Sammy, the dream that became a reality

Discussion in 'Show Us Your Ride' started by Chrisd, May 18, 2020.

  1. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    Hello all. Following some gentle encouragement from @Skyelectrix I'd like to bring you up-to-date with our journey with Sammy.

    We bought Sammy last October and I'm glad to say that under the slightly tired skirts lies a very good body..well looked after and no soggy bottoms :).

    My first jobs focused on the engine and with brilliant help from @mcswiggs, I've managed to sort some of the slightly easier engine fixes including fixing a stuck vacuum advance and knackered electronic dizzy, changing the pancake airfilters, servicing the carbs and uping the jets to end up with an engine that is purring in a happy boxer 2ltr type of way!

    Enough for now but here are some pictures to sate your appetite, a happy couple, a strange combo of colours and a before and after cleaning...see you soon

    IMG_20200405_110726~3.jpg b08cbc4562e8d52f1696c81f9b61c906_5d40339760c2a_A90970E3_EAC1_4230_9E4B_9E72D17465B0~2.jpg IMG_20200215_102206144.jpg IMG_20200218_140420868~2.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 29, 2023
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  2. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    Nice looking bus Chris, keep the good work up!
     
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  3. Skyelectrix

    Skyelectrix Supporter

    Looks like a tidy bus Chris, keep the updates coming!
     
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  4. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    The new year started well with an annoying oil leak being mostly fixed...turned out that Sammy had had a change of heart and became a Webber fan at some time in the past having started out as an injection head. Unfortunately as with all reformed characters, not everything was plain sailing and an over pushy fuel pump was forcing fuel into the oil ..never a good mix. With a new pump installed and after a stubborn oil sump bolt was shown who was in charge, only a small dribble was left, but at Sammy's age, a small dribble or two is allowed!

    As with any adventure, there were many oohs and a few boos. Slightly wonky personal heating needed fixing with snail fan woes, gummed up cables and wayward flappers.

    The news, like a curate's egg, was good in parts....we now have heating in the cab which is fab! Unfortunately, one cable showed me it's stubborn side, so that was snipped (ouch) and the new flapper on that side permanently fixed on until a cable solution could be found.

    As if that wasn't enough, the engine's heating was also below par with a defunct thermostat and AWOL tinware.

    After much swearing after many attempts at soldering, the Thermostat was finally declare fit for duty and many £££ later eBay delivered significant quantities of rusty tinware to my door to my neighbour's puzzlement. But like a Phoenix these transformed and once again are as smooth as a baby's bottom...see below for pictures!

    Small step, lots of reading and great help from the TLB is making this a great way to pass the day during the dreaded C19 lockdown.

    Next time: my nipples need attention, a shocking experience and my Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen moment

    IMG_20200416_103137~2.jpg IMG_20200416_181231~2.jpg IMG_20200420_110616~2.jpg IMG_20200423_140242~2.jpg IMG_20200424_111726~2.jpg IMG_20200507_182736~2.jpg IMG_20200519_104118~2.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 29, 2023
  5. Welcome

    Well done with all your work so far

    Good luck with your nipples
     
    Chrisd likes this.
  6. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    It seems only like yesterday when I faced my gun, did I feel lucky? With a deep breath I clipped onto the grease nipples or as our American cousins coyly call them Zerks! It provide to be much easier than first thought but it is a bit dirty!

    Having come up from underneath Sammy for a breath of air after changing the steering damper, temporarily fixing a missing support for the gear shift rod, as well as greasing, I decided to fiddle with the electric hook up and leisure system : easy peasy...eer no. Somebody in the past had thought that the use of solid single core house cable for hook up conections, ignoring the need for earthing the chassis and insy winsy wires of the wrong colour back to the leisure battery was a good option. As we speak new cables have just arrived :chewie:

    So while I took the insides of the camper apart to get to these electrical horrors, a little devil whispered in one ear- take it back to original Westie Berlin P27 brown plaid and laminate and the other ear had Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen waxing lyrical about chintz and frilly cuffs! I'm currently puzzling over whether to just keep the stained and varnished plywood look that is about 90% of what I have or do the 1970s fandango.

    For now that's it from Sammy and me. I'll come back once I've done something useful, but in the meantime to paraphrase somebody

    'to stain or not to stain that is the question ...?'

    IMG_20200414_161447~2.jpg IMG_20200512_164207~2.jpg IMG_20200520_093402~2.jpg IMG_20200520_094050~2.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 29, 2023
  7. Skyelectrix

    Skyelectrix Supporter

    Wow! That previous wiring looks safe!!! Looks like you’ll have it sorted soon tho. Great progress With the other jobs too. Restoring the Westy Berlin furniture can take a while, but worthwhile if you want an original looking bus.
     
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  8. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    you mean to say you didn't have the same "safe" wiring installed? We sure did :D
     
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  9. Skyelectrix

    Skyelectrix Supporter

    Yes! There had Been some scary modifications carried out on Chilli in a previous life! All sorted now tho after £££’s!
     
  10. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    Same here, easily sorted though. Major had been in a shunt, the front airbox was a mess, we had to replace the whole lot.
     
  11. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Those electrics are best left unseen! :eek:

    nice van, have you decided upon your interior choices yet? :)
     
  12. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    :(not chosen yet.. except we have decided not an original plaid!
     
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  13. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    It's been a long time since I updated Sammy's thread and since then a few things have been talked about, worried over but ultimately completed with lots of help, advice and the proverbial taken elsewhere on the forum.

    So to help my failing memory and nudge me along when I'm feeling daunted by what new trial and tribulation Sammy is throwing at me, I've collated a few of the important milestone in our journey together so far.

    Fuel pump regulator Dec 19
    https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/fuel-pump-regulator.85898/

    Oil leak source & engine rebuild May 20
    https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/oil-leak-source.88218/#post-1699088

    Fuel Injection Feb 21 ongoing
    https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/injecting-a-sense-of-uncertainty.91770/

    West Berlin fridge replacement Feb 22
    https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/westie-berlin-fridge-replacement.95239/

    Body work Apr 22 ongoing
    https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/body-work-journey.95667/#post-1954822

    I'm currently covered in paint and filler dust as I uncover what lurks below the filler on the drivers door. Luckily Catherine is away so I won't need to waste time cleaning tonight before I continue tomorrow :eek:.....
    maybe I better reconsider that last thought!

    That all for now and hopefully the door can go back on in time for our planned holiday in May :)
     
  14. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Well I never. I'd missed somewhere that your van is called Sammy.
    Love it...:thumbsup:
     
    Chrisd likes this.
  15. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Does it have a gender? Or is it a LGBTQIA2S+ er....non binary van:eek:
     
  16. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

  17. surreyvan

    surreyvan Supporter

    Lovely van Chris and I love the story telling you have a way with words
     
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  18. Chrisd

    Chrisd Supporter

    Sammy is a star, over 600 miles and not a beat missed. From home two weeks ago we set off to a slightly chilly Victoria Farm for Techenders. As always, a great bunch of people, lots of fettling and fireside chats and we had a great time. Come Monday morning we waved goodback to those last few who were left and set off towards Wales. Now those who know Wales are aware that it can be damp, but as we headed west the clouds parted and the sun decided to go on holiday with us and stayed for the whole two weeks. Not a single drop of rain and blue skys every day...I've come back with a Welsh sun tan :cool:

    Screenshot_20230526-135846.png
    The first campsite, Cefd Coed near the bottom of the Snowdonia National Park, is a lovely, laid-back 'wild' style campsite. Very chilled and peaceful. Bar a few midges that made their presence know at dusk, we had a wonderful time exploring the estuary.
    IMG_20230516_132348867.jpg

    Our next stop was at Pencarnan farm camping in north Pembrokeshire. Again a lovely site, more organised and established than CC but with pitches 20m wide and only around the edges of the field if felt lovely. We stopped as close as you can to the beach (5m) and spent a week walking the coast path, dipping toes into the sea and having a great time. It was a tad windy at times, so much so we abandoned the awning idea and batterned down the hatch when it was gusting 32mph one evening. But breeze aside, we topped up our tans and chilled. Sammy was andmired by many and smiles abounded :)

    With our final stop planned in the Gower with some relatives, we reluctantly departed our home for the week.
    IMG_20230521_105538920.jpg

    Having family in the Gower helps to become one of the community very quickly, so for two nights we enjoyed the local beer and food and walked the salt marshes with just a few sheep and horses...did I mention it was still sunny and t-shirt weather:p Our final leg home took us via the M4 and at a steady 60mph, Sammy purred all the way home.

    We've had a truly great holiday with many memories, lots learnt about taking too much food and, as it turned out, clothing. I'll finish with the money shot....
    IMG_20230523_211428228.jpg
     
  19. Looks like a great trip.

    Hope you've given Sammy a big kiss
     
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  20. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Great trip Chris. Hopefully the first of many x
     
    Chrisd likes this.

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