Itinerant Air-Cooled

Hi everyone im new to air-cooled and new to buses to. mid last year I purchased a '72 Deluxe that has been sitting in a carport (converted in a garage) the previous owner (my co-worker) siad he stopped driving it because he had some kind of starting issues with it.

I picked this beast up for $300. with the hopes and intention on turning it into a weekend trip car.

here are some pics


last registered in '83




rust




more pics












started to clean out the inside and to remove that horrible 70s carpet. I aklso had the chance to check if the engine was stuck and good neews it spins freely.
oil looks good too.

so i vaccumed all the cob webs and rat turds with my trusty shop vac and now i am making a list of parts to order.

interior before


interior after

now for the questions.
I have basic hand tools but dont know what else i would need to work on the bus.
so what other tools should i pick up?

is there a list of things to check before trying to to turn it over?

im new and i know im going tobe told to search so i will search and then check here for responces

Do you have the Muir Idiot book? It has a whole chapter on tools etc. Very useful.
Nice bus you got it for a steal.
I would be concerned about that windshield rust, get that fixed right. Pull the windshield.
Is there old gas in there? That could cause issues. Also, fuel tank rust.
As far as starting, I'd do a full tuneup first (and fuel lines). Always start from square 1. Don't even think of driving anywhere without checking your brake system first. You don't want fires or driving off a cliff.

thanks Hambone no i do not have the Muir book but ill get one asap.
and i wouldnt even think of driving it it is sound. as for the rusted nose ill be taking it to a friends shop when the time comes.

Look at the dual carb fuel delivery thread on how to adjust the dual carb setup in the Fuel section. Hell, just read a lot of the tune up topics before you start ripping apart stuff......

bigluelok wrote:thanks Hambone no i do not have the Muir book but ill get one asap.
and i wouldnt even think of driving it it is sound. as for the rusted nose ill be taking it to a friends shop when the time comes.

You have what looks like an excellent candidate for an enjoyable life-long commitment to restoring that car to something approximating the gorgeous original car it once was. Ha! No pressure or anything . . .

You can break down the list of tasks into separate-but-equal restoration tracks.

A) If you want to drive it ASAP, start with the mechanical track. It is important to experience the joy of driving a VW bus because it will help you bond with it, particularly through the future discouraging moments that are sure to find you.

B) If you want your new friend to last, then you have do the regimen of innoculations.
Read up on our trials and tribulations in the Body/Hardware Forum.

* * * * * * *
A) Most Important
1. Brakes - make sure they work
2. Steering - make sure the wheels obey your commands without vagueness
3. Engine - fuel hose replacement first, oil change second
4. Transmission - change transaxle oil before driving any distance

B) Most Important
1. STOP THE RUST - find, remove, repair, prime, paint, undercoat as necessary
2. Make Interior Weather-proof - new door gaskets, window rubbers, and a myriad of little things that can cause leaks
3. Commit to a nice cozy clean interior - it does great things for your bonding.

I do not know what your goals are for this bus, but be aware that good clean competent work increases the value of these cars in a hurry. There are hopeful sellers out there trying to pass off some real beaters as creampuffs and the asking price is ridiculous. If your bus were competently restored to a properly original 1972 7-passenger deluxe bus, you can easily expect $17,000 to $20,000, and if you dally about, the values are only going up.

Please note that you are going to get hit with walls of advice. Do NOT skip down any one primrose path without subjecting it to a scathingly critical review with lots of research. For example, somebody is going to recommend to you that you get rid of those factory dual carburetors, "put on a progressive centermount."
I say, I say that you do not want to kiss goodbye the superior factory engineering.
Colin

engine door seal; engine foam seal. Nice buy, great price. Good luck, have fun

Thanks guys my plans for the bus is to have a nice running bus for trips and probably some camping.

I really want to be able to drive it before i get the rust repaired.

bigluelok wrote:Thanks guys my plans for the bus is to have a nice running bus for trips and probably some camping.

I really want to be able to drive it before i get the rust repaired.

Wow.. $300? Super good deal. It does look like a terrific foundation to build a really clean bus. Keep updating this thread with your progress!

bigluelok wrote:thanks Hambone no i do not have the Muir book but ill get one asap.

as per this thread on theSamba?
Colin

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:06 pm Post subject: Bought a '72? deluxe (pics posted)
bigluelok wrote:
Looks like this will be happening soon.
What are some must have tools to work on buses?

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:14 am
Bala wrote:
Awesome!

You'd be amazed at what you can do with some basic tools.
Do you have the John Muir "Idiot" book? It has a pretty good starting point called the "Phase I Tool Kit".
If you let us know your plans we can better assist you. What tools do you currently own?

Colin,yes as per the samba lol

I just havent had time to do anything to the bus until recently.

bigluelok wrote:Colin,yes as per the samba lol

I just havent had time to do anything to the bus until recently.

We here at the Itinerant Air-Cooled forum like to drive people, drive 'em, drive people forward through the underbrush of procrastination, the thickets of paralyzed despair, the sullen bonds of delayed delivery and wrong parts, we like to see you DRIVE so drive or we will drive you.
Colin

"Underbrush of Procrastination"...so that's the thicket that surrounds my barn, along with the anxiety tree (in full flower), the hedges of doubt, and the Chinese parts shrubs. Good Gawdahmighty!

Bought the muir book off ebay shiuld he here by thursday.

bigluelok wrote:Bought the muir book off ebay shiuld he here by thursday.

Excellent. People will put down John Muir and sometimes for good reason. But, Muir is the easiest immersion into mechanicking on your VW that I can think of. Any time he comments on anything other than an immediate procedure, put up a flag and go research other opinions. He was very resistant to vacuum hoses, chokes, and combination distributors. Like so many human beings since the dawn of time, he poo-poo'd things he did not understand,
Colin