Helga - Our 71 Westfalia

[Mberglo]

Last week I was able to paint the interior and top half of the bus. Using Omni MTK Single Stage Urethane.

After I let that sit 48 hours, my wife and I carefully masked off the bus for the lower color. Plan to spray that Saturday morning.

[Mberglo]

Ok, my color reveal. Since my 26yr old daughter will be inheriting this someday, and I plan to share it with her, she got a say in the color. She's into the Boho lifestyle, so she's really into the neutral earth tones. She's also a photographer, and she wants to use this for her photoshoots. I told her, she wants it to be background, and I want it to be the center of attention. We were able to look through a huge book of Sherwin Williams colors and Google bus images, and settled on a gold color. It's very similar to Sierra Yellow, but I think its more gold. She joined me in the paint booth, with her own mask, and watched me paint it. Last night, we pulled the masking off. Very exciting for everyone!

[orwell84]

Nice job. I like bright colors on busses.

[earlybayjim]

It looks awesome! I'd just call it Sierra yellow. I've never see one in person anyway.
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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[Abscate]

I love any color with that colour on white belt line look. Gorgeous

You even took the windows out !


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.ssS!

[earlybayjim]

Your bus matches the one in this brochure from 71... not sure if this is appreciated or not, but thought I'd share anyway!

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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[Mberglo]

I've started reassembly, which is my second favorite part, after paint. It's so satisfying to put new shiny parts on newly painted vehicle. I have all new rubber and lighting. Backup lights are all original. Taillights are reproduction, but I used original stainless trim ring. I went with BusDepot H4 Hella headlights for an easy upgrade.

I've been researching carb jetting, and various test methods to determine the correct mix. I decided to try an O2 sensor and a test gauge, so I welded this bung into my exhaust. It comes with a plug, so after tuning, I can remove the O2 sensor. I figure it was cheap and easy, so will be an interesting experience.

[Mberglo]

We changed out the fan shroud because my original one had the air hose turned to make room for the AC compressor. That made routing the air hose difficult and looked weird without the AC. Also installed perfect heat exchangers I found at my favorite VW junkyard. Helga now runs under her own power once again!

[richparker]

Looking good!

You Might want to reconsider that exhaust for one that exits to the side, like a stock or a single quite pack does. You will find that with that type you’ll suck exhaust fumes in the side air vents at stop signs and red lights and those fumes will circulate through the cabin.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Mberglo]

Yea, I wish I had chosen a different one, and may change in the near future. I'm spending all my money on new rubber, etc. This will have to do for now.

[Mberglo]

I wish I had chosen a side facing exhaust because it's not fun to sit in the exhaust stream while tuning carb, setting timing etc. I'm curious as to Rich's comment that a rear facing exhaust will end up pulling fumes into the cabin from a side vent. First, what side vent are you describing? The large gills don't vent to the cabin, do they?

[crownline]

The fresh air scoops bring air to engine for cooling and if you have your heat on that same air goes into the cabin. So if your sucking exhaust in especially sitting in traffic.
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1972 Bus 1700 cc Single Carb. But not a progressive.
Barelymuvin
Wish I still had the ones I got rid of.

"It"s got some dings and dents and neither of us is going to SEMA."(Update, I went to SEMA in 2019 but the Bus stayed home)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-8446.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Mberglo]

Thanks for that explanation. Makes sense, but I find it a little unnerving that our heater channel air has passed through an oil bath air filter and then through an oily engine. Perhaps I won't have to bring any lotion on my roadtrips.

Edit: Thinking about it more, that air doesn't go through the oil bath. The air enters the fan shroud from the backside of the fan, right?

[richparker]

Correct, the air that enters the cabin from the heater channel comes from the fan. The fan sucks air in and diverts the air a few different places. It goes through the oil cooler and out the front of the engine, it goes over the heads and jugs and it forced out the rear by the sled rims and it also it forced out the rear of the shroud through the hoses, through the the heat exchangers to the center pipe and into the cabin. Front is front and back is back.

Although you are putting in new seals, I’ve heard many folks complain of the fumes being sucked through the rear hatch while driving. The air flow in the rear of the bus swirls in such a way that it can be sucked into the cabin through the rear hatch.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Mberglo]

Gotcha.

Well for an update, I now have the slider door lubed, installed, and adjusted. It now opens and closes smoothly. I got my door locks back from Justin ([email protected]) and now they all operate off the same key!

I swapped my fuse block for a nicer one I got off the classifieds here. I'd have to say that if I didn't have a deadline, I would replace this whole fuse block with a modern replacement. You'd need two blocks: one with dual inputs for constant 12v and switched 12v, and a second block for standalone circuits. Then, of course, you'd need to wire in the relays. I'm so tempted. I hate the fragile VW fuses and the questionable mounting.

[Mberglo]

Last night we put the new rubber seals on the back hatch glass and on the new windshield. Both seals have been sitting in my heated 72 degree shop. The back seal went on the glass pretty easily. The windshield seal (from Bus Depot, supposedly German) was a real b!tch. The grove for the glass was so tight, it was nearly impossible to get started on the glass. Used glass cleaner to lube that grove, and my wife and I worked for an hour to get it started. Once we got it started, we slowly worked our way around. Took another 45 minutes to get it on the glass. We used duct tape along the way to make sure we didn't lose our progress. We have professional help coming this weekend to help install.

[Mberglo]

Saturday, we installed five pieces of glass, including the windshield. I read every thread on Samba to get as many tips as I could collect, and I enlisted the help of my FIL (professional glass man with 50 years experience) and my future SIL. We wrapped soapy 1/4 inch nylon cord around the seal, and overlapped at the top. We sprayed everything with Windex, and placed the windshield in place. We started working it from the top. The top corners went great, but as we approached the lower corners, the bottom was out too far. No amount of slapping or trying to move the windshield was going to close that gap. We removed the windshield, and I double wrapped it with cord. One cord from the top, and the other cord from the bottom. This time we hooked the top and the bottom at the same time, and worked outward. It worked much better and we got it to sit nice. After the entire seal was hooked and the rope was finished, a few careful blows to the corner seal (not the glass) with a rubber mallet made it perfect.

A few lessons learned:
1. The double rope is a great idea
2. We used Windex, but FIL says he always used silicone spray, and I believe it would have been better. Windex didn't provide quite enough lube, in my opinion.

Also installed the two Jalousie windows with new seal, the back glass and one side rear glass.

[deepcflea]

Man that thing is looking great! Well done so far!
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1978 Bay Window Double Cab (1600cc) - Marilyn
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...005b041ddd

Formerly owned VW's
1983 Westfalia
1956 Oval Ragtop
1967 Bug
1970 Ghia
1969 Buggy

[Slip356]

I may have posted this previously but after having my bus front professionally painted, Windshield out, new quality seal, it leaked, drivers side. Waited for the hottest day in No.WI, parked bus in the sun for a couple hours, seal was almost too hot to touch. Pushed hard all around the seal, gloves on, no more leaks.
If you look inside the seal you see little feet, theory is the feet spread out causing a better seal to the body. Been several years now, no more leaks.

[71whitewesty]

Boy that bus is looking great! Nice color too!
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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"