Chug Chug the 1977 Westfalia Helsinki

My dash is starting to take shape now!
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I've been spending again, bought new seat belts for the front:-

Badges for the roof:-

A badge for my dash:-

& my rear No. plate has arrived:-

& its drilled & fitted:-

 

Found out off a nice man called Vincent Molenaar some info on Chug Chug today:-
72 002 427
506 511 547 587 793
945 134 E52 F58 102 121
32 1 7319 127 2310 31
*** 1st line ***72 002 427 = Chassis number7 = model year 1977*.2 = this number is to distinguish 1970ties from 1960ties chassis numbers. The number is always a '2' it would turn into a '3' when more than 1 milion vehicles were produced in one model year. This only happened in the beetle production, not the production of buses.002 427 = serial number for that model year *) The model year is not the same as the year the vehicle was built. A model year is the period between the factory holidays. A model year started in the month august of the year before the calendar year. For example: model year 1968 started in august 1967.
*** 2nd line ***506 = M-code: Brake servo511 = M-code: Padded dashboard, with dashboard lid (not for RHD)547 = M-code: Extra rust-prevention treatment587 = M-code: Radio "Salzgitter" (FM) with tape player connection and traffic broadcast-decoder793 = M-code: Productionnumber that indicates a special note in the German licence papers saying that a Trumatic SB 2000 gasheater has been fitted
*** 3rd line ***945134 = paint and interior code 9: special painting instructions were applied 451: colour: sage green L63H ("taigagrün")34: doorpanels and seats - material: clothcolour: camping green yellow Westfalia buses have standard VW colours but because a Westy also needed to be painted on the inside the special paint instruction was applied. A regular VW Kombi is grey in the cargocompartment. E52 = this is code represent a collection of M-codes, I don't know which. F58 = this is code represent a collection of M-codes, I don't know which. 102 = M-code: rear window heating 121 = M-code: Two electric ventilators in fresh air system
****** 4th line ****** 32 2 = this code is a date. This date is mostlya few days later than the actual production date. week 32, day 2 (=tuesday), 1977 this bus is of model year 1977, by the low chassisnr you can see it wasmade in 1976: 03rd of August, 1976 7319 = code related to production planning 127 = destinatio ncode: 2310 = 23: VW Kombi (= empty delivery van with windows)1: LHD, sliding door right
0: standard version 31 = 3: 2000cc type 4 enigne with carburettors 1: manual 4-speed gearbox


547 = M-code: Extra rust-prevention treatment
Where was this applied & what did they use?
I have no idea. I only know the code and it's explanation. I read somewhere it is applied to hollow body areas. but which ones, I don't know. I also know it doesn't help anymore after 30 years. I saw a 1974 Westy on the junkyard with this option. It was one of the most rusty buses I have ever seen.
587 = M-code: Radio "Salzgitter" (FM) with tape player connection>and trafficbroadcast-decoder
This radio is no longer in the vehicle.
where would I get info on it?
I have a German VW manual for car radios that were put in VW's in oktober 1978. So the radio might be a little bit different. I will scan it for you and send it to you. So you have an idea what it looks like. Tape player connection means it has a DIN socket in the rear where an auxilary tape player could be installed. It needed to be specially made for cars. if you would insert a cassette the radio reception would stop and you would hear the tape. The traffic broadcast-decoder is typically german. I think radios with this option were only available in West-Germany. I have a Blaupunkt Nürnberg in my 1978 microbus. It also has the decoder. So far I only got it to work inside Germany. When you turn on the decoder it only receives channels that broadcast traffic information. When you receive such a channel a yellow light turns on. If you play a cassette the cassette will be interrupted when a traffic news is broadcasted. It must be an old system since you receive very few stations in Germany that have this traffic signal while I am sure much more channels broadcast the information.
34: doorpanels and seats - material: cloth colour: camping green yellow.
Where would I find out what this material looks like, would my van have>had carpet in the front or a rubber mat & would it have carpet in the rear?
On the floor would be a carpet. I think www.wolfsburgwest.com have some samples of these colours on their site.
127 = destination code: Any ideas where this was?
It is a distribution centre. They cover a large area of dealerships so to determin the exact spot where it was sold can't be done by reading this code. The distribution centre was called "VW-Audi-Vertriebszentrum Ostwestfalen-Lippe" located in a town called 'Lage'. I think it is probably near the Ruhr-area. You can probably locate it through Google-earth.
121 = M-code: Two electric ventilators in fresh air system Is this what >people>refer to as "Ambulance fans?
Are these fitted in the front? Yes, they are called ambulance fans for some reason. probably because on split window buses this option was basically only found on ambulances. On baywindows they were an optional extra, often found on West-German vehicles from the authorities (police, border police, ambulances, ... (not firebrigade)). They are located in the caps that cover the ends of the fresh air duct, next to the door jams, under the dash.

 

Just a small update today, My Mam has been busy again making the side cushens for Chug Chug, this is the original material:-

She wants to stich the corners now & it will be done!
Mam's are great!

 

Enough talking about it time for some action, out came the engine today:-

Looks Ok under here.

Amy lifted up Chug Chug for me to get the axle stands under, she's very strong for a 16 year old! :

Took out the back lights, batteries & all the wiring so I can tidy it all up later. Everything was written down on a bit of paper so I don't get confused putting it back.

Do you think my bus needs lowering?

Plank of wood to protect the engine ready for its decent!

Here it comes!

& its out!

Need a bit of welding in the corner, sort that out once its all been sand blasted!


Doen't look to bad does it?

Look at the state of my bell housing, looks like the crank shaft oil seal has gone!

Just need to stip it down now ready to go to Laurie Petite, that exahust won't be going back on, neither will the coil, dizzy or that stupid looking carb!

 

Next jobs on my list remove all the wiring from the van all the way to the front, remove the belly pans, remove the fuel tank & all of its pipework. Off then to be shot blasted from front to back, under all 4 arches & the engine bay.
After that weld any nasties I find 4 new jacking points & I'll changing the sliding door outer sill because whoever put the last one on didn't do it straight.
Next paint it all, rewire it all refurb & replace the fuel tank & all the lines. Refit my detailed nice shiny new engine & all in time for the shows next year, watch this space

 

Couldn't resist buying these which hopefully I'll fit the weekend:-


In case you don't know what they are its an under dash parcel tray & a set of rear windows jail bars.

 

Been a busy little bee today:-
Fitted my jail bars, nice easy little jub as long as you get the centre marked up & holes marked:-

Drilled the holes put loads of copper ease in the holes to make sure they dont rust & fitted the upright bar:-

Difficult to take good photos because of the contrast of the bright sky, but basically fitted the horizontal bars & eyed them up against the heated rear window elements, took measurements too:-


Job done:-

These bars were bought from Jujst Kammpers, the instructions are good & they seam nice quality, stainless steel screws, aluminium bars & the fixing parts are some cast material chrome plated.

 

Fitted my under dash shelf today as well. The instructions were really good, my only complaints were the centre support is supposed to have 2 marked indents which you drill these were not there so I had to work out where to drill the holes which was fiddly. 8also they supplied a 4mm drill to drill for the screws this should have been a 3mm. Good quality kit though & nice of them to supply the drill bits:-

This bit onits own makes the handbrake hole look better.

 

Thought I'd hide a hole I have in the dash, there is no space behind to get a switch in there as the glove box liner is there I thought I'd by an Empi sticker of a nice man in Newport who sells them on eBay.
I cut a piece of Aluminium to size, marked it out drilled 4 holes in the corners, de-bured it, stuck the sticker on & used a hot soldering iron to make the same holes in the plastic sticker then I drilled the dashboard & rivited it on. Looks alright don't you think?
Sorry about the crap pictures I need to get myself a new camera a Fuji Finepix I think!

 

Stripped the engine down to a long block today. Ready now for collection & delivery to My Pettitt.

 

Engine being collected next Thursday, I got to take off the clutch & the distributor. Still need at least 3 bits of tinware, help? :help:
My M8 Tony picked up Chug Chug today & dropped it off to Bennets for the shot-blasting. Unfortunatly he said some of the paint might get damaged, but at least I can re-paint it & not have to worry about rust.

Called down to see my M8 T2RMINATOR yesterday & saw the legendary Daffodil, she's a winner, needs a lot of work but its pretty solid. Paul had some interesting deluxe bits that I found out are really rare & worth a lot of money apparently. I typed a search on eBay & there was a set there I could't beleve it so I put in a bid & won! :


I'll fit these week after next probably!

 

Not much to report, had the deluxe seat trims today, called down Benetts & removed everything that was left in the engine bay & I removed the belly Pan, should be blasted by tommorrow, then it will be ready for priming.

 

Shot blasting is done, engine bay, under the wheel arches & the whole underside. I had the bely pan, engine tinware, front skid pate, Fuel tank cover, engine fan & other bits one too. I am collecting them all on Monday so will update with pics then.

Hopefully not much welding will be needed but I think there will be a few patches in the engine bay & also all he jacking points will need changing.

I will change the outer sill under the slding door too, its not rust but whoever put it on didn't do it very well & also I can't get the sliding door rubber seal on because of it.

I removed the Dizy & clutch off the engine today & put it on a pallet. It was shipped off to Laurie Pettitt today so I just got to sell my Porsche 924 now before the engine is ready so I can pay for it.

 

Can't wait untill tommorrow, I get Chug Chug back then. I hope they done a good job of it!

 

Right then jacked up the front & put axle stands on the front beam, took some photos before I start to cut it up:-

This is the front driver wheel arch lower front.

This is the front driver wheel arch lower back.

The torosion tubes end.

Front driver wheel arch rear top.

Under cab floor.

Under cab floor.

Underside of bus.

Underside front to back view.

Under side of floor.

Driver wheel arch

 

Bit more work done, ground off the dodgy welding patches & next thing I could see the back of my fridge unit so it had to come out:-






Wanted to check out the floor so I have removed the laminate, the underlay & the heater:-








There are a couple of rusty patches which need attention above the sill so I'll takle these the same time



Ordered today 4 new outriggers, 4 new jacking points & an outer sill for the under the sliding door. I should have them by tommorrow.

 

More pictures decided what the hell, as I started to strip the interior, might as well carry on, Not too bad but still a few plates needed:-
That horrible fibre glass insulations not going back, I don't know what to put instead yet though?













My M8 Neil is coming up tommorrow to do some welding, I'm nights tonight so while I'm in bed Chug Chug will be having some surgery done. Motolec from Neath are also calling to see if I can get that 924 started.
Update you all tommorrow.

 

Right today's update, got out the welder & my M8 Neil started to weld, he's taked on a few plates finished one of them, They are not the neatest you've seen but hey they will be covered up & they arn't finished yet.






They are only taked on for a minute but they will be fully welded & ground back also I am going to shape them a bit better, then turn my attention to the underside to make sure it looks neat underneath.

 

Finished one patch just needs cleaning up & etch priming now when all the welding & clean up is done I will 2K primer the whole floor before painting in the original taiga green:-


This is the front wheel arch rear I will cut off the outriger, jacking point & the metal work above it tommorrow & then rebuild it:

Been spending today, in the photo are the 4 new outriggers, a new outer sill for the sliding door, 4 new jacking points, some mig wire a gas bottle, regulator, high build primer, satin black (for my tinware etc.) & stone guard (for my golf)

The sill under the sliding door is new & solid fitted by the previous owner, however he hasn't fitted it straight, it bulges out in the middle & I can't get my sliding door rubber in the gap between the sill & sliding runner.