Itinerant Air-Cooled

Hi, just wanted to say thanks to all that participate here and make IAC such a great resource. =D>

I had a '73 Westy (I think!?) for many years in a previous life, did a lot of travelling/living in Spotty - and then she got neglected behind a New England Dub shop for too many years and I finally told the shop owner to *donate* her to someone with a need before she melted. He did, she changed hands a few times and then a year ago I got a mail from the new owner who'd found an old registration in the glove box . . . and did I have a title, yes I did!!!! . . . . . so that got me and my wife thinking about the old girl we had loved in her day and we really started to miss all the good times that had rolled.

The dream/idea developed and persisted, so we've been searching Samba/CL/Ebay for some months now for another bus - after a lot of false starts we finally paid for a 2 owner '78 2.0 f/i a few days ago in Georgia - sight unseen, which is pretty hairy/scary if you've never done it before. I chatted a lot with the guy over a few weeks and am confident he's straight up and his NV bus is a good original example that's been pretty well looked after!!

He's agreed to watch over some work to be done by a local shop that is widely recommended and we'll have a chance to take delivery in October. We're like 6 yo's @ Christmas all over again!

Great forum! Thanks to all that have made it possible!!

Congrats and welcome to the forum! Please post some pictures of your bus if you have them. I'm glad you rekindled your bus love!

Welcome,

Lookin forward to seein your baby and hearing about your life together.

I take it you are not in Portugal?

See you in the forums.

Gypsie (aka Stephan)

Welcome to the IAC. Pics are a must.

-John

midatlanticys wrote: we finally paid for a 2 owner '78 2.0 f/i a few days ago in Georgia -
we'll have a chance to take delivery in October.

I will be in Atlanta GA October 1st if you get down there, we can do our own pre-delivery inspection/rundown on things to be aware of.
Colin

thanks for the warm welcome! yes - pics in due course, of course!!

Stephan, yep, livin' on a Portuguese/Azores volcanic speck on the Mid Atlantic ridge - google maps/earth will take you here!! it's a paradise really - v. sensible place to live w/ minimal BS, fabulous people, calm/quiet lifestyle - came here in 1990 with a 6 wk old infant now a sophomore in a N.E. school.

Colin, there's nothing more I'd like to do than meet y'alls on Oct 1 - we'll see!! Your travels spreading the Gospel according to Wolfsburg is such an intriquing idea, so original and done with an enviable dedication to the cause. Full kudos to you, a low bow and a tip of the hat are all well deserved!!

*rekindled bus love* says it all - and what a ride it'll be!!

Amskeptic wrote:

midatlanticys wrote: we finally paid for a 2 owner '78 2.0 f/i a few days ago in Georgia -
we'll have a chance to take delivery in October.

I will be in Atlanta GA October 1st if you get down there, we can do our own pre-delivery inspection/rundown on things to be aware of.
Colin

Huh, I live in Atlanta and may have seen this Bus somewhere. When you do make it to the ATL, send a shout out in here and I will help if I can.

puddy tat - thanks muchly - we'll see how this all unfolds - we're a long way from the bus and trying to make it happen by remote control, so who knows where we end up in this:





. . . sure wish we were there now!!!!

I hear those side tables are a real PIA. You should probably just avoid the headache and send it to me...

midatlanticys wrote: . . . he's agreed to watch over some work to be done by a local shop that is widely recommended and we'll have a chance to take delivery in October. We're like 6 yo's @ Christmas all over again!

. . . so bit of a follow on to earlier drivel from me as we just rec'd the first report back from the shop where the '78 2.0/FI is being looked over & under!!
"Here are our findings so far on the bus.
Test drive:
Engine started quickly, warmed and idled good. Power seems good. It does need the muffler installed. The rear drums need to be turned but other than that the brakes are good. The head light bright dim is not operating. Turn signals work but will not hold in right turn. The gear shifter is sloppy but this would be fixed by changing the bushings on the bottom of the bus. Generator light is non operational / this may be just a bad bulb in the dash. Driver door lock tumbler is missing.
The compression check was as follows: Cyl. #1 115psi Cyl. #2 120 psi Cyl. #3 105 psi Cyl. #4 115psi this is all good. Leak down check: Cyl. #1 12% Cyl. #2 5% Cyl.#3 13% Cyl.#4 7% This is excellent and better than many new motors. The plug color is very good. Motor has hydraulic lifters

We removed the motor today and checked over other items and here are our findings:
-No push rod tub leaks
-no valve cover leaks
-no CHT gauge / do you want one installed?
- we pulled inspection cover off fuel tank but when we pulled the sending
unit we were able to look down in the tank and see that it was clean so we decided there was no point in pulling it as it is in great shape as well as all breather lines and filler hose. Sending unit is new. The hole that was cut to access the sending unit was no covered properly so we fabbed a new one.
-OEM Bosch fuel pump is working but looks as if it was put on the bus a long time ago. It is however very quiet and may of the new ones are not. we will have to install a T to check what the pressure is / We suggest changing the filter of course. The one on it is OEM There is no plastic filter in engine compartment
-Fuel gauge seems to work properly. we will check full /empty
- We suggest changing rubber fuel lines while the engine is out and they are so easy to get to. Current ones are not leaking
-there is no O2 sensor
-there is a catalytic convertor. Do you want it welded to the new muffler?
-all cooling tin / air filter assembly are intact and correctly mounted
-there is no after market oil cooler / OEM oil filter is mounted on engine
-there are no transmission leaks / we will change the gear oil
-throttle cable needs to be replaced
-clutch disk and pressure plated have been inspected and look good / clutch disk is not very old
-we suggest changing throw out bearing as is so easy to do right now
-ignition coil looks to be fairly old but is working / Maybe a new new on
could be mounted and keep the old one for a spare??
-there is only one battery and the is no battery isolator switch
-the front beam, tie rod ends, steering box / arm and ball joints are in
great shape. There is no play steering wheel. Steering is tight.
-Shocks and steering dampener are bad and need replaced
- one of the heater cables needs to be replaced.
- the bottom of this bus is dirty but rust free. One of the best we've seen!!

=D> . . . . all of which made me very proud to own this bus!!!

Any comments from the forum on the above list or obvious omissions would be most welcome. Cheers and thanks!!

What is the name of that shop the Bus is at? Would be funny if it was down the road from me.

Sounds like a good report
IMO-yes to fuel lines, cht, f filter, and cat. Maybe Throwout.

Sylvester wrote:What is the name of that shop the Bus is at? Would be funny if it was down the road from me.

Dave McCutcheon & Kevin Smith @ DTM Engineering in Stockbridge - they seem well clued up on Type IV's and have been really good on keeping me informed on progress plus pics! They are not giving their man-hours away, but I sense a distinct lack of BS in their approach to the work list which is a welcome relief. I haven't owned a bus in 15 yrs and need it to be *right* to start with . . . . and I'm pretty sure it will be! . . . . if not, Colin's Calvary will surely be wearing a white hat!!

Sylvester, any ideas who else in the SE could benefit from an IAC visit from Colin on his visit to Atlanta in early October?

. . . . . just cuz we can't easily contain our child-like excitement;

. . . . . we fly to Boston tomorrow and then Atlanta on Monday to pick up the bus and attempt to get Georgia tags and maybe even a title. Insurance cover was finally!!!! placed yesterday. Dave McCutcheon, DTM Engineering/Stockbridge GA and Brad Brown (PO) have done incredible things to help make this all happen. I'm deeply grateful to them all and include the good folks here that have played a valuable part in rekindling this bus love!!!! =D>

The icing will be a date with Dr. IAC next Thursday . . . . then a rough/loose plan to follow the Trace Natchez Parkway southwest towards Mississippi; subject to whims and spontaneity and the mood of the moment . . . . four weeks of bonding on the road and going with the flow . . . . . cuz Flo knows where she's goin!!

Great news, good luck to you midatlanticys.