Hell In A Bucket! WildIdea's 1977 Sage Green Westy

[71whitewesty]

I guess those are the best photos I have on here of the process. Lots and lots of people do this incorrectly. The extra fold is why I think it’s much easier to staple it to the top first when it’s off the bus.

There are threads on here that may show this step better but it is the correct way to do it. I also think it spreads the tension along the edge of the tack strip verses pulling straight down hoping the staples hold and doesn’t tear the tent. Like it does on the bottom. The stress is put on the edge of the aluminum tack strip and not the individuals screws.
Hope this all makes sense.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[alman72]

I cant see the example pics.....
edit- they were the little black x, would not open or enlarge, I was concerned that they were 3rd party hosted, and not everyone could see them, and that would be a crime on this thread. For some reason, now they work. must have been a glitch in the matrix.
btw, I am really enjoying all the work you are doing to document your work in this thread. I know that when you are done, I will miss the updates. This is one of those threads that I know I will remember really enjoying when I look back, like the rarest of the rare thread when I found it for the first time, or the side tent thread, or some of Skills conversions.

[71whitewesty]

Go back one page. Last two posts.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[WildIdea]

[WildIdea]

[KentABQ]

I'm with alman72. You're enthusiasm, attention to detail, and excellent writing skills make it one of my favorite too. I'm very much looking forward to the posting of your family's first camping experience. Take lots of pictures when you go!
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-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[WildIdea]

[WildIdea]

The sun is pretty low in the sky these days and it has snowed a time or two and melted off and households are all about winter prep. I haven't been doing much but prepping the bus. Brian has been getting the final details on the engine and we think were going to be ready soon.

I mention that I read a chapter in the Tom Wilson book and a few threads about an oil priming sequence and what is all involved. He gives me a rundown gets me caught up on what to look for and why and he says he made a suction pump that will do that before you ever touch an ignition. Right on! a few days later I get this video of the motor running on his test stand.

https://youtu.be/jLzxq0Xq1QU

It's ALIVE! Some tuning still and sounds and looks pretty strong. He said he gets some undivided attention for when he starts them the first time and it sounds nerve-wracking to me. Things went as expected and all things look decent to get the bus over to his shop and installed over the next week or so and hopefully start getting it broke in. I was traveling some then and he was installing another motor in another bus and still, we press on a plan to get some time set aside to do this install together. Hopefully take advantage of the mild break in our weather.

The big day arrives and in the morning Brian comes out with his car trailer and we roll the bus on up and get it secured. A few quick pictures and I'm sure I see a smile on her face. Almost as big as mine! I know she's proud to have been adopted and all but this has been a long wait for her transformation and mobility is going to finally happen.

A double check on the straps and a peak inside to make sure everything is in order and with a wave goodbye we take off out of the neighborhood for the first time. Hopefully to return on her own power the next time anyone up here sees her.

Following along behind Brian in traffic, I'm struck with some strong emotions and almost get a tear in my eye. I can see a dude point over to her from his truck at a light and it's obvious someone has a sweet bus there. Being that lucky guy is me, I'm struck with a tremendous flood of disbelief, amazement and gratitude. It's just wild to think back at the last year and a half and all that happened and the many folks that chipped in and or totally busted their ass on the project to bring this bus back from oblivion.

Getting the bus unloaded and settled at Brians is about all we could do that day. I rescheduled a dental appointment and came to work late even, and he went his way to drop off his trailer. Were just gonna finally fix the bus. Everything else can wait. Things are all staged as best we can to have a smooth upcoming motor install. All we need now is a can of gas.

[cliveawn]

Exciting times! I remember starting my motor for the first time,very nervous but the guy who did mine knows his stuff.
I drove mine 500km then went to the builders rolling road to tune it and check horsepower.
On the first dyno runs we got 95 hp,he changed a few jets in the carbs and messed around with the timing and after a few runs it got 115hp.
A huge difference was noted on the way home.

Right now my motor is out for a full bare metal respray and many long hours left till its finished.

Good luck and happy camping!
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Green 78 Westfalia Helsinki,

2056 with 41 x 34 valves,ported heads
Fully balanced
8,5:1CR
JPM Custom made cam
JPM 7075 dual taper pushrods
IDF 40's with 28mm venturi's
Python CSP 42mm exhaust.
115 HP

Daily driver 2017 Volvo V60 D5 hybrid
Rica stage 2 tune 345hp.

''Funny thing about common sense is that its not very common''

Seismic gun mechanic

[WildIdea]

A few days later and the coast is clear for Brian and I to get together and start getting the engine installed. I'm basically going to be his helper and follow his directions.

We still need to install the axles and I would have had these on already but wanted to see what Brian had to say about it. Whether they would be in the way for the engine install or not. He said it would be good to go ahead and get them in now. I climb under the bus and get the bolts started. I had previously cleaned my OG bolts and we put them back in and torqued to spec. The rubber boot clamps still needed crimped and I was hoping he would have the right tool but he didn't and it would have to wait.

The next step was raising the bus on his hydraulic stand. Getting the right size wooden blocks in the right positions and then another bus goes on up. He was getting a chuckle at my tennis balls up under the bus. Well, I said that one day I was under there and one was setting in arms reach and I just sort of tried it and it had a perfect friction fit to temporarily plug the heater ducts. At one point, I had a tennis ball on a string set at just the right point to touch my cars windshield when parking. With the car out and the ball just hanging there was always just too much temptation for the kids to not bat down. I gave up putting it back all the time and somehow that day it was right there on the ground next to me. I got another one and shaped some heavy gauge fencing wire into a 2 inch loop then punctured the ball and secured another loop on the opposite end, so I have something to grab and pull the ball out whenever I want to.

I grab a few shots of the bus. It looks pretty neat up in the air. Lots of tinkering and making a game plan. We get what we can in order and take the carbs off and some tin quick and start moving things closer together.

Were just hoping everything lines up and marries together pretty quick. His motor stand has a nice pump on it and a lowering lever which will come in handy. The lift is only limited by how tall the bus is in this application.

It slides right under and clears the apron. Some fiddling with one of the tins and were getting close. A bit of raising and lowering a few bits and some wiggling ensues. A twist of the fan and we hear that satisfactory thunk of success. Bolts up tight right after that.

The bus really swallows up the visual magnitude of the engine. It looks pretty small in there now! We just stand back and take it in for a min. Were noticing how clean and uncluttered it looks, just like we planned. The carbs get set in quick just to get a look and a picture. This is a big step forward, although we know there is a lot of work ahead dressing out and connecting all the systems. It just feels nice to have the engine set in its home now. If it has to come back out, at least we have a good system for it. Connecting everything else is going to take some time that we don't have this day, so on this high note, we say later for now.

If I can ever leave! Again, do I even need to say how excited I am? A quick check of some parts in the cabin and a few extra shots just because.

[orwell84]

I feel your excitement. You've had such a good run up until the poptop. Guess you are mortal after all. Way to not get discouraged and keep on pushing through. Super work.

[MorkC68]

excellent!
_________________
Major; 1977 Westfalia Campmobile
- Subaru EJ20
- Koni Classic adjustable dampers & Empi Heavy Duty Anti Roll Bar
- 180W Solar System

My blog: https://twolatebays.wordpress.com/

[yellowCOwesty]

Looks like ther is plenty of room with the VS muffler, which is good. I have the correct early heater boxes for mine, just gathering th other parts now.
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'78 Westy
Currently yellow and white "Sunny"
A few other air cooled VW and Porsches over the years

[WildIdea]

Thanks for the comments folks. I'm having a fun time reliving the process looking at these pictures again.

My mind is definitely dreaming about driving the bus all the while knowing that if I don't focus on what's happening, I'll miss an important detail. It's kind of a race between the weather and what our work schedules are. I guess we could trailer the bus back to my house, but were anxious to test drive it some before it goes into hibernation. It should be snowing by now and iced up and we have been in a temperate, gorgeous Fall. We never had a frost in the night and the slow, even drop in temperature made for one of the most spectacular golden leaves on the giant cottonwoods and every other shade a tree can delight with I can ever remember. I wasn't the only one to notice, everybody is just blown away with the pageantry of the Earth. It usually freezes and the leaves turn crisp and go brown right away. It's clearly a blessing and nice when the leaves finally fall before we get caught with heavy snow on them and the branches get broken from the weight. Not that we made any time to rake them up, were fixing the bus, man!

Other obligations are waiting and it appears both our wives understand, they have watched us press for this point and send encouragement. Brian heads to his garage at the end of the night when his kids go to bed and he's been burning the midnight oil. I swing by one of those nights and help him get into it. I never expect him to do anything and want to follow up my offers to help with actual action.

We get the top hatch open for some better access and start getting the details looked at. The tin seal went in pretty nice with me below pulling it in bits and him above pushing on it as we went around it seemed like we had it in right.

It's just a lot of little stuff like gas line, throttle cable and thermostat that were walking through. Its sounds pretty casual to say this and that is easy and can get done later, it's another to check them off the list.


A pretty nice video of the thermostat working. Neat system.

https://youtu.be/i33nRCGEK7M

Brian took off the drivers side carb intake to get drilled and tapped for the break booster line to get attached to. I won't be doing that one either, so thanks again for the efforts of Brian on this deal, its' HUGE.

I believe he had been getting some gauge wires in order. I would have liked to be there for all of it, but that's a task better suited alone without your buddy standing over you chatting your ear off. We plan to twist the key in the next few days.

[WildIdea]

The upcoming weekend arrives and it's still pretty nice weather wise and it probably touched 60 degrees for a high. The shops are usually rather busy on Saturdays and I always work them and Brian plugged away until Sunday morning and at Noon, Cat and I show up to his house together. There is an electric energy in the air and between us all. Brian has been spinning the bus around and revving it up a long steady hill on runs to seat the rings and we're going to get to drive the bus some today ourselves.

Everything looks to be in order, although there is a small leak at the oil pressure switch. He says he needs to make a standoff that when tight will orientate the dummy light and gauge sensor out of the way of my distributor. Says it won't hurt anything the way it is today, just leak a little and shouldn't mist all over on everything unless were at highway speeds.

We pull the plastic off the seats and hop in and with a wave we take off. Simply slow at first to let the adrenaline wear off and settle down a bit....but heh....We all know that's not gonna happen, so we get it out of the neighborhood and head onto a two lane. Pretty much everything is working accept the wipers, because I haven't worked those yet. I notice my fuel sender is working! She shifts like butter and the clutch seems adjusted about right as it is responding about what you would expect a manual to be like. The engine has way more power and response than I was expecting and its noticeably powerful. We get some cruising in and I'm just in total awe of the situation and can't pinpoint any single feeling. I want to see what Cathy thinks and pull over so so she can get a turn driving.

I pull into a lot and hop out and she slides over. I get a quick peak in the rear hatch just to make sure all is well and whip out my phone to get a shot of her sitting in this running bus for the first time.

Check her out! What a smile. She's definitely into it and I can't believe we are doing this together and not just me off on some misadventure alone.

Once, at a light, when it turns green she starts to take off and it's lugging. Before it stalls I blurt out "Your in 3rd!" and instead of pushing in the clutch and starting over, without missing a beat she pounds the gas and drops the clutch and we take a two wheel left turn in a crazy lime green streak! This is my kind of lady, one who has history with a manual transmission and also a huge testament to what Brian is capable of building in his shop. You can easily let the bus coast down to 15mph in 3rd and pull away all the way to 55mph without shifting.

We gotta get it back to Brian's for the night now that we have "tested" the vehicle. The bus still needs some tinkering. I back the bus back into his garage and we call it a day. I still can't believe we are at this point, really. All those times I was just glueing interior laminate wondering if it was all for nothing or at best a maybe and tried to stay positive and patient. I think this is for real happening and it feels great.

Brian has a plan for the leaky oil sender and get's this neat pedestal piece made for the area and set up for the gauges up front. I think he spent more time making it look cool than he needed and it's telling how much pride he takes in his work.

With that installed, I swing by the next week with the rear bumper. There is still a long list of Must Do's and Can Wait's and I'm sure I'll be redoing a few things that don't prove out. Brian has decided to he wants me take the rig home and break it in myself. I think he needs the room in his garage and he won't set it outside in the elements or leave it outside at night. He also confided in me that he isn't really comfortable driving my bus. Thinks it's too clean or valuable and couldn't live with it if he was in a fender bender. I get that, I wasn't going to pressure him to deliver it, but if it's his idea, I'll take her with me and pick up where we left off together in the spring. What a cool guy.

I keep seeing I need to scrub out that engine lid. Should come clean, lots of that stuff got scrubbed out of that area. Can't believe I missed it. I think it's because it wasn't viewable while I was inside the engine compartment! I should have closed the lid while I was in there and hit it then!

Kev and I meet and he get's to drive her for the first time as well. It only seems proper and I really respect this guy. He is really an inspiration and I owe him a lot for trusting and investing in me and I give him a lot of credit for this being a running bus. I just never want to disappoint this guy or let him down. Oddly, I don't have a picture with him driving or anything about that day, but it's a lot of fun and he approves of the whole thing. He's gotta be proud of the whole deal and I suspect a little glad my stuff is out of Brians hair so he can get bumped a notch back up the list!, HaHa!!

I'm on my own for another hour and I cruise a road once deemed a favorite by someone dear to me who has passed long ago and always my favorite road for that reason alone. She always took it on her bike she said to get her head clear. I feel that smile from above and when that ribbon runs out I head on over to G's school for the afternoon session of his Winter Christmas Program. It's packed, as expected and I just pull right in like I do this every day. G man say's they could see the bus from out his classroom window and he seemed pretty stoked about it when we finally caught up with each other.

Cat sends me this pic she took from her rear view of me following her home. Crazy to think that's me and in the garage she goes with her best friend Red. We refer to the split as Red and loosly refer to the Westy as Hellin. I didn't want to give her an old fashioned woman name, but it's sort of sticking. As in Hell In A Bucket at least I'm enjoying the ride.

Now that's pretty much up to current timeline. The bus was bought in August 2016 and this thread outlines the progress up to December 2017. I really can't believe it. Not only do I have a Bay of my dreams, I have two new close friends with Brian and Kevin and have also fostered existing bonds along the way as well. This is totally what I needed these last several months and I trust that this VW journey will continue in a positive way. Thanks to the Samba hosts and anyone who has been reading this, It's been fun.

Updates and adventure shots for sure, believe me.

[KentABQ]

[Chochobeef]

This story is far from over, but wow that last shot of the 2 bus' in the garage. Fanf'ingtastic!!! That has got to be a nice sight to walk into.

You know the kids are gonna wanna take rides, and for sure camping trips. Guess that will be the next adventure....

[WildIdea]

[WildIdea]

[white74westy]

Absolutely stunning! Nice work man! I can't wait to see all the updates from the upcoming trips.