My Westy Resto Thread

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:33 pm

zblair wrote:Wow man, that's coming along grrrrrreat!

Thanks it's slowly getting there. I may get up early Sunday and work on it for awhile if it is nice out like it said it's going to be.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:17 pm

Well I did alittle work to the bus while my step mom had my son for a few hours today. I learned my lesson welding without a helmet so I dug it out,dusted it off and put it back in service.

Here are a few pics of the little tabs that hold in the taillights welded in.

Getting ready to weld.

Welded in.

I blew a bunch of holes on the inner side so I have a bunch of grinding to do.

Driver's side.

I was finally getting used to the helmet by this time as you can tell by the better job. I lost the inner tab for the driver's side. I don't know what I'm going to do there. I have no idea where it went. Guess it'll just have to go without one.

Sylvester- Here are some shots of the spot welds on the lower valance. Sorry it took so long to get them for ya.

All I did was use a small drill bit to put the holes in the valance before I put it on for welding. I used a drill press but you could use a hand drill too.

More to come.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:47 am

Well after seeing how everyone is using POR15 on their buses I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and order some up from Bus Depot.(I had some store credit so that is how I got it :) ). I haven't used any yet but I have started to do some metal mending to the sheetmetal around the engine compartment. I plan to then use the POR15 along with some fiberglass matting just for added piece of mind.

Also an update on my Passenger corner/battery tray problem. I really flubbed it up when I put it on. I was fitting my rear lights the other night and had to knock the bottom of the light hole down quite a bit with a BFH to get the light to fit. I just folded it in onto the tray so you'll never see it once the light is in. I really wish I would have took more time on it.What is done is done though. Live and learn.

I'll take a few pics and post them up once I get a chance.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Wed May 06, 2009 3:31 pm

Well I did some POR15 and fiberglass mat work today on the bus. I pretty much have the driver's side ready to prime and paint. I just need to do alittle trimming of the mat before I do it. Next is the passenger's side and a small spot in the tank well then I'll finish it up with primer and paint then the tank and motor/trans will go in.

Here's a couple pics.

My starter pack of POR15 is clear as you can see. My quart is black. I don't know if I'll even crack open the quart. A little bit goes along way with this stuff. I did this about 11am this morning and it is rock hard already. Amazing stuff.

More to come.

justgimmecoffee · Post by **justgimmecoffee** » Wed May 06, 2009 4:06 pm

That looks like it will do the trick nicely.

How did you do it? just lay the 'glass down and brush the POR-15 over it?

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Wed May 06, 2009 5:26 pm

justgimmecoffee wrote:That looks like it will do the trick nicely.

How did you do it? just lay the 'glass down and brush the POR-15 over it?

Yes that is how I did it.I was missing some of the metal that connected the battery tray to that little shelf there between the tray and the motor. I used some aluminum flashing I had to fill the gap and rivited it into place.Then I layed 2 layers of mat and POR15 over that. If you put another coat of POR15 over the first one once it dried you'd probably never see the mat. I'm just going to paint over it as it is. I'm not to concerned about seeing it.I just wanna get this thing rolling.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:19 pm

Looking very nice Geno. You're getting closer and closer.

Gonna be driving soon.

-John

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:44 pm

LiveonJG wrote:Looking very nice Geno. You're getting closer and closer.

Gonna be driving soon.

-John

I hope so man. I'm getting tired of seeing it sit in my yard and rot away. Once I get it done I can clean up my yard and take out all the trees. I'll do a jig the day that happens.

I hate pine trees. At least in my yard that is.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:39 pm

I've been having some problems lately so I haven't done much with the bus. I have however put the new pop top seal on.I tried to put the new seal around the front edge of the top but I can't get it around the curve so I'll probably just leave the old dryrotted one on there. It doesn't leak so I'll leave it be.

I also painted the driver's side of engine compartment flat black. All except the battery tray that is. I have to get some seam sealer then I can paint that too. I'm going to try and get the passenger's side done so I can paint it also.

More to come as I have time

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:53 pm

Well its been awhile since I update this but to tell the truth I haven't done anything to it. I have had some family things going on with my son so I have been taking care of that since it is more important.

I have been trying to clean up my yard so I took the bus out to my dad's for awhile till I get some of my trees cut down and get the blue bus cut up and the green car hauled off to get fixed.

Here are a few pics of the bus getting a tow. This is it's first time on the road in years.

All hooked up. I have to lengthen the wires for the trip home I kept pulling the plug every time I turned a corner.

Had to use my dad's truck. I have to get a different hitch for mine.

In it's new temp home.

Looks so lonely lol.

My g/f's dad and I are going to start on the trees in the AM then it is on to the demo of the blue bus. I'll post some pics.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:58 pm

Some time ago someone ask about brightness of the lights from spraying them with chrome paint. Well I'll let the pics tell you the story.

That is the taillights not the brake lights.

gmag69 · Post by **gmag69** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:51 am

Well I hate to do this but I'm left with no choise in the matter so I'm putting up for sale all my stuff I have gotten for the westy along with other used parts I have from the blue bus and the '74 parts bus I had. I'll do a run down of what I have and will give you guys first dibs on the stuff before I put it up on TheSamba. Also I will not sell the Westy as a whole vehicle.If someone wants parts off it they can be cut off it and the rest will be cut up and sold for scrap along with the rest of the blue bus. Maybe some day I'll be able to afford a Westy that doesn't need so much work but as of right now I need the money and have no time for a project. I'll post an ad in the classifieds section with a list of what I have. I can not add new pictures of the stuff as I no longer have internet at home and I have no idea how long that will be. I'll check it here at work and if you are interested you can PM me and I'll respond from here. You'll have to be patient though cause I work all shifts so it may take alittle while to get back to you. Check this thread for pics of the stuff I'll be selling It is all there except a few items. the ad will probably go up tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for all the support on this project but I just can't continue on with it anymore as I have no time and need money for more important things then another vehicle.

Post by **Sluggo** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:10 pm

Sorry to hear you are having troubles. I can relate. Please don't cut them up!

It's just so wrong.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:10 pm

I'm so sorry to hear this Geno. I wish you the best my friend.

-John

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:17 pm

Bummer man. The resto has given you such joy too.
Hell man think about it for a 300th time, you've put so much of yourself into it...

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My Westy Resto Thread