Here is the start of my resto thread for my twin slider, I will try and keep the photos as up to date as I can. A little history, I decided to take the plunge as I had money burning a hole in my pocket and always wanted a camper to relive my childhood holidays so after months of hunting fleabay, vzi, TLB, Earlybay, The Samba and others and few started to pop up in my price range. I had signed up to TLB and had got some great advice off of MajorHangover among others so decided to go view a couple. The first was OK but needed a hell of a lot of work and I wanted it to be a rolling resto, the second was unfortunately a very bad resto that would need the whole lot ripped off and re-doing and I didnt have the heart to tell the chap who was selling, then..... I found one on VZI that had been advertised for a few months and had not much interest and looking at the pictures I wondered what I was missing, to me it looked like a bargan that couldnt be missed. I called the fella up to arrange a viewing and my dad and I popped down to have a look. We met up and the guy led us off down some dodgy country roads till we arrived at a rankshack barn. I was nervous and excited and couldnt wait to see it but was desperately trying to keep a level head. This is why I took my dad so he could help keep my feet on the ground. Well, after we moved all the stuff out of the way this lovely little bus looked so sad and almost begging to be taken away and I loved it straight away, still I had a good poke around and really looked for that bad thing I was missing, but couldnt find it. After an hour of crawling about and poking and prodding my dad pulled me to one side and agreed that this was a bargan and worth well more than what was being asked. The following day I called up and made an offer and the chap accepted! I was almost the owner of a bus! I spent the rest of the day with a grin from ear to ear like a cheshire cat. Anyway a few days later we went back down to pick it up, loaded it up with all the spares and boxes of bits signed the docs and handed over the cash. I offically now owned my own money pit! Excellent! So to start lets see what it looks like now, before I have touched it. Still thinking about names - the better wants bumble, because it looks like a bumblebee in the side on photo. Black front, yellow door, black door, but it will be painted different eventually. pp234/b0dyr0ck2006/Bumble/DSC_3445.jpg" alt="" /> (I forgot how far this has come already) Update added: So let the fun begin: Today I have mostly been sanding, sanding, sanding oh and a little bit of sanding followed by a touch of the red stuff. NS slider prepped ready for the window and boot lid prepped also. Update added: Well as I have been made redundant I have all day to work on the bus, every cloud has a silver lining! I have been carrying on with sanding down around the windows, clearing any rust and crud. Slapping a load of red oxide on and fitting the windows. I spent 3 hrs last night trying to fit one of the sliding door windows with my brother with no success, turned up this morning and had it in within 10 minutes on my todd!! So now it has the windscreen in, passenger door window fitted, sliding door glass in and boot window. Oh, while the windscreen was out I removed the dash and gave it a good clean and sprayed it black. Now looks good as new. (sorry about the pics I took them on my Iphone) r /> Update added: Well this week has been braking system. Not really any photos to show, I'll take some today. Basically ithas been stripping the drums and calipers, giving them a good clean down, fitting new seals and rebuilding them. After which I've run complete new brake pipes through out the bus. As this bus came without a servo I have had to fabricate a bracket that I've welded to the front axle to hold the new servo and master cylinder, so that's all done and new pipes run from that. Just waiting for the brake pushrod from boy cee then I'll have a complete brake system. I had to buy new shocks for front and rear as well so they are now on, torsion bar and handbrake sorted too. The next task is to strip the damaged wiring loom out and replace with the spare I have then engine and gearbox!! Update added: Been busy busy busy. Weather proof - Check Braking - Check Suspension - Check Electrics - Check Gearbox in - Check Engine in, ahh problem. Because the engine is a 'CJ' 2ltr and the gearbox is a 'CE' 1600 we have found that the starter motor doesn't fit. Im hoping it just a case of putting a different starter in but a quick internet browse suggests that I may have to adapt the gear selector shaft and possibly a different flywheel. Any suggestions? So today I haven't really achieved much, used some 'black stuff' to stick the outer panels back to the internal framework to stop them rattling about and fitted the yucky panels back on. (this is all temporary guys) A couple of other little bits and bobs that needed doing. As long as I can get this engine in and running I should be driving to bug jam. Thats the end of the rescued resto. What I have done since: Fitted a new starter with the correct spindle size and all was ok, also had to put a 200mm clutch and flywheel to fit the bellhousing. After that the engine went in fine. Fitted all the extra bits and pieces and did a temporary mock up interior just so we could use her for Bug Jam. yr0ck2006/Bumble/9e3e2584.jpg" alt="" /> I got it done in time and we had a great weekend at Bug Jam! Since then I have been trying to sort out a major leak: Some of you may remember I had a bit of a problem coming back from Santa Pod, I was loosing oil and fast. I estimated that I had used 7 litres of oil in 250 miles - Which is not good on an oil cooled engine. When I got back and had a chance to look at the damage there was oil all over the rear of the bus and the underside was dripping. I initially thought that it was the crankcase seal but after removing the fan it seemed that it was fine and looked as though the oil was coming from towards the oil filter and cooler. So got the bus in my dads garage and started stripping the beast down, turns out to get the oil cooler properly you need to remove almost everything, but in doing so I noticed the oil pressure switch was loose, gave it a little turn and it came off in my hand: I have now pretty much stripped the engine down to just the block, seems the low oil pressure switch was cracked and was *******ing oil everywhere. Unfortunately as I tried to remove it is has sheared of in the block so I now have to joy or trying to remove that. As I have the engine stripped I will replace all the seals and gaskets to be sure. The oil pressure switch, or what was left of it: Trail of destruction: As I had everything off thought I may as well give it all a lick of paint: So replaced the oil seals and checked that the oil filter was tight and refitted everything, ran it for a while and so far no oil leaks but I need to take it for a run to be sure. Only problem is I now cant get it timed right, sounds like it is misfiring but moving the dizzy doesnt help. Ive left my dad to have a look this evening.We have a timing light but for some reason it just won't time up right, get it TDC and the rotor arm is almost 45 degrees off number one??!! It doesn't make sense I Have now started grinding, filling and sanding. Prep those panels up ready for primer filler! 415.photobucket.com/albums/pp234/b0dyr0ck2006/5aac81e1.jpg" alt="" />
I have learnt a lot about engines since I bought the bus, so much so I am now in a position where I can offer advice back to the forum.
Recently I have been prepping for painting, so I have been filling and sanding, filling and sanding, filling sanding. Flatting back the original paint and removing all the horrid over painted graphics. Then I applied a couple of thin coats of primer filler and flatted back between coats. Now before anybody jumps in and tells me I've done it wrong the idea behind this is to get the bodywork all one colour, I haven't done the top half yet as that involves removing the windows and doing the interior at the same time. With VW Action coming up I haven't got enough time to strip, paint and rebuild. Once I'm back from action I will be stripping it down, prepping the top half and then painting inside and out. I think we have now decided that it will be a mellow pastel yellow bottom and white top
Great work mate I love your attitude of keeping it usable - truely is a rolling resto looks nice in primer your doing a great job
Great job on the bus dude useable is the new mint condition in the late bay scene Oh dude btw your mrs is hot just dont ever do her makeup again
I don't think she will let me mate, and thanks. At the end of the day what's the point of having a bus sitting in the garage for years and not using it? It does help I haven't got a job mind you.
It's funny how quickly you get used to the different stages, and how they look each time, already I can barely remember her looking like your profile pic! @paradox: Thank you, and don't worry, I won't let him near my face with make up again
