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Post by ghiastein on Nov 23, 2008 17:58:53 GMT -5
Well there is a new vehicle in my garage today. I have just purchased a 1969 Westy Camper for $250 and I spent $230 with fuel and tolls dragging it home from Minnesota. Now I am broke for a few. The Bus that I just bought is not the best looking bus and it will make a fine parts Bus The problem is that the floors frame suspension trans and motor are not that bad. Just the body is beat, rusty and missing the Westy interior. So what are my plans??? Drive it until I can purchase a better body 69 Westy Here are some details of our journey from MN that Steven and I took the weekend of Nov. 22-23, 2008. The drive out went smooth no problems and the bus loaded nice on the trailer. We then stopped to eat and had time for a photo shoot.  Nice Truck? The drive home was ok with the exception of Chicago. We hit the city at around midnight Saturday night when people should be sleeping. The traffic was moving but driving like morons. This is what happened I was keeping a good length of room in front of us and someone decided to cut in front and smash the brakes my truck locks the wheels and almost eats a Honda CRV. The reason for this is because they were not paying attention to the exits and had to get over. I was pissed for about a half a hour. We arrive at Stevens house and park the truck trailer and bus because I don't have room to part it at my apartment. Steven got happy with the camera,  Sunday morning Steven drove my truck to pick up Kenn to help unload. Once again Steven got camera happy.  Off to my place to unload  And finally all tucked in to its new home  The Bus had tons of junk in it that the owner did not want but look at what I found in it (sorry Steven)  Thanksgiving Weekend I think I will tinker with my Westy and fire it up (maybe) |
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VDub63 ( Steven )
1600dp
Club Photog
63 Beetle, 63 Beetle #2 project, 62 Beetle project
Posts: 2,108
Joined: Jul 5, 2008 14:14:20 GMT -5
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Post by VDub63 ( Steven ) on Nov 23, 2008 18:14:12 GMT -5
Everyone that knows me, knows that I get "camera happy". ;D I am just glad that you finally have a bus. Nice job cutting yourself out of the pictures. ::)I had a great time getting to know you more. Thanks for letting me drive your truck. When you need help Iwill be first in line. I'm still think you are a bugger about the tool box. I called it didn't I.  |
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Post by bren on Nov 23, 2008 21:09:50 GMT -5
Congratulations AJ. Glad you all got home OK. Good that it fit's in the garage. Let me know when you need help, I will be second in line.
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Post by Dustin on Nov 23, 2008 22:14:11 GMT -5
Glad to see you got one AJ but I am not glad to hear you still want to use it for parts. I hate seeing that. If the frame and floors are good just patch the rest up it. Also I will be there when I can to help.
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Kirby
1500sp
Posts: 477
Joined: Sept 5, 2008 10:38:18 GMT -5
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Post by Kirby on Nov 23, 2008 23:20:41 GMT -5
Congrats on the new project AJ! While I know why there is a strap over the bus, it still looks like you were trying to keep it from flying away.
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Post by ghiastein on Nov 24, 2008 8:05:07 GMT -5
After more inspection of the bus it seams that there was a small engine fire just enough to melt wires and other plastic parts. Not really a big deal. So this long weekend I want to pull the engine and yank out the gas tank to replace all fuel lines. Not really a big deal I can do it all but it would be nice to have a spotter when I pull the engine. So if you are bored and want to hang out let me know.
kirby the trailer had good attachments to secure the Bus but the strap was there to help keep it from flying away at least the pop up part.
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Kirby
1500sp
Posts: 477
Joined: Sept 5, 2008 10:38:18 GMT -5
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Post by Kirby on Nov 24, 2008 8:48:55 GMT -5
I know, I'm just kidding you a little. ;D
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Post by ghiastein on Nov 26, 2008 14:47:32 GMT -5
Dustin just for you I plan on crawling under the Bus to see what I can see after that I may come to a conclusion. I did look under it when I picked it up and all the suspension components looked good.
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dave
1500sp
Posts: 222
Joined: Jul 28, 2008 20:41:35 GMT -5
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Post by dave on Nov 26, 2008 15:14:57 GMT -5
Did you get the luggage rack too?
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Post by ghiastein on Nov 26, 2008 15:29:24 GMT -5
I have the fiberglass piece for the rear with the bars if thats what you are talking about. But I don't have a actual roof rack.
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dave
1500sp
Posts: 222
Joined: Jul 28, 2008 20:41:35 GMT -5
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Post by dave on Nov 26, 2008 16:09:10 GMT -5
Yep the fiberglass one. I have an extra just in case someone needed one.
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Post by ghiastein on Nov 26, 2008 18:57:09 GMT -5
The reason that the fiberglass rack is not shown in the pictures is because it was held on by one screw. We just threw it in the back to keep it from blowing away.
Well I crawled under the Bus today to check out the rust now I have a problem it is way better than I thought. No rust on the frame no rust on the cargo area no rust over the trans and engine. There is a spot about the size of a base ball on the top of the RR wheel well. The center heat tube is bad and the wiring tube is bad. That is it for behind the front wheels. Every thing just has surface rust.
Up front is a different story both front wheel wells on top are bad. The dog legs are bad and the front floor is bad. The part of the partition behind the front seats that makes up the front wheel well is bad.
The body just seams to have surface rust with the exception of just in front of the rear wheels. The whole sider door is bad and the wrong one. There is a bunch of dents all around and the RR whole corner section is filled with bondo.
The Bus is missing the front and rear reflectors and the whole driver side wiper assembly. Also note no Westy interior.
So what to do? I will check prices of sheet metal to see how much coin and compare with prices of rust free Buses? But what is everyone thoughts?
Next question what to do about the missing interior?
Also why would the whole bottom be clean and the body look bad?
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jmallen05
1600dp
Posts: 602
Joined: Jul 6, 2008 14:40:12 GMT -5
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Post by jmallen05 on Nov 26, 2008 20:16:23 GMT -5
Was 69' the last year for wide five for the buses? I'm all for saving as many vw's as possible, but if your sinking a ton of money into this thing to get it to the same point as an already solid bus that would be a fraction of the price just doesn't seem practical. Especially if you don't have any emotional ties to it. Then again how hard do you have to look to find a bus for the right price and in the right condition? It may be worth just slowly working away at it, make it a driver and throw money at here and there. How expensive is the interior for a westy, seams like that could get expensive too.
jerry
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Post by Dustin on Nov 26, 2008 23:49:47 GMT -5
I'm all for saving them the emotional tie will come from the labor put in. Also AJ it may be time for you to take a trip to that big VW Junkyard in Millington near Ben's house. All the VW's there are way way way beyond repair but theres a ton of parts and Bay Buses. As far as finding one in good shape for as much as you would have into making this one nice. I still think its worth fixing rather than just buying something done. Anyone can do that and the car will mean much for if you build it.
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bjeles
40hp
Posts: 76
Joined: Nov 24, 2008 22:42:46 GMT -5
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Post by bjeles on Nov 27, 2008 0:14:31 GMT -5
There are a ton of Bay campers in the yard in Millington, none that I can think of were westies, but he is so cheap you won't believe it. He has a lot of camper parts you could put together an interior out of.
I gave away a 71 sportsmobile camper in better shape after I took its interior for my 64 bus that was years ago now. My friend didn't do anything with it, I'll have to see what junk yard he dropped it off at it would be good for the sheet metal. That was when I lived over in Homer.
Jerry 1970 buses were the last year for wide 5, 71 had disk brake front end and switched to the smaller 5 bolt at that time.
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