I just bought my first Westfalia, again!

[vistacruzer]

looks soooo nice good work and it will be good to have you back .. ready in 1 month for unsuperbowl?

[Mike Boell]

71vistacruzer;
ready in 1 month for unsuperbowl?

Hi Vista,
I have my reservations in. This will be the maiden voyage since the restoration.
I'm currently waiting for the insurance underwriters so I can get the appropriate coverage and start driving it.
Mike

[Mike Boell]

Shhhhhhhh
Don't tell my wife but I bought her this Christmas present.


100_4186 by Mike P B, on Flickr

I started last year by purchasing a new seat pad from Wolfsburg West for the drivers side seat.


100_4188 by Mike P B, on Flickr


It was worn out really bad and before spending the money for both seats I wanted to see first if I liked the new coconut fiber. I not only liked the feel but liked how well it went together so I decided to buy the pads for the passenger seat and include a seat heater for my wife. A little expensive at $90.00 a seat but free shipping. Again I only ordered one to test it out and so far I like it. The switch I placed under the seat securing it to an "L" bracket and bolting it to the seat frame. The switch has a high / off / low setting. I think she will like it.


100_4175 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Next time the drivers seat needs to come apart I'm thinking I will buy one for that side as well.
Mike

[Amskeptic]

Shhhhhhhh
Don't tell my wife but I bought her this Christmas present.

Nice touch for Westy cloth upholstery, do you think it would work for thick basketweave vinyl upholstery? What is the wattage/amperage of those heaters?
Colin

[tristessa]

While it doesn't exactly answer the question, my understanding is that the kits work just fine through the MB-Tex vinyl in the W114/115. Not that it's especially *needed* with the heater in those cars, but...

[Mike Boell]

do you think it would work for thick basketweave vinyl upholstery? What is the wattage/amperage of those heaters?
Colin

Hi Colin,
I don't see why they wouldn't work with vinyl.
The specs say,
The average time to warm up is 5 to 10 minutes.
High = 103 to 107 degrees
Low = 97 t o 101 degrees
12 volts / 4.7 amps / 60W heat, that is the minimum requirement for our seat heater systems.

I wired mine to the ignition accesory so as not to leave it on with the engine off.
Mike

[Mike Boell]

So a year ago I scored on some original green uncut door panels. The ones on my bus had been hacked on over the years from supporting speakers.
One of the nice modifications Dad had made when he owned the bus was adding arm rests to the panels, a discovery to me when I removed the panels and saw how they were attached. I recognized Dad's handy work. Recently I picked up a 1977 Westy that had arm rests and these were true bus arm rests. Dad's were VW but not sure off what vehicle. The 1977 rests were in nice shape and I liked how they were secured to the door.


100_4191 by Mike P B, on Flickr

The screws go through the arm rest, into the cardboard panel, then into the plastic anchor's. adding extra support to the door panel itself. So,
as I was preparing my minty 1975 door panels for 1977 arm rests I made this discovery.
Here is a 1975 Orange door panel and as you see there are cutouts for excepting the door pull strap.


100_4192 by Mike P B, on Flickr

On the 1977, the arm rest actually replaces the pull strap and the door panel is not cut out.


100_4193 by Mike P B, on Flickr

I was a little bummed that I wasn't able to go with the newer more supportive arm rests but what my Dad started with still looks good.


100_4161 by Mike P B, on Flickr

[BellePlaine]

Looks good. I've got a green set of the newer style door panels that I need to trade for a good set of the older style door panels.

[Mike Boell]

Looks good.

Thanks BellePlaine,
I've also got an orange set from a 1975.
They are in nice shape but have been cut for a 6" speaker.
I can post pictures if someone is interested.
Mike

[Mike Boell]

So in the continuation of putting my bus together I bought the ABS kick panels from Werksberg to replace my crumbling cardboard kicks. Overall impressed with the looks and fit.


100_4160 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Because my green door panels are uncut and because I could always buy a replacement ABS kick panel I decided to place my new 6 1/2" speakers in the kick panel. I hope my speakers don't become kicks as well, we'll see.


100_4164 by Mike P B, on Flickr

To find an appropriate location in the kick panel I took a piece of clear plexi-glass and cut out a templet of the ABS kick. This allowed me to see exactly where I needed to drill and cut my opening.


100_4182 by Mike P B, on Flickr

Then of coarse to power those speakers I'm going to try this out.


100_4198 by Mike P B, on Flickr

I tell you, I hate black Friday and shopping in general, but Car Toys in town had a steal of a deal on the stereo and speakers after Thanksgiving and I couldn't pass it up. I believe that were planning to make their money off me by selling me an extended warranty, an install kit (not needed) and of coarse wanted to install the system for me because it is so difficult.
Here it is on the dash.


100_4166 by Mike P B, on Flickr

The picture looks like it's scratched but it's just lint. I still have two more speakers to install in the rear, not yet sure where
Mike

[tristessa]

I like the USB interface, just wish it was possible to get a *QUALITY* stereo with USB and WITHOUT the CD mechanism that I'd never use .. at a reasonable price. USB thumb drives don't skip or jam like CD's do, and why should we pay *more* for something without the CD? It's ludicrous.

[Mike Boell]

I like the USB interface, just wish it was possible to get a *QUALITY* stereo with USB and WITHOUT the CD mechanism that I'd never use .. at a reasonable price. USB thumb drives don't skip or jam like CD's do, and why should we pay *more* for something without the CD? It's ludicrous.

Your right. It is seldom that I use a CD either. I haven't tried a thumb drive yet, but I have plugged the iPod in to test it out. Fun fun.
Mike

[ruckman101]

I noticed on the packaging of the radio, LED text that says, "Best HD Radio".

HD radio? I guess now you'll have to upgrade your battery to a "digital" one to maximize that radio's performance.


neal

[tristessa]

HD radio? I guess now you'll have to upgrade your battery to a "digital" one to maximize that radio's performance.

Not quite. "HD Radio(tm)" is market-speak for digital over-the-air broadcasting. Similar to XM/Sirius satellite radio, but with ground-based transmitters instead of stuff in space .. and no subscription.

[ruckman101]

HD radio? I guess now you'll have to upgrade your battery to a "digital" one to maximize that radio's performance.

Not quite. "HD Radio(tm)" is market-speak for digital over-the-air broadcasting. Similar to XM/Sirius satellite radio, but with ground-based transmitters instead of stuff in space .. and no subscription.

Ain't technology grand?

Really, I had no idea we had transcended audio and frequency modulated signals in the radio broadcast world. I've of course heard of XM/Sirius, but have never listened to it, that subscription biz sticks in my craw.

Market-speak indeed.


neal