Meet Yucky [They're Still Out There]

[&Dan]

Last week I ran into Talkin' Ted, a local with what I'd call a private junkyard, and pitched him two old derelicts I had stored across town, both extremely ratty partsmobiles, a '47 Ford and a '53 Mercury, to add to his collection free of charge. He ran off to look them over, then stopped by to tell me what I should take in trade. Thought that was awfully big of him as I simply wanted to get rid of the old hulks.

Told me he was giving me a '70 Westy. Hunh! had no idea he had a Bay over there. Tells me it came years ago from a fellow who'd driven it to the Big Bend from Rhode Island, and while down in the national park it'd stalled. Fan belt had broken. It was towed to town whereupon Ted picked it up for the price of the tow and there it sat until I came along. Title is present. I've wrangled with the state of Texas titling my '65 Bus and it's no picnic so the paper is a plus.

Dropped by Ted's Island of Misfit Toys and there it was, up on cinder blocks, wheels but no tires, jammed between a Chevy wagon and a gnarled pile of railroad debris, with the rear rack section of the pop-top nearby- a get-a-shovel extraction in the making. Thanks to the 100 or so cats in Ted's yard there is no rodent damage but lots of catpoop underneath, hence the shovel.

I yanked the wheels and mounted the Cooper SRMs from my Split I'd replaced with General Grabbers. Glad I held onto 'em. Of course there were a couple frozen drums to free up but within a day he and I dragged the old dear back to my yard. Free delivery assistance included, that's nice.

Let's see...plenty of rust, a coat of the most Godawful Brackish Algae Green, typical front-mounted spare-tire damage, what appears a decently replaced lower panel on the driver's side, interior seems complete, a motor of unknown quality, one broken panel on the jalousie window, and looks like a bear ate the drivers' seat. Door cards are there. Haven't tried popping the top, maybe the canvas is okay, maybe not.

More wrong than a broken fan belt. This motor was cooked proper. Spins on the starter but some digging revealed a stuck #1 exhaust, an extremely bent pushrod, only #3 cylinder had decent compression. Looks like a replacement AS case, no engine number apart from an 'A'. Doghouse shroud.

If I have enough parts in the partspile I will tear down the engine and make an attempt to get it running. Brakes will be rebuilt. Apart from that, I need another VW like I need a hole in the head so it will likely find a new home once it can get out of its own way, but...yeah, janky old Westies are still out there.

[OB Bus]

And it came with the keys!
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[&Dan]

Yes! No re-keying necessary.

[Abscate]

Dont forget to ask skills for a quote......for a cave and pave...
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.ssS!

[Manfred58sc]

Awesome Bus...I don't know why but I'd just have to rock that as is. It has a strange addictive vibe to it ( Christine??).

Thanks for sharing, love to see it running
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Fat chick owner/operator

[rayjay]

That's $2500 to $3500 around here. Just the way it sits.

[&Dan]

Wonder how long it was driven w/ a broken fan belt before the driver noticed and shut down, or the poor dear bricked? Who knows.

Have not done a teardown but assume at least one wiped rod shell. Curious whether the case survived. Have a couple serviceable heads on hand to replace one or both of the current units. I will post a post-mortem on the motor when the time comes. Who doesn't like looking at massive engine damage?

I agree, if I keep this guy I would make up and weld in a few patches but otherwise leave it ugly. Ugly Buses are more fun and go more places.
Floor looks solid. Noted a couple small holes in the canvas but haven't gone looking.
Have to confess I know approximately diddley about Bays, I have a '65 Bus but as you know they are quite different animals. Bays are heavy!

[&Dan]

Back to life, runs very nice. Had a stuck #1 exhaust, bent pushrod, #1 P/C also melted/scored but case/crank A-OK.

[oscarsnapkin]

Nice score, even better price. What is the gauge for that is located underneath the vacuum advance can?
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- 1977 CEI Sunroof Bus 2.0L F.I. Hydraulic Lifters
- 1973 Thing

"It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind."

[&Dan]

A mechanical OP gauge. I always plumb one in temporarily when starting and running a new or rebuilt motor.

[&Dan]

Yeccch.

Runs in inverse ratio to his looks, meaning he runs great!
This is the Bay beside which you want to pose your own Bus, because Slimus McGee here here will make your Bus look terrific.

Yes, sir! Park this guy out front of any property and its value will drop like a Steinway out a 13th floor window.
Thinking of doing some sign paintin', as a Bus that belonged to a failed ultra-skeevy water park like Action-Flush Park or Brackish Thrills or Sewage Lagoon or some such to celebrate his absolutely awful looks.

[busdaddy]

I disagree with your assessment of it's outward appearance, some might favor the rustic look.


Link

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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

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Слава Україні!

[&Dan]

Ha! There's mean, then there's awww shit.