Newbie question: would you buy a 78 that has carb not FI?

[Jimflorida]

I’m looking at a nice 78 tin-top that for some reason a previous owner switched out the FI for a carb. Why would someone do that? I am thinking about buying it. It runs well and the price is reasonable. I just wonder if I should wait and look for a stock one with FI.

[ivwshane]

If the rest of the bus is good I'd still buy it. You can get the FI stuff later. Personally, if I were to purchase a bus again, the main thing I would be looking for is a straight (perfect really) body and frame with the paint color I want. Everything else is easier and cheaper to purchase than doing the body work and paint.

The question I'd be asking myself is why did the previous owner switch to carbs and what other PO "mods" did they do and what are the quality of those mods.
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77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab

[SGKent]

not really because (1) you probably have someoene else's problem, (2) you limit future buyers to non-smog state buyers. But if the price is right and you have any issues with it running right, you can always put FI back on.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[alman72]

if it had great body, and good running, in a second

[Jimflorida]

Thanks for the help. One more question: The body looks very clean. i couldn’t find any bondo. There is a couple of rust bubbles on the bottom of one front door and a couple of bubbles on the bottom of the sliding door. Does this mean that there are horrors underneath waiting to break through, or is this just what you live with?

[MikeyM73]

Word to what Alman said. I think the rust question depends on what's on the inside. Hell, ask if you can pop an inner panel and feel down near the rust. It may be exterior only. Ours (when we got it) had the same thing but the inside was pretty good so the rust was really only what we could see. So it needs a strip of sheet metal replaced in a couple spots - not a huge deal to most. I would make sure that the floor pan and frame are not rotted... look at it from underneath and check it out.

As for the original FI - SGKent has a good point but if it runs, hell - buy it. As others have said, the FI components can be sourced and they seem to be pretty available, especially if you're not in Cali. I lucked out and got my Weber progressive to run very well with a rebuild with quality parts, proper adjustment and some jetting and mixture tweaks... along with getting heat to the base of the carb.. PM me if you're interested. Others have done it and it seems to cure the dreaded Weber Progressive reputation.

Point being that if it doesn't run perfect, it can. Just takes tweaking until you collect all the FI stuff.

Good luck,
Mikey
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[Wasted youth]

[HoboBus]

I know it's not that popular here to pull the FI, but there ARE people in the world who would rather have a carburetor, than try to keep 40-year-old electronics, sensors, and more-complex wiring running, even if the carb isn't as good, gets lower mpg, etc, etc.

Some guys grew up with "carb, fuel pump, distributor" and that's all they'll ever be comfortable with. Just the way it is.

Shouldn't be all too shocking to find a bus where it's been done.

I'd definitely buy it if it's good deal and not a rust bucket.
Good luck
Hobo
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Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[busdaddy]

That's a tough question to answer without pictures. It may well be a gently used bus who's PO got duped by a dim witted mechanic who didn't want to deal with FI. Or it could be a flipper special that was rotting in a field a month ago and had some shiny bits and bondo slapped on to get it running and make instant money.

Take lots of pictures (and not the usual crouching down look at the outsides of the rockers and wheelwells either), crawl under and shoot from the middle looking out, that's where the flippers don't expect us to look.
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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
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Слава Україні!

[SamboSamba22]

Don’t let the carb being in there deter you from making a purchase on a good bus. You’re in the south. From years of going to shows and the dozen buses I’ve come across with that, originally, had Fuel Injection, it seems that all of them have been replaced with carbs.
And not even good carburetors. We’re taking Weber Progressives, Holley’s. Not dual IDF’s or Solex’s.

Study your potential purchase. Carbs don’t scare me. They just annoy me. These fellas on the west coast are spoiled with the FI shit working.
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The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Randy in Maine]

I sort of agree. Dual Weber IDFs would be a huge plus over a single regressive weber but that is at least $1K which is about the cost to do a FI set up also.

Buy the best "bodywork" bus you can find.

Take it someplace interesting and have fun with it. That is the most important thing about owning a bus. Whether it is kayaking or making pancakes in the woods with little kids it is really all about living. Do it.

[Jimflorida]

Thanks for the great advice. I’m going for it! I will hold everyone responsible if it craps out.

[SamboSamba22]

Post some pictures of this thing
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The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Wildthings]

I have run many hundreds of thousands of miles with a centermount progressive. It has been a very dependable system and has allowed me to enjoy engine longevity almost unheard of when running either FI or duals.

[busdaddy]

[timvw7476]

Nothing wrong with a carbed former FI bus.
Just make sure you have full throttle travel from the pedal. Idle to wide open.
Makes a huge difference in safety & performance.
& yeah you can always go back to four fuel injectors if you must. Actually five.
(cold start injector too) enjoy.

[volkybus]

FI is ok when it works ok but when it craps out get out your line of credit everything is 40+ years old and a nightmare to fix,all of us old hippie types hate FI...If you want them I have everything but the wiring harness sitting in a box in my garage...$400 for everything or a trasmission for my 95 golf convertabl;e.I have duel weabers 34s on the bus <76> westy runs fine and starts till Dec in Vt.. the FI on the golf is fine but the car only goes forward...its a stick...If it ain|t broke don*t fix it. good luck and check the underside well especally the frame...