Devon camper & the highway to Spain

[79SuperVert]

I'm enjoying your thread. Thanks for all the pics. I hope you can get the engine fixed soon and cheaply.
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Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

[busdaddy]

Yay!, page 2!!!, now I don't have to see that pic of Dooker laying on his back like he's just been knocked down in a boxing match with his bus every time I open this thread! (Bus 1: Dooker 0), happily it seems that's about to change for the better and he's back on his feet swinging! waiting for updates

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[notchboy]

He must be enjoying the outside, fresh air and travels with his family What no time to sit on the computer and rot awhile?
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[dooker]

busdaddy - if needed i can post the pic on this page as well...

anyway thanks for all the posts. it's been quiet, i give You that. reasons - the slowest internet connection i have ever seen. there's not much to do but just wait. i ordered new parts from UK, hope to get them in this week. in mean while i have to figure out how to get the heads on without torque wrench or where to get it. it's complicated as i live somewhere in the mountains, cut off from society. closest shop is about 2.5km walk and it's up & down the hill (plus not all the way is road or stares, just pure climbing). the house is designed for folks with working car closest workshop about 7-8km. only hope - a friend will bring me the parts and maybe we can find a tool store or just borrow the wrench from some workshop

so... i will make some photo shots and hope for the best. and once i have decent internet (well i WILL have it) i will upload them
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[Sven F]

I've been to Estonia last summer, and to Spain this summer by vw bus, so i know what kind of distance, cultural and climate change that is.

Why anyone from Estonia would want to move to Spain is beyond me, as i see Estonia as one of Europe's nicest places to live (apart from the cold) It is in fact the country that's left the most positively surprising effect on me since our travels around Europe.


Spanish MOT's are apparently very strict so parts and buses are quite scarce there. I've had some windscreen trouble on my way there, so I got to know a good mechanic and his friends in Zaragoza if you need help there. (they are probably on here too)

Regarding your engine trouble; The valve and head cracking probably have a cause. you should determine why this happened before setting off with new heads, or you could be in for a repeat.

Valve seat failure on type 4 engines is mostly due to overheated heads (this hasn't got much to do with oil temperature) it's mostly caused by lean fuel mixture, usually due to an air leak, check all your air hoses, ajust your carbs and valves, and keep an eye out for the temperature and valve clearance (if the valves get tight quickly after adjusting, the seats are rapidly sinking)

Btw. all Cepsa, Repsol, and some other gas stations on the auto strada have free wifi if you park near enough.

Good luck! and keep us posted!

[dooker]

Sven F - i must disagree with You on the living topic i do agree that Estonia is very nice place to visit, especially during summer. but to live there... well it's not for me. i will not touch the weather issue (on bad years we have 3 "meh" months and 9 shitty weather months). i live there and i see the apple from inside, how rotten it is i believe all countries have their problems and Spain has lot of them but for me this country suits so much better!

Anyway the DPD parcel tracking shows that the parts will be in Valencia on Friday... so if i'm lucky i will get them this week. let's hope for the best...
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[notchboy]

All the best! Wish I were there with you doing nothing instead of here working.
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[79SuperVert]

Valencia is on my list of Spanish cities and towns to visit. So far I've visited Madrid, Barcelona, Soria, Arzua, Burgos, Burgo de Osma, Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca, Valladolid, Segovia, Medinaceli, Berlanga de Duero, Calatañazor, Numancia, Tiermes, Avila, Toledo, Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada and a bunch of small towns on the Camino, and I can't get enough of any of them (OK, except maybe Valladolid - very, very busy and crowded - but I was only there for a few hours). Going back next year, God willing.
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Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

[Sven F]

As you say, every country has it's problems, and most mediterranean countries have lots.

I experienced Estonia as more of another part of Scandinavia than any ex soviet country, where people are honest enough so you can walk down the street without grabbing your wallet, where religion is not given significance over common sense and intelligence, where material possessions and human accomplishments are not flashed around in others faces. These are things you get to appreciate when you realize how rare they are in the rest of the world.

I wish you all the best, and take care with what you eat there, Spain is the biggest producer of GMO food in Europe, and they've adopted a lot of eating and shopping habits from the States, which is very visible on people (especially young).

[dooker]

it's been quiet - the parts reached last Friday to Valencia, but... that's about it. they haven't reached my friend yet. hopefully he can pick them up by himself and then deliver to me. so until that it's just... vacation, rum and swimming pool. what a dull waiting
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[dooker]

This is how the garage has been looking like for some time now...
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[dooker]

so i got the parts finally yesterday. friend managed to pick them up just before they were sent back to UK. lucky... i guess. but unfortunately there was a mess up with the order so i did not get all the parts. i got the heads - the main ones. and i got them on

today, i think, i made some kind of record. took me 2h to get the engine... well, short block at least, on the bus. reason - i don't have proper jack. so only by some wood blocks and stones and hand-power i got it on. now - everything else

hopefully there will be pics too at some point
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[1967250s]

Great thing about acvw's- you can take off and put on parts in small parts until it is complete :D Hope you get done soon.

[dooker]

so the new parts bolted on

and the heavy manual labor - engine on

and the result - '"the donkey lives"!

got the engine together, it fires, it drives. at least somehow. made a small cruise to the town and shop as well. man it feels good to shop with a car. i mean don't get me wrong, nobody should underestimate the power of 3 cylinder acvw engine. but man, the 4 cylinder one is like new level

And what to do with old pushrod tubes and new cylinder head boxes? Perfect drum set!

So... now all i have to do is order some more parts, find a decent garage and redo everything. properly this time. and then it's Good
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
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eastsidecustoms.com

[oorwullie]

you installed the short block and then fitted all the cooling tin and fanhousing,alternator and stuff in situ?

[dooker]

yes indeed. couldn't figure out how to lift complete engine without proper jack. took about 2 half days to do everything. and despite it was rather small place to work i got everything fitted
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The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
--------
eastsidecustoms.com

[Cheron]

Great job man! Impressive with the most usual tool available!

[Hebster52]

Hats off for you and your family!
Very adventourus trip!
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~Kris~
The Hebster52
The 912ST
The KidVRod project
The 356 Pre-A replica,SOLD
The 1966 Kommanderwagen, SOLD
The Doppel -67, SOLD
The Singlecab -72, SOLD

[westcoastmarek]

Congrats on the trip, glad you made it.
I have to say, you guys in Europe are lucky. You can hop in your bus and cross a couple of borders in a day, see many different cultures and lands. Don't get me wrong, in love where I live now (I grew up in CZ and have travelled around western Europe). And, I do have a border on my doorstep. But the folks, food and sights in Washington state are not that different from BC.
Anyways, taking a bus through Europe is a dream of mine... Maybe one day...
Cheers
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1979 Westy Auto
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sold...
1979 VW bus, 2L FI, now with a rivi top
1971 7 pass. deluxe
1974 Beetle

[dooker]

Will dig up this topic I started eons ago

So basically after number of relocations across Europe I'm now a bit more settled and finally own a garage again Estonia. Small one but it's a garage

Cannot remember much what happened after the trip back from Spain. I recall I had issue with one rocker that sort of killed one cylinder, also there was issue with piston rings. Anyway, I arrived home in limping and in a cloud of smoke. Rebuilt the engine a little and got it working, also saw the state of all the parts inside again. So after long considering my friend rebuilt the engine last summer

Got new camshaft, lifters (went from hydraulic to solid), AA pistons-cylinders, all the seals, bearings and filters, new clutch and flywheel. So quite a lot.

Friend thought he will mess with some coloring as well

Also did brakes update - new caliper, pads, disks, drums, pipes. So it should go and stop now. New battery is waiting.

But as it's winter here I decided to cut out the windshield and get finally rid of the rust that was causing rainwater in cab. So I'm trying to restore the tools set to get it all done
_________________
The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."
--------
eastsidecustoms.com