My First Bus / 1970 / Non Walk Through / Bench Seats

[WithTheFlow]

Should the throw out bearing have any play side to side in the clutch operating shaft ?

It looks like Weddle replaces the clutch shaft brass sleeve and bushing as a one-piece heavy-duty bronze bushing

(https://weddleindustries.com/products/1000176/1002181)

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

Rebuilt the clutch operating shaft. The rubber boots don't fit with the new bronze bushing which replaces the brass sleeve and bushing in one piece. Originally the rubber boots sit between the sleeve and bushing so I assume they are no longer needed.

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

I've been super busy with the bus lately. The shop I'm working at is being sold June 28th so I only have until then to work!! I'm really sad about it.
I have been working on this bus every week for over a year and half.
I really didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started. I learned a ton but it has really tested my limits. At this point I need to get the whole bus in epoxy to protect my metal work. My doors ended up being a real pain in the ass. There was a rusty spot I patched and then had to fight the oil cans in the door with an acetylene and oxygen torch.

I still have so much work to do!
_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[Yarkle]

but you are are making progress! which is alot more than I am doing. Maybe this springer/summer/fall
_________________
Tilda the Mustard Tigress 1973 Squareback (o'''^'''o)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=771024&highlight=

[WithTheFlow]

After pulling the dent out, the metal had been so stretched that I had to use the acetylene / Oxygen torch to shrink the metal and get rid of the oil can. What a can of warms. The whole door ended up getting fiber glass filler, 3m platinum filler and glaze.

Got some new epoxy. White this time. LOVE IT


Fixed my rusty dash board. Sprayed it in epoxy, used some filler, surfacer, and then flat black and matte clear so it doesn't reflect the sun

Got reuinited with my axle parts.

Reminds me of how rusty this bus was

These are my old torsion arms. I dont know if Ill be able to save anything.
I cant find torsion arms anywhere. I found some used ones but one of them is worn where the inner bushing sits

Is it possible that my old ones can be blasted and saved? Im skeptical with that amount of rust.
_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[busdaddy]

[WithTheFlow]

I got a set of torsion arms from THall !!
He had a new axle put in his bus.

Should I reuse the ball joints? I have access to a press at the shop but not the peening tool.

I wanted to check the play in the ball joints. It says to take measurements with the stud pushed in and out. How much force does it take to do this. Does the torsion arm need to be secured in a vice or testing jig?

One of them has a torn boot. The Bentley warns that if dirt gets in the ball joint on the late style torsion arms, you have to replace them. So I wrapped it in a bag and tucked it away for now

Also patched my door now that I seam sealed and epoxied the inside. Reinforced my welds with Marglass Short strand filler

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

The drum and hub is one piece on the early bays. I'm having trouble removing it. Do you need a puller. the castle nut and bolts were removed

Going around and touching up all the metal work while I get the bus ready for epoxy. So many areas and details.

Patch in floor. Had to cut for ease of fitting

Hole welded up from brace

Used a cut of wheel to grind these dog leg

Probably going to seam seal this

The passenger sill fit poorly. Had to fab it in

Drivers side

What I have left is patching this hole that the previous owner cut out

Went to the grave yard and cut out the patch with the top engine hatch.

Doesn't fit that great and it was a pain in the ass cutting out since I didnt bring the sawzall. The ribs in the floors dont match. Im kind of debating I should try fabricating it. Maybe go with a vanagon hatch?
Or just no hatch at all and cut it out of an early bay?
Ill meditate on it
_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[richparker]

You can try loosing the star adjusters in the drum to pull the shoes in and away from the drum. A few smacks with a BFH does the trick too, sometimes you need to do both.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[soissisc]

Castle nut loose, tap on the nut (pound on the nut)... or they make that awesome puller I think that some folks (Aeromech?) have shown on here in use. Or it can get worse where the drum has to be compromised or ground down to get it loose.
_________________
Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[caffeinebean]

The shop you have your bus in has so much space and room. That makes such a difference in working on these. Sorry to hear that you may have to vacate. You have done sooo much work there! Fantastic job, like others have said your skills are awesome! Thanks for keeping us posted on your progress. Hats off to you for saving that bus!

[WithTheFlow]

Sliding door Strip and paint

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

Rear Hatch Conversion

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

Although it feels great to have made it so far. It really feels like rock bottom right now. A lot of time to reflect on the Bus while stripping it down to bare metal. This took so much work! I lost count after working past midnight day after day. Its really hitting me now that I will have to vacate the shop. There is still so much to do.

At this point I am desperately looking for somewhere to take the bus to get it off the rotisserie and back on its wheels. I have thought about even paying someone to do the mechanical side of it. Does anyone have any ideas?

I am currently living in Wisconsin but we were recently got a job offer at a spa in Boulder, Colorado and I have considered transferring the project there.

I am also considering finding a VW shop out west to work at as are looking to move out of Wisconsin. Looking for some help at this time. If anyone has ideas or recommendations, please send them my way.
_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[Abscate]

Get that back on wheels on both ends post haste.

Having to move a non-rolling project is exponentially more difficult and expensive.
_________________
.ssS!

[advCo]

Looks good. I'm in the same boat as you having to move my project within the next couple months. Doing all I can to get it back on 4 wheels. Always fun to be in a time crunch, not.
_________________
"He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac ‘cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back"
'68/'70 Ghia Coupe Project
'70 Westy Project - Champagne I Wannabe
A bunch of vintage Japanese motorcycles
"Much ingenuity with a little money is vastly more profitable and amusing than much money without ingenuity." -A. Bennett

[WithTheFlow]

Link

_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[WithTheFlow]

Got the bus loaded on the trailer. Easier said than done when it’s only on a rotisserie and casters. Moved to a new shop where it will be taken off the rotisserie. New suspension and brakes and then moving forward with the Subaru conversion.

The engine I have for it right now is a 1995 Subaru Impreza EJ 18. It only has 60k miles from it. The car was from Oregon and it was driven all the way to Illinois where the engine was removed. So I know it works

The shop that the bus moved to has a 2.2 and 2.5l Subaru engine available which got me thinking if that’s a better option. Don’t know what to do.

Jerome’s Subaru split window with a custom roof rack that he built looks so good.
_________________
The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[advCo]

Looks like you got it moved alright. I'm definitely hoping to avoid moving mine on the rotisserie but we'll see how far I get!
_________________
"He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac ‘cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back"
'68/'70 Ghia Coupe Project
'70 Westy Project - Champagne I Wannabe
A bunch of vintage Japanese motorcycles
"Much ingenuity with a little money is vastly more profitable and amusing than much money without ingenuity." -A. Bennett