Conversion

[Abscate]

[WildIdea]

Sweet bus! Looks like an awesome candidate to put some love into and get back into service.
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1977 Sage Green Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691987
1965 SWR Walk-Through Standard
1960 211 Panel American Camper Conversion

[my59]

We have spent time in Eastham, on the bay side, every year since 2000 or so. I've seen that bus on the road, but not for a long time. Nice to see its in good hands.
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[Gregg in the 603]

I was in Truro last Tuesday and it was gone! Was pissed! Glad you grabbed it up. Not sure I wouldn't have!
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1979 Mexico Beige Westy auto
Dirty Dover, NH

[HoboBus]

Great deal and great bus.

Is Cobie's open yet? Go celebrate. A black and white shake and a fish sandwich is my choice there. Awesome place. Make sure to treat your wife for allowing you to drag crap home and store it at her Dad's.

We should have a Summertime Bus event on the Cape. Well, if this were a normal summer.

Good luck with the bus.
Hobo
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Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[my59]

We are supposed to be on the Cape for the week after Labor Day,
I am trying to make it 2 weeks, since I think working remotely is no longer unusual...
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[raydog]

[60vwnewengland]

There she goes. 3000 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal headed to DC

Big shout out to TouchNicksThing for towing it back home. Plan is drop the motor and trans, get running gear fixed up and go from there.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
LLAP

[60vwnewengland]

Made some progress with the Cape Cod Sage.

Big shoutout to Nick and getting the bus from Mass. to VA without a hitch.

Now it’s locked away in storage in Virginia, Tub Bus got to meet its new brother.

Put it up on the lift to remove the motor and trans. Having a lift is so much better than rolling around on the ground.

We spent more time trying to remove the passenger side CV axle than anything else. The drivers side came off like butter. It was OG with 12pt bolts. The passenger side had been replaced at some point and they probably used an air gun to put the new 6pt bolts. PITA it get those suckers off. We had use a torch to get the bolts cherry red and then use vice grips to turn the bolts.

Was able to finally get the axle off and then loaded up the motor in tub bus and bring it home for rebuilding.

Took off all the top end bits. Everything seemed good. Nothing broke off or anything. FI harness seems to be in good shape. Alternator wires are fried. So it looks like I’ll need to replace that and regulator.

Will refresh the tins and everything will need paint and stuff. Easy work.

Some serious mouse house under the tins...

No play in the crank at all. Plan is right now is to replace pistons and cylinders and get heads rebuilt and then slap it all back together.

More to come...
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
LLAP