77 bus transporter restration

[ghiastein]

Wow a full length rack that's going to look excellent.

That's the bad part about a Westy no cool roof rack.

[bren]

That looks great!

[vw1302]

Aki, that is gonna look Great on your Bus. I am going to contact him about a small rack for the front of my bus. ;D

[akitsuji]

I think his rack is the best looking rack.
How do you pick it up?
He mentioned that he can send a small rack by Greyhound bus.
My brother in law live in Zapherhills, Fl, 1 hr from Clearwater. He is going to pick up mine soon hopefuly. When he comes back to Michigan in late April, he'll bring it back.

[akitsuji]

The last several weeks I'm working on the rear wheels. I replaced both wheel cylinders, the driver side brake line, both sides brake shoes and replaced both star wheel retaining springs. I also checked the CVs and shocks. Two CVs at the wheels are bad. I need to replace all CV boots and shocks. I ordered KYB Gas -A- just for the rear and GR2 for the front. I hope the KYB Gas A Just is stiff enough to improve driving on the highway.

About star wheel retainer springs, Do not buy them from WolfsBurg west. The description calls for the bus. But they do not fit the later model bus. I ordered the correct one from Cip1.

[dubfreak1]

My Super has the same combination of Gas-A-Just rear and GR2 front and it has good balance. As you know, they get used very hard in this car:

[akitsuji]

It is nice to know my choice on the shocks is not bad one.

[akitsuji]

I completed the rear suspension work this week. Now I'll move to front disk brakes and master cylinder, which is leaking at the connection to the booster.

[Kirby]

I dig the roof rack!

[akitsuji]

The last few days, I'm installing the Z-Bed system. This is one of three planned modifications to my 77 bus. 1- Full size Roof Rack, 2- Z-Bed, 3- Rear hatch tent (some day). The Z-Bed system allows me to use the original rear seat to make a bed without major modifications.

Ta-da!!!!











Brackets in bed position


Brackets in seat position

[ghiastein]

I like how the seat back sits flat plus it gives you a full width bed in the back. Are you planning on some kind of cushion for over the motor or something else?

[rochester73super]

On those cold nights, just fire up the engine to warm up the blankets before climbing into bed.

I lived on my sailboat for 2 winters in Michigan and had an electric heating pad under the sheets/blankets, just to take the chill off of climbing into freezing sheets. Then you'd have to turn it off otherwise you'd wake up feeling like you were being slow roasted

[akitsuji]

I added a few more Z-Bed photos (Completed).
I hate to cut my original cargo rubber floor mat, but I need to sacrifice to use a Z-Bed.

AJ, Michele is going to make a foldable thin foam mattress to go over the engine bay.
I installed a rubber mat over the engine bay as sound deadening.

[drwingtipshoes]

Quite an inspiration Aki. Looks great!

[akitsuji]

Last Friday, I installed the mid seat with newly fabricated brackets. The mid seat has to move forward, appr. 6", to accommodate for the rear Z-Bed. I also installed a fire extinguisher at the steering column. One pic shows a new light reminder at the fuse box.

Mid Seat


Mid seat brackets


Fire extinguisher


Light reminder