What did YOU do to your van today?

[jimf909]

[BCE56]

Oil and filter change yesterday. Reattached a loose vacuum line. Greased the shifter rods. Looks like I might need some new bushings soon, maybe new motor mounts too.
Took a drive down by the beach. On the way home I picked up a prime rib roast and some goodies for New Years dinner.
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=BCE56=

'86 Syncro tintop
EJ22, OBD II early SC adapter plate conversion

Side project: '69 Frankenbug "It's alive!"

[bobbyblack]

[jimf909]

[VicVan]

Did what I could to address the thermostat that decided to stay open on our way to the snow!
Mahle unit, 6 months old... I'm sure the plastic bag and painter's tape will last longer than that.

I'll call VW and get an OEM thermostat.
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[camperseth]

My van wouldn’t go into reverse no matter what I tried, very rarely occasionally somehow it’d find reverse itself while I was looking for first at a stop light/sign. I Thought for sure it’d just be the shifter tabs replacement seeing as they were non existent. I installed them and still no reverse.... bummer.
I never wanted to try the forward/rear shaft twist trick because in my experience I always somehow make bigger problems for myself. But in this case I did some due diligence and gave it a shot according to the go westy write up and lo and behold it worked like a charm first try!!!
It’s almost unbelievable how small,tiny,minuscule of a twist makes that much of a difference. Literally like a 32nd of a twist, maybe a 16th. When they say “it’s that sensitive” they mean it !!! Really happy my van is going in reverse again. No more having to plan ahead where I park lol.
I noticed when I was tightening the coupler back again there was some slippage. It’d get tight then slip then tight then slip. I finessed it into a tight spot and we’ll see how long that lasts. Probably the reason it got out of wack in the first place. Honestly all the components look like crap so I think a shifter overhaul is in my near future.

[xoo00oox]

Took advantage of a beautiful winter day with dry roads and took my Westy to some mountain bike trails (Gurney Lane right below Lake George NY).
Most of us guys in the Northeast don’t drive the cars we love during the winter months, the salt destroys them! It’s nice to give the battery a good charge and keep everything moving by taking a drive when the roads are dry.

[jlrftype7]

Finally replaced all 4 engine mounts, along with the cracked engine alloy bracket that ties the mounts to the engine. Brazed the cracked coolant tank mounting bracket that probably suffered excessive movement from the too far gone engine mounts....
Cleaned and painted the moustache bar, replaced all needed hardware with fresh bolts or exhaust nuts along with gaskets from removing the exhaust to service the mounts.

Much smoother engine operation now, and no more wobbling/movement.

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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[DustinEM]

Always been a bit concerned with the brake light visibility, even after upgrading to LEDs. After adding the swing away, it was even worse. Added Go Westy 3rd brake light and some combo flood light/aux brake light pods on Bostwick Built mounts. I like it alot. Wired the red lights directly to the brakes and put the white floods on a position on my controller up front. It was a project but I like the end result.

[dhaavers]

^^^ Wow...that'll do!

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[djkeev]

While I appreciate brake lights that can be seen, to be behind a unit that melts my eyeballs and flash blinds me with every tap of the brake pedal is BEYOND ANNOYING!

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[DustinEM]

They’re really not that bright, a little more than the regular brake lights and of course there are more of them. I checked and felt good about the intensity as I was concerned about the bright as well. I tried not to put them to high and angled them down a bit. I didn’t want to not have control over the flood lights so I kept those on a separate switch as opposed to wiring them to the reverse lights. The photos make them look more than I think they are.

[B.O.B.Wanders]

Finished up on a project started a couple of years ago. The cardboard baffles on the front grill had degraded to the point they just fell off. I cut out and painted replacement baffles from some plastic sheeting that I'd used on the interior walls behind the kitchen cabinets. I had burned holes to match the little plastic prongs that held the old baffle in place but they were mostly broken off.

Of course the replacement baffles got set aside while I contemplated how to attach them and got buried under other stuff in the garage.

The other day I ran across them and just went with zip ties. Easy-peasy but perfect solution. A very minor accomplishment of dubious benefit, but it felt good completing a long deferred task.

From the rear

From the front

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83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[mcarlson_sb]

Replaced the fuel lines on my 1980.
Brand new Continental 30r9 5/16th for the whole run. From tank to tank return.

Now I feel MUCH more comfortable about taking a long trip.
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1980 Westfalia (Manual) California 141000 Miles

[Precioso]

Its been a productive week. I simultaneously found more storage/decreased weight by removing the air conditioner, I replaced the starter, replaced the front heater valve, replaced both drive seals ( I really all the posts about that process, it went perfectly!), I just finished replacing the gear shifter components. I now need to burn through 10 gallons of gas so I can replace the fuel sending unit and gas tank seals next week.

[4Gears4Tires]

Ah shucks, so sorry man. You just missed the deadline for asking for help! 17 years of waiting wasted!
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[bobbyblack]

On my way home last PM after a hard day at the office, I noticed that I had a low beam out. Sad, only ~60 hours on my 80/100's put in when I did my relay project.

Perhaps I better bring my variable voltage regulator down a little.. Ya, I 'LIKE' the bump, but perhaps seeing 14.8 on the dash monitor is a tad high...

Anyway, I saw a big mass of freezing rain and snow heading my way on radar for about regular arrival to work time, so I went a bit early. AND, replaced that low beam light when I got parked.

Perhaps I will have to wait a while to leave work, as the snow should be hitting pretty hard by the end of my day here.

Nice to have TV, CHD, and plenty of food/water on hand in my nice warm Westy
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[randalieren]

New floor, upholstery, and custom pottomon.

H/T to my talented and generous in-laws for their assistance.

[andy52]

[82westyrabbit]

I don’t think you want to eat what is stored in that box 😀