'77 Campmobile - Bringing out of 20 Yrs of storage to sell.

[auser]

I'm going to help a friend sell a '77 Campmobile, but am not 100% what I'm agreeing to. Hope I'm in the right spot on the forums. I'll have pictures and more detail this weekend - for now, this is all I know:

Sitting in a garage in Atlanta for decades. Has not been started in maybe 20 years. No rust, 50,000 miles.

No VIN yet - I'm trying to get that. Also, I've read something about an M-plate that I should try and find?

Here's the goal: new tires, get it running, find approximate market value.

The plan:
1. Take the wheels off and bring them to a shop for new tires
2. Get the van trucked to mechanic for fluids, oil, etc.
3. Try and start it

I'll be in Atlanta this weekend to get started.
Any advice or thoughts are appreciated. I'll be updating this post during the week and weekend as I learn more. I've converted a couple cargo / sprinter vans to campers, and am handy on old Toyota engines, but this is my first foray into the world of the Bus!

-ad

[Tcash]

Pictures would be cool.
How to post photos/How to post a photo in the Forums

Inspect the fuel hoses.
Up in smoke... Bus fires... don't let it happen to you!

M-Plate Location
M-Plate Decoder Volkswagen Type 2 Bus

Good Luck
Tcash

[kkjellquist]

[Bala]

Hard to really help without pictures.

But, if it really is a 50k miles rust free all original survivor bus you really won't need to do much. I would not buy new tires if the current ones hold air. Yes get it running and driving if possible, but that's really all you need to do mechanically. A true survivor bus will command top dollar without you having to do much. Your time would be best spent cleaning it really, really well top to bottom, inside out. Then take tons of quality pictures. The new owner will most likely want to choose their own tires and will have the money to restore everything they choose to, exactly as they like.
Also keep this thread updated with progress and pictures. I can guarantee that there are potential buyers already following this. Any money you dump into it you probably won't get back. Again though, pictures will help us a lot.

Just my advise.
_________________
1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

[auser]

I appreciate the quick information and advice. I want to take very good care of this thing, so don't want to try and start it until I'm sure things are healthy. Should I have fluids replaced (gas, oil, etc) before even trying to start it?

I'll post pictures Friday night or Saturday morning.

[jtauxe]

Yes, drain out all the old gas and dispose of properly (contact your local household hazardous waste folks). Rinse it with a gallon of clean gas, sloshing it around by rocking the bus, and dispose of that, too. Look at the rinse gas in a glass jar. If it has crud in it, you may have to pull the tank and clean it, or at least alert a potential buyer as to the situation. If it is clean, lucky you!

You may as well drain the oil and replace the oil and filter. I would recommend Castrol GTX 20W-50 and a good filter, but there are differences of opinion on oils. In this case, you are not breaking in a new engine, so the fancy stuff is not needed.

I would also recommend that you remove the spark plugs, and using a tube on a funnel, pour a little oil into each cylinder. Just 10 or 20 mL. Then using a wrench on the alternator and with the car out of gear, turn over the engine by hand several times. This will at least get oil around the rings for when it first starts.

Fuel lines: Get Scott's perfect 1977 kit at GermanSupply.com, and supplement it with his fuel vapor line replacement kit. That should allow you to replace ALL of them. Put in a few gallons of fresh gas after you replace the fuel lines.

Check all the vacuum hoses for leaks. If they are in sorry shape, get Scott's vacuum line kit as well. These kits may seem expensive, but they are the quickest and easiest way to get everything in tip top shape.

Have a fire extinguisher handy, and then keep it in the cab of the bus within easy reach of the driver.

When you first go to start it, remove the wire from the center of the coil so that for the first 20 seconds or so you are just turning over the engine, with no spark, and getting all those oil galleries filled up. After that, hook up the coil, and be prepared for the huge white cloud of smoke that will billow out of the exhaust as the oil you put in the cylinders burns off. It should be gone in a few minutes.

Good luck!
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[Bala]

If it hasn't been started in 20 years it likely won't start with just fresh gas in the tank and an oil change. Both those are necessary though. I would change the oil/filter, then disconnect the coil wire and crank it over for a few seconds multiple times to get the oil slung around. If it's still fuel injected you can bet the electronic fuel pump is gummed up. First drain the gas tank and see what (if anything) comes out (maybe make a note of appearance and smell). Then re-connect the coil wire and poor about an ounce or so of gas in the "S" boot. If it indeed starts, put a gallon of gas in the tank and see what happens. If you are lucky it'll run. But again the fuel pump is probably stuck. You can try to soak it in solvent for a day or two and that might clear it out.
_________________
1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

[Greg in GA]

What was your asking price going to be?
_________________
1969 Beetle
1974 Westy 1800cc FI conversion, L62H

Need a really good mechanic for your VW bus? Consider making an appointment with Colin (Amskeptic) next time he passes thru your area.

[ToolBox]

To do this right will cost a bit of cash at a QUALIFIED shop, not just a mechanics shop. Most general mechanics today have no idea what it is going to take to do the job right. too many things can be FUBAR if the wrong person works on it.

I would drop the engine and strip to a longblock to make sure no animals have built nests in the cooling tin. You could damage the engine irreparably if run and the cooling system is compromised.

The fuel system will need to be fully gone through. If it has been sitting decades the pump, injectors and pressure regulator are probably gummed up with old varnished fuel.

Same goes for the brakes and suspension systems on a long dormant vehicle.

You may be dollars ahead if you sell it as a garage find after a little cleaning as you may not get as good of a return if you dump cubic dollars at a shop.

[secretsubmariner]

I'll start the bidding at $12.00 sight unseen. I also have a very extensive collection of Pokemon cards I may be willing to trade as well, if the interior is clean.



This thread needs pictures, though. srsly
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[SGKent]

Your best bet is to hire Colin (Amskeptic) for a couple days and let him work on it where it is. He can do the things that need to be done with the existing parts to get it going although then he will probably want to buy it if it really has 50,000 miles. That is really rare because it was driven for 20 years before being stored. Best hope no mice ever moved in and that the gasoline is not tar.

You can run the engine off two gas cans - one for supply and one for return.
_________________
George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."

Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice"

[alman72]

shoot. holo charizard sight unseen. get those pics up.
seriously, depending on asking price, and condition of this gem, you may have to do very little to make the sale.

[Abscate]

[ultralite]

I'm in Atlanta, I'd be happy to help if I can. Private message me if needed....
_________________
Godspeed

'76 Beetle (sold)
'69 Beetle (sold)
'72 BMW 2002 (RIP)
'69 Westy
'02 BMW wagon AWD w/stick shift(sold)
'67 Beetle (sold)

[auser]

All the replies are incredible - much appreciate the advice on qualified folks and especially on what to NOT do.

I fly to Atlanta on Friday evening so will get pictures up soon. No idea what asking price would be - that comes after the initial assessment.

[kkjellquist]

FWIW, please don't sell it as 50K miles unless you can verify the number. If the odometer says 50k its probably 150 or 250.

With that said, if it's truly 50k and rust free congrats on your great find!
_________________
1977 Sage Green Deluxe Campmobile - "Turtel"
(1978 2L FI, Pertronix, Hydraulic Lifters)

Turtel - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=561195

Pisgah Bus Rally - New Year's Day
http://pisgahbusrally.blogspot.com/

[Bala]

The front seats are actually a fairly decent indicator of mileage. Not as good as well documented receipts and registration history, but still can help. Make sure to get good pictures of them and the entire interior.
_________________
1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

[ToolBox]

[secretsubmariner]

[auser]

Turns out I was wrong about the mileage.... 41,000 original miles. Seats look and feel nearly new, pedal rubber is grooved like it should be. This is a single owner van, and he happens to have paperwork and service records. Woah.

Couple pictures below - it really is in great condition. A few things here and there (small holes in tent, for example) but, man is it cool.

Cleaning it now - will post pictures later.