1978 Champagne Edition Find

[jmstu76]

Could be a proven fake, depends on who you ask...

_________________
James

'76 Deluxe Sage Green Westy
2258 cc GD case 78mm CW crank, 2.0 H-beam rods 5,325” 22mm pin, JE forged pistons with 15cc dish, JE rings, type 11 clearanced oil pump, CB Eagle 2205 Type-2 “Torque Special” hydraulic cam with matched lifters fed by CB Dual Weber 40 IDF MX with 6” foam air filters, currently 55 idle, 130 main, 200 air correction, 32 mm venturis. 27in General Grabber AT2 All Terrains, Berg Shifter, stock '76 exhaust HPC Ceramic Coated. 11/18/2020

[Stuartzickefoose]

Kirk look for full voltage at your headlights too...consider running a headlight relay kit...

Wax...mirrors...konis....wicked


You can fit channel lock pliers in the bolt and twist....
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[Kirk]

[Kirk]

Small update, just in case anyone thinks I died or sold my bus.

I love morning drives in the cool morning air.

So the black gauge cluster has always irritated me. Always. Luckily last year I bought a pretty killer brown gauge cluster. Also, the brown wiper switch has always been crap too. Bought one of those in working condition a few months back. I have a black one, but I wanted the correct brown ones. Yeah, I know, its my own issue.

(So thats bad, right?)

Out with the black, in with the Brown! But gotta clean it up first.

You have clock envy, huh? Its okay. I know. It works too.

Looks SO much better.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

In addition to the spoogy dash wiring, fixed my tailights. After the last time I was stopped by law enforcement for not having tail lights, I replaced those aforementioned crap housings with some top shelf big money Hella housings, which were completely worth the money. Now Bear and I blast off to the TACO (Texoma Air COolers) Meet with brake lights and blinkers! Its amazing to have blinkers. I kept using them when not needed, just because I could. What up girl! *BLINK* Hey look, a puppy! *BLINK* A rotten mattress! *BLINK*

The blinking and brake lighting was glorious.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

Night time fell, and it was time to blast back home. Whats this witchery?!?! Dash lights?!?!! I can die a happy man.

I made it home with no problems, except it sounds like my exhaust leak is back and I am still having intermittent hot start issues. Hmph. I'll deal with it another day. I love this damn bus. Every thing about it. Its dents, flaws, and its character. So many very good memories made in him, I can't even tell you. I've owned cooler buses, and I've owned much much nicer buses. This one I just really like. If the time comes that I get my westy (oh yeah, I bought a late westy. I should probably do a thread on that) done and road worthy, I'm gonna really have to think about what to do with two late buses, but for now, Bear is King.
_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[secretsubmariner]

Looks awesome dude!! Glad to see you're out there kickin' it with Bear.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[Kirk]

Bought Bear four years ago today. What a long and interesting trip.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

In a move that would pay off with crippling results, I decided a few weekends back was the weekend to swap the long terrible CV joints out on my bus. These had been bad a long time, and I did lots of research. There are plenty of articles and posts on the best boots, for rebooting CVs but not who makes the best axles. So I said to hell with it and bought life time warrantied ones from FLAPS. Lets get started! Ass up, wheels off.

Lets take us a gander at what we got here. Cant be that bad, right? Oh wait. Yeah they can.

Well I climbed under and started cleaning the bolts out one by one. I did get lucky, all were six point. None of that 12 point bullshit. And each one came loose easy after they were cleaned out. Both sides. I made the mistake of thinking this wouldnt be nearly as difficult as originally feared. Musta jinxed my damn self, because this was to be the easiest part of the day. One out.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

So as soon as I have the old axle out, I lay it next to the new one, and pull off the little retainers to move over to the new CV. Whew, theseses is pretty!

As you can see, those retainers do not fit these new axles AT ALL. Which meant I was going to have to modify each and every one of these, adding mucho time to this swap. I dont have a grinder at home, so out came the big ass bastard file. Yay flippin me. Each one had to be modified significantly to fit. Took a minute.

Lets install these shiny bastards!

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

That right there, right in that last pic, is a thing of beauty. The struggle to get those in place was incredible. Between being covered in CV grease, my sockets, and ratchets etc being covered in CV grease, AND already having an achey shoulder (thats important for later, BTW) it took me forever to get those in and tight. They are well greased however. But look again. BFGs, Red Konis and new CVs? Im sh*tting in the proverbial high cotton gentlemen.

Both sides replaced! By this time, my shoulder was aching pretty significantly, but I got everything cleaned up, tools away and the bus back on all fours. I then wiggled back underneath (Editors note: Thats a pretty tight fit. I may need to shed some weight) and got them all snugged tight. Ill check them again after some miles pass. Pretty stoked to have that nasty job done.

The next morning however, my right shoulder was so inflamed, I couldnt lower it down from above my head. Several hours, some ibuprofen, a muscle relaxer and some gentle stretches later, it was back sorta normal. Off to Emergency Care, who immediately told me two things.

1) yeah you in trouble, homes
2) get thee to an MRI
2b) no more VW work, driving a stick or crazy sexual practices for awhile.

There goes the weekend.

So, even tho this job is done, I'm now on injured reserve. Thanks for following along constant reader, more to come. Ouch.
_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[chabanais]

Great photos love this model. Glad you're keeping it stock.
_________________
"I spud therefore I yam."

[Alan Brase]

Long term, buy yourself a lift. You can get used ones for $500, cheap Chinese ones for $1500. Cheaper than giving up your sex life.
I'm a great fan of 12 point bolts XZN, they are called. 10 times better than 6 points. Up here in the rust belt the 6 points have to be removed with the gas wrench sometimes.
Nice car. Where's you get the red shox?
Al
_________________
Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home

[Abscate]

Weren't the retainer plates deleted in a TSB ? Or is that only for OG replacement joints?
_________________
.ssS!

[kooper271]

[Spike0180]

[Alan Brase]

[Kirk]

Bear is here for the wings only.
_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

Slow day at work, so time for an update. Got invited out to camp with some VW friends of mine in Oklahoma. I love camping in Oklahoma BTW, so I said hell yes. I should have looked at the map a little better, because it was damn near to Colorado, but oh well. So I loaded the bus up (in hindsight, i may have been a little over loaded) and headed out. I love this view more than anything ever.

Along the way, I met up with my buddy Jon, and followed him the rest of the way into Bartlesville. He drives like his bus ISN'T shaped like a brick with the aerodynamics of a sideways sheet of plywood. I didn't always keep up as well, but I also don't have a burning desire to do 80. 290 miles one way, probably the longest trek Bear and I have had.

My friends and I had obtained two RV spots with power. Which, incidentally, will hold three buses per, in case you found yourself wondering about the Volkswagen capacity of an Oklahoma State Park RV spot. The more you know! So Bear and I snuggled into our spot among the pop up campers. Again, I felt like the Black (Brown?) sheep of the camping family, but I don't care. Could be worse, could be this guy that showed up too late to camp with the grown folks and had to stay at the kiddie table.

Time to unpack!

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

It was at this time that I found a small window unit fits happily in the side slider window. I would also shortly find out this campground doesnt allow generators. Even small, very quiet well behaved generators that dont make any noise and dont pee on the rug. Oh well. Still have 'lectricity.

This is a really, really nice campground. I love it here. Especially with seven buses around. It was about this time that a well intentioned park ranger showed up, discussing potential environmental impact of so many people on two spots. We are all very conscious of garbage, trash and such, we pleaded, however he wasnt interested. Each site is for one car, four people. And LAWDSAMURRCY werent we over that limit. Bewildered looks turned to questions about what we could do since the park was full.

(Authors note: I paid for my spot. Wasn't really concerned over much.)

The park ranger then mentioned off handedly that Oklahoma, in all their infinite wisdom and broke assery, was planning on closing the "less popular" campgrounds, which this was. He further implied that if we were all willing to pay the office for a spot each, he would let us stay. This would also show more income for the park, in hopes he could keep his park open. We all agreed immediately. Those of us who didnt pre pay on the internet, went and paid. Ranger was happy, no one had to move, chuckles ensued.

Hour later, park ranger was back.

But this time bearing gifts! He brought each of the kids what appeared to be a Junior Park Ranger starting kit, and a whole buncha swag. I say appears, because I couldn't pass for a small child and was unable to reap the benefits from the benevolent ranger. The kids seemed to have fun however. And he talked to us for quite sometime. I think he realized since we didn't smell like Patchouli and open warrants we weren't going to be any trouble, so he had a good time talking with us.

This is a good group to camp with. Lots of kids, and good conversation were had well into the night. Bourbon was shared, jokes told, plans made. Nothing ever seems so nice as sitting around a campfire with people you like, bullsh*tting about life.
_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim