Here's Sonya, a Mexican 1974 beauty

[busdaddy]

#25 is a sheet metal screw, ~#8 x 3/4" should be close. #26 is called a Tinnerman nut or speed nut, they are fairly common in modern cars as well as appliances like washing machines.

All radios need a hanger of some sort on the back (front?), there's a single hole in the dash top between the speaker grill and windshield VW used for the speaker bracket as well as the radio support, or use any of the speaker holes if you like, plumbers strap is ideal for that. If you have to buy speed nuts and screws in bulk a few of the leftovers will be perfect on the ends of the strap, most radios have a stud for a brace on the non face end to attach to, depending on where it was made it may be metric, or not.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[tonysantacruz]

Thanks! I’ll schedule a trip to the parts store.

[tonysantacruz]

I’ve been using the bus more and more, still loving it.
Few issues, like the steering wheel sometimes pulling my arm at the elbow when trying to parallel park.

Lost the bolt somewhere during a grocery run.

I finally got the body shop guy to fix a few leftover issues. Took her today to him and should be ready by Saturday. Next week with the paint guy. Then the electric guy.

Coming close to 3 years, but looks like she’ll be done.

[tonysantacruz]

Got the bus back from the body shop guy: blemishes fixed, windows roll up and down perfectly and the locks are repaired. Yay!i would take it to be oainted, but Hurricane Delta got in the way.

But, getting it back from the shop...

https://youtu.be/A4agsZo9HMQ

Phone is over the left tire, where the shock lost the bolt. Could it be it blew something? The CV’s? The noise is deafening at times, but others is gone. Turning left exacerbates it, so does decelerating.

Ack, with hurricane Delta looming over us, I have bigger concerns, but I feel like I walk back two steps for every one I take.

[KentABQ]

I'm not a pro, but going to guess that's a CV.

I applaud your tenacity in getting Sonya back on the road. You've gone through a lot of work and headaches, but all that hard work is about to pay off. Don't get discouraged... you're close to the finish line!

Look at my signature line below for my friend williamM's thoughts on van/bus ownership. It's pretty accurate in my opinion.
_________________
-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

[tonysantacruz]

[tonysantacruz]

I went with the other mechanic to fix the noise from the tire, to get the brakes checked and to fix the looseness of the stick shift.

I picked it up on Tuesday and 400 meters from the shop...

Turns out the thing on the other side broke and I was left with no power to the wheels. The CV axle shaft broke from the side. He replaced it and I returned Home.

Thing is, he told me it looked like the bus is too high on one side and it stresses the transmission, making it prone to failure.

I have noticed it’s lower at the front -and specifically low on the front right tire

he recommended a buddy who specializes in suspension work. I went to see him and he said the front part is the problem and he can fix it. I’ll take her there on Monday.

He also installs power steering and I’m sorely tempted. I have hurt my arms trying to back out of parking places -and the sanitizer gel does not aid your grip, believe me.

He also does this: replace the pin with a bearing set he custom makes to keep it from wear (lasts longer, he said). He did this on this bus they sent from Mexico City.

[busdaddy]

If that's not on a jack in that picture your rear end is set much too high, the front doesn't look all that bad.

This is how it should look:

Up high like that could shorten the life of the CV joints.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[tonysantacruz]

Yep, not on jack. I’ll tell him to check it overall, but lower the back.
The rear left is has a finger and a half separation from tire to wheel well, the right has two, two and a half.

[tonysantacruz]

So...the suspension Guru thing didn’t oan out.

I went to see him on Thursday, he told me to go back on Monday. “Your bus is a half-a-day job.“

He was still dealing with the yellow bus. He could not find a leak in the air suspension.
Wednesday morning: told me he was working in my bus.
Wednesday afternoon: so sorry, guv, this yellow bus is kicking my ass, can’t find the leak. Haven’t touched your bus.
Thursday. Yellow bus leak.
Friday.p: yellow bus leak.
Saturday I went to pick it up, told him it wasn’t ready to stay days outside, under rain and morning dew because the electrics are not in place and the rubber seals have not been placed.
I’m sure the leak wasn’t found, ‘cause the driver told me he was moving elsewhere.

Today he tells me the yellow bus is gone.

Sorry, dude, so is my faith in your abilities. I got another shop lined up.

[tonysantacruz]

Well, the new guy ghosted me, hard. He left fot Chiapas at 5am on the day we were supposed to go over the bus. Have t heard from him, but the yellow bus guy sent several messages.

So, back to him on MOnday.

On the meantime, I’m hooking up the oil bath filter. Help me out with the connections, hope I did ok.

Oil cap to oil bath.

Charcoal to back of the oil bath.

Arm needs the retainer thingy, will get it.

Now, the brass nipple...where does it go?

And what do ai do with the doghouse nipple? Should it be hooked To something or capped?

[tonysantacruz]

In action: https://youtu.be/VZbAg7L8Nb8

[busdaddy]

The doghouse nipple connects to the other end of the charcoal canister (top of pic below)

I can't see where the hose coming from the back and looping to the right goes, side of the oil bath I hope.

The small brass nipple connects to vacuum, the ports you have circled are fuel, there should be a small nipple on the side of the intake manifold below the carb.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[tonysantacruz]

At the suspension guy, he has bad news:

This part is messed up and had stripped screws:

No maintenance, so damage on the chasis

Gonna see if he can get the rubber parts, I may get the arms from another supplier...I just don't know how damaged is the "chasis" part and how it can be fixed/replaced.

[tonysantacruz]

I can find German arms, but I'm not sure if I can fit German parts on a Mexibus.
Are the tolerances similar?

[tonysantacruz]

Guy says the other side is ok and with the rubber things it can be fixed.

Problem is this side:

It's worn down, and to replace it it would mean cutting it out, reforging the piece (or getting a sub) and welding it back.

He says it might turn out ok, or it might be lopsided.

Annoying.

[tonysantacruz]

Taking this pic from patayres, now I know what the hell is going on.

So that's the issue. Crap.

How can it be fixed? Any comments?

[busdaddy]

Wow, I can't imagine the rattly squeak sound that must have made for years.

It all looks just like the German stuff, I don't see why it wouldn't interchange. Don't let anyone mix up the torsion bars, they have to go back in the same side they came from.

As for fixing the mount in the body I'd consider a hard filler like Duraglass to build it back up, once all the rubber is in there there's not much movement so it should take many years to wear back down.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[tonysantacruz]

[tonysantacruz]

Front part was today. He says it had no bushings.

I'm surprised...is that part supposed to be able to be separated from the beam? or, what the heck I'm looking at?

Is this that?

(credits: Tcash)