Itinerant Air-Cooled

Ok,
So again it's been a long time since I posted and I won't get into the details of my job layoff last April other than to say it was rescinded in June for at least another year.
Summers are always busy for me so I find little time to work in the shop but I did get back to working on my bus in Sept.
While it is still on jack stands I went ahead and purchased rear brake cylinders, drums, shoes, and rubber lines. the fronts got new lines, discs, and pads. Before it was all done I flushed the system and bleed it all.
I know I took more pictures while I did the brakes but I just can't find them right now. I'm sure you've all seen brakes before.


100_3093 by Mike P B, on Flickr


100_3090 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Mike Boell wrote:Ok,
I'm sure you've all seen brakes before.

Aren't they beyootiful? I thank my brakes after a long hard stop. Brakes are heat engines with calculable horsepower and torque figures.
Colin

The brakes I did in the spring as well as new shocks front and rear back in May.
Belleplaine posted some pics of how to install the shocks and
Westy78 came up with some used but new KYB GR-2's for the front saving me some money.



100_3103 by Mike P B, on Flickr

So for the rear, I went with the Gas-A-Just

100_3101 by Mike P B, on Flickr

In the front with the GR-2's from Westy 78.

100_3099 by Mike P B, on Flickr
I still have the bus on jacks so I can't say if I like them or not. Jury is still out.
Mike

After the bus was painted I sand blasted my rims and sent them to Willy for paint. From there over to America's Tire in Clackamas, Or. for some on sale Hankook's.

100_4097 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Polished up the hub caps and added some beauty rings.

100_4098 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Still up on Jacks, but hoping I enjoy the new brakes, shocks, tires, and of coarse the sound deadener throughout.
I see I need to change the date and time on my camera.

Gads I could eat off them wheels! Nice Job!

looks great, but after spending all that time cleaning them up and getting them painted, why cover it up with beauty rings?

I wanna see those lovely steelie's with all the love they have been given.

I tried really hard to find the original colored canvas for my Yosemite Yellow 1975 camper but it just isn't out there. With the help of my wifes VISA card I placed an order with Busdepot.

100_4113 by Mike P B, on Flickr

With the top upside down on saw horses I measures up the centers on the top as well as the canvas and started stapling.

100_3950 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Once it was stapled, I rolled it up tight, and used clothes pins to hold it in place.

100_3954 by Mike P B, on Flickr

With the help of my wife and daughter the top was set on the bus. I then proceeded to stuff my daughter inside to line up the bolts with the hinges and start the nuts, and look, she smiling.

100_3956 by Mike P B, on Flickr

And with a little magic and some not to be aired words, the top is in place.

100_4100 by Mike P B, on Flickr

So another mod I made was the interior lighting with a purchase from SuperbrightLED.
This bad boy will replace the dome light bulb between the front seats.

100_4103 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Then for my original Hella camper light, I removed the inside tube and guts that drew .67 amps at 12Volts.

100_4106 by Mike P B, on Flickr


100_4105 by Mike P B, on Flickr

I replaced that with an LED strip that draws 66mA at 12V.

100_4104 by Mike P B, on Flickr

For additional lighting I purchased from camping world a couple more LED fixtures

100_4102 by Mike P B, on Flickr

The larger one I mounted to the fiberglass poptop and ran wire mold to the edge and back. This light draws .13amps at 12V.

100_4107 by Mike P B, on Flickr

A small light I added in the back by the closest. It draws .04amps at 12V.

100_4111 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Mike Boell wrote:After the bus was painted I sand blasted my rims and sent them to Willy for paint.

Do those wheels have clearcoat over the silver?
Colin
(they must, or the metal flakes will oxidize in short order)

I don't know if the wheels were clear coated.
I guess I will find out over time.

Wow!!! Great job Mike - Especially on the pop-top. Trust me, I know that is not a very fun job and hard to get it just right. You did it perfect.

With a little creative masking, you can clearcoat those wheels on your own without having to un-mount/mount the tires - I can tell by your work that the finished product will be great. Really cool thread by the way - love all the pics.

Thank you for the complement Oregon72.
I got to tell you, before I met you I just so happened to be following you down I-5 about 3 years ago admiring your fine looking bus and telling my wife that ours will look that good again some day. I think you took the Woodburn exit East and I did not catch up to you again until about a year later at the Maupin campout.
More updates and pictures to come.
Mike

So the time has come to take the bus off the jack stands but first, let's install that engine.
Funny how you get involved in the install and forget to take pictures however, here are a couple pictures of the engine back in the engine compartment after 1 1/2 years of sitting on the engine stand.

100_4177 by Mike P B, on Flickr


100_4178 by Mike P B, on Flickr

So with the engine out I did a leak down test showing good results. The engine was running fine when I pulled it, does not smoke, or leak oil. I pulled it for a couple reasons. One, I wanted to freshen up the engine compartment when the bus was painted. Two, the clutch had a chatter and I wanted to see what was going on. As it turns out the flywheel had some heat cracks so a trip to the clutch doctor fixed that. The clutch, throw out, pressure plate all look good and with the turned flywheel it engages nice and smooth. While the engine was out I went ahead with sandblasting the tin and repainting it, replaced the injectors after taking them in to the injection doctor to discover they would not clean up, and finished up with needing a new "J" pipe, muffler, and tail pipe.
Once the engine was in and running I installed the bumper, then the over rider bumper guards, and then lastly a VW bus draw tite trailer hitch and trailer light plug.


100_4181 by Mike P B, on Flickr

I forgot how much fun driving the bus was. I still have a few detail things before she's really on the road but up and down my block was sure a joy.
Mike

Good on ya!

Everything looks really sharp! Glad to hear your out enjoying it again. It will return the favor to you for taking such good care of it.