Bumblebus Restoration Thread - '72 L11H Campmobile.

[BumbleBus]

My buddy Little Train inspired me to create a restoration thread. It'll be a long thread eventually, but full of promise and good intent.

The Bumblebus is a '72 Sierra Yellow Campmobile. There are many like her, but this one is mine. I got a '72, arguably one of the poorest bay years, because I was born in '72 so we're going to grow old together. I named her Bumble Bee Bus... Bumblebus for short... as I've a lone lineage of bee keepers in my blood and the L11H color suits the name just fine. She's a Montana bay born and bred and she's a looker. She has some multiple of 67,000 miles on her... could be 167k, could be 576k. Who knows. She's an early '72 with the short "eyebrow" engine lid, which I guess is fairly rare at this point. She seems awfully OG from what I've been able to tell. Serial number 1121. She's got nice curves, but needs some TLC.



Thanks to the wonders of uship.com she arrived on Sept 6th in a non-running condition.


Came with the original manual full of maintenance information. A good sign. Arrived in Bozeman, Montana August 39th 1972. My old college town. Sweet.


Got nice lines and mostly rust free. Only 3 areas of smallish bondo that I've identified with magnets.


Got a ding or three here and there, but nothing major.


Undercarriage is in pretty good shape.. some surface rust, but nothing rotten that I've seen. Scrape and coat should solve 99% of it.


Not much electrical worked, but that's okay as that's my specialty. I built an electric mountain bike to commute to work so learned a lot about all things electric through that. Going to clean/replace/re-wire pretty much all of it.


Got a westy interior, but I'm gutting it to make sure ALL rust is taken care of. Lots of dead, shriveled mice in all the nook and crannies. Yum.


Currently in cleaning mode and the under floor area is turning out to be nice and preservable overall.


I do fun little things in between major projects like making shiny hubcaps again. I'm using electrolysis a LOT to de-rust a lot of parts. The middle one is after a shock treatment. Chrome paint and clear kote will have to do though.


I spent just enough time to get the engine running again, but will wait until next spring/summer before doing an overhaul there. Based on the neighborhood filling white smoke on start up I'm thinking at least rings/valve guides or something based on what I've read. What I've got going for me is no play in the camshaft/crankshaft back and forth test, no mad air blowing out of the oil filler cap at idle and a nice steady 4 beat sound with coil wire pulled on startup so I think compression is at least decent too. Time will tell. Single carb obviously.. haven't identified yet, but looks nice and burl.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Bum,

Looks like a project!

You have a brother Bus here at IAC. Troy, are you paying attention? Troy's Bus is also a 1972 Sierra Yellow. Smallish world, ain't it?

Electric mountain bike? Whoa Nellie! Post up a picture of that creature!

I've used electrolytic rust removal myself. That's a real kick and more entertaining that watching paint dry. Kinda fun to play Mr. Wizard once in a while.

[BumbleBus]

Troy's Bus is also a 1972 Sierra Yellow.

Oh yeah. I have a printout of Oregon72 hanging in my garage so the Bumblebus can be constantly reminded of her potential. Though I'm not kidding myself to think she'll ever be that cherry.

Electric mountain bike? Whoa Nellie! Post up a picture of that creature!

The ebike has been through a few iterations that's for sure.

Here's where it was powered by 6 Milwaukee V28s. Didn't quite get enough range though.

http://picasaweb.google.com/paraparker/ ... 7144803330

Even better powered by 144 Makita reject toolpack cells in a custom "strap pack" I built that put out over 7,000 watts burst and could easily sustain around 3,000 watts, which is about 4 horse power... not bad for a 65lb bike that climbed 1,600ft vertical to my office at around 22mph sustained. Fun.

http://picasaweb.google.com/paraparker/ ... 8219722594

[Adventurewagen]

Nice find. No matter the bus year, you'll make it into what YOU want anyway. It does look like you've got lots of electrical to do, but in reality you'll be able to make it better than it ever was. It's alot easier to add additional relay's and fused panels in the dash with everything out anyway.

Another option I've toyed with in my 71 is adding an engine hatch to my bay. I've read threads where people have cut in late bay hatches but I'm thinking about cutting in a Vanagon sized engine hatch.

Are you planning to add insulation or anything like that to the bus while the interior is out?

Man, I have lots of ideas :) I love seeing the beginning of a new resto, way cool.

Also, if you are cleaning (I read about the dead mice) you might think about getting some anti-fungal and mold spray for the headliner if you had any in the bus. I cleaned my 79 with soap then bleach then some spray to keep anything from coming back.

[BumbleBus]

Are you planning to add insulation or anything like that to the bus while the interior is out?

Yeah... totally going to insulate the bejesus out of this bay. Stay tuned.

Tonight was clean light switch night. Turned out well so I cleaned some other switches too. Amazing the gunk that gets in there over the course of 37yrs.

A sorry sight. Loose housing as well.


Cleaned up nice and a little zip tie seals the electrical deal.


New spade connector as needed, re-wired and ready for the next 37 years. =D>

[BumbleBus]

Tonight I was just flummoxed by the electrical replacement part for the ignition switch that I received recently from OE VEEDUB for my '72. I just can't comprehend how it's supposed to fit in there with a bunch of spade connectors hanging off the end. Am I really going to have to dremel shorten and solder to these connections to make this work?? There is no room. I also was flummoxed by the fact that I have 6 connections and yet the wiring diagram for my year has only 5. S&P little guys on mine vs. SU on the diagram. Blargh. I can only conclude that maybe I was sent the incorrect year or it just needs a "hack". And the tiny little set screw that holds it all together is missing anyway, but I think I can find a little hex replacement at the hardware or crafts store. I'm not a "purist" by any means, but I can't stomach having to throw a switch and push a button on the dash to start her up. Unacceptable. I want to use my OG key damnit!

[dtrumbo]

It seems to me they sent you the wrong switch. According to their web site, and the three others I checked, a switch for a '72 bus will have the wires already attached. Here's their link.

http://www.oeveedub.com/mm5/merchant.mv ... s-switches

The fact that they list the part they sent you as applicable for '71 - '79 has to be a misprint on their web site. I'm sure a quick phone call will clear this up.

[BumbleBus]

Well.. no money for the correct electrical part of the ignition switch so throw switch and push button will have to do for now... maybe I can make them more stealth at the very least. I was also getting really annoyed by my floppy gas pedal that's only 2" off the floor... despite that I'm not actually driving anywhere at the moment.

Used a big spring and washers I had laying around.


Works really well actually except that the little springs pop off the ends too easily so I'll have to see if I can find some circlips or something stronger. In the meantime saving up for a whole new pedal assembly... cause.. well.. just cause this works doesn't mean it's the way to go.

[Manfred]

Well.. no money for the correct electrical part of the ignition switch so throw switch and push button will have to do for now... maybe I can make them more stealth at the very least. I was also getting really annoyed by my floppy gas pedal that's only 2" off the floor... despite that I'm not actually driving anywhere at the moment.

Used a big spring and washers I had laying around.


Works really well actually except that the little springs pop off the ends too easily so I'll have to see if I can find some circlips or something stronger. In the meantime saving up for a whole new pedal assembly... cause.. well.. just cause this works doesn't mean it's the way to go.

I had the same issues with my gas pedal. Mine is strapped on right now with zip ties.

The hinge was rusting away, so I bought a rebuild kit for BD. I soaked the hinge and PB plaster to get ride of the rust so I can pound out the old pin in the hinge. The rebuild kit comes with a new pin. Well, the hinge was so rusted half of it just fell off.

The old hinge is welded to the floor. The one in the kit has two wholes and bolts to bolt the hinge to the floor after cutting off the hold one. This is a procedure I haven't started yet, but seems to be the only real fix.

From the looks of your hinge you may have to go with the same procedures. But I really like the spring idea. I think if you weld a straight piece of rod to the back of the gas pedal it might work better for you.

[BumbleBus]

Hard to motivate on the resto when it's single digit cold outside. Brr. I've figured out that I can get'r nice and toasty inside with just a space heater though so it's looking like all the interior work is still a go this winter.

Upgraded my gas pedal hack with a better, shorter spring and some circlips that won't ever come off if I don't want them to. Nylon washers provide more.. well.. slippage/smoothness than the metal washers. Anyway... works for now. Works very well actually. May just keep it that way.


Figgered since the cold had me sorta beat down I'd start on some of the little things like.. oh.. I don't know.. let's do the air vents. Why not. 37yrs of grime actually takes quite an effort to remove, but got'r there eventually.


Seems silly, but there's an intense satisfaction knowing that, "yup... won't have to worry about that little piece for another 37yrs.. on to the next piece".

[Manfred]

Hard to motivate on the resto when it's single digit cold outside. Brr. I've figured out that I can get'r nice and toasty inside with just a space heater though so it's looking like all the interior work is still a go this winter.

Upgraded my gas pedal hack with a better, shorter spring and some circlips that won't ever come off if I don't want them to. Nylon washers provide more.. well.. slippage/smoothness than the metal washers. Anyway... works for now. Works very well actually. May just keep it that way.


Figgered since the cold had me sorta beat down I'd start on some of the little things like.. oh.. I don't know.. let's do the air vents. Why not. 37yrs of grime actually takes quite an effort to remove, but got'r there eventually.


Seems silly, but there's an intense satisfaction knowing that, "yup... won't have to worry about that little piece for another 37yrs.. on to the next piece".

The vents look great!. How did you clean them?

[yondermtn]

Lookin' good.


I cleaned my vents with a Q-tip soaked with armor all. Worked well, but taking them out probably allows better access.

[BumbleBus]

The vents look great!. How did you clean them?

Thanks! Full strength Simple Green and q-tips to remove the black/dirty/road grime, which was thick, and then a little Armor All for shine. With the vents removed I cleaned the tubes with moist shop rags and a long stick... got most of the dust cleaned down to the lower cross section.

It's amazing the amount of crap in all these little nooks and crannies. Hard not to obsess about cleaning every square inch.. especially when you know your bus used to be an entire city of mice.

[BumbleBus]

Well in anticipation of the Bodeswell.org folks rolling through town tomorrow I was determined to get the Bumblebus put back together enough to at least make it down the block to Little Train's home so we could have a 4 bay get together. Got'r running easy-peasy and did a test run to LT's tonight... filled the neighborhood with smoke.. ha.. bet they love me. It starts out white-ish and then turns darker and darker... and there is looooooots of it. I'll deal with an engine overhaul next spring, but at least the new oil filter and oil etc. will keep it going down the block. Gotta be rings and valves and who knows what else. Considering it hasn't been properly driven in years and years I'm amazed how well it does run. Brand new fuel pump is still weeping gas so tomorrow I'll run out the remaining gas (barely any left) and replace hose with some good legit 7mm braided I got awhile back. The generic 8mm napa hoses are just too wide despite tightening the clamps like mad...

Neat sky tonight...

[Amskeptic]

smoke.. ha.. starts out white-ish and then turns darker and darker...

Maybe it is just a stuck choke. When you get it warmed up, pick up the air horns going over the carbs and see if the choke plates are vertical after five minutes of running. Lemmee know?
Colin