Greetings From Helsinki, Finland

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourselves' started by Blue Bertha, Nov 2, 2018.

  1. Long time listener, first time caller.

    Here's my blue project. 1973 bus. Lots to be done. But it's overall in decent condition. Stood untouched for about 11 years. Outside but under a roof. Got the engine running with some minor carb and ignition tweaking, so it was a healthy base for a top end rebuild, which is pretty much done already. Accorging to the M plate it's not the original engine (AS vs. AD). But a 1600 nonetheless, keeping it as stock as possible.

    Currently tackling surface rust on the chassis and floors etc. No major welding repairs needed (subframe and any critical points seem to be healthy). Except for the windshield frame which looks pretty bad.

    Original color Orient Blue was overpainted sometime in the 90's (you can see the top of the roof is still in original color). I'll some day take it to a professional body shop for a proper repair and repaint, but for now I'm just trying to get it running and street legal and through the MOT again. Will maybe try to scrape off some of the overpaint to reveal the original coat..seen lots of great results from this over at the samba...

    Be prepared for lots of stupid questions! I'm a total beginner.

    Here it is when I bought it:
    [​IMG]

    A look from the other side. Here it's being hauled to my garage. It's on the ground floor of an apartment building so can't make too much noise all the time...
    [​IMG]

    Seats and carpets stripped. It's fugly but there's not any really bad rust damage (no holes in the floor haha). Just needs to be cleaned up and treated for surface rust.
    [​IMG]

    Rear floor is a little worse. Some ugly patches, lots of different coats of paint. Lots of surface rust. Still in decent shape, I believe it will clean up pretty nice. Not looking forward to replacing the whole floor just yet.
    [​IMG]

    Engine mid-teardown:
    [​IMG]

    Engine mid-rebuild:
    [​IMG]

    Engine below... yuck!
    [​IMG]

    Shiny! Looks a lot better:
    [​IMG]



    Thanks for looking!
     
  2. CollyP

    CollyP Moderator

    Howdy:)
     
  3. Welcome to the mad house
     
  4. stirlingmoz

    stirlingmoz Supporter

    Welcome - great project.

    I’m a bit of a fan of Orient Blue.

    Are you building that engine in your apartment ?

    I rebuilt a motorcycle engine in my kitchen when I was single.

    I think if I did it again today I think I’d quickly be single again !

    Keep the pics coming.


    Stirlingmoz
     
    Jack Tatty and Valveandy like this.
  5. Welcome:thumbsup:
     
  6. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Welcome

    Keep the pictures coming. We love a restoration thread on TLB. :thumbsup:
     
  7. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

  8. Nice looking bus fella, engine looking good too:thumbsup:
     
  9. It's a beautiful color, I've never seen it in the wild on any other cars (other blue shades like Neptune, Olympia, etc seem to have been much more common) so it will be amazing once I get it back to its original color. Won't be anytime soon I'm afraid though.

    Haha I'm working on everything in the garage, don't think the wife would like me to take anything inside the home :D but she's really looking forward to road trips in this thing so that's good.
     
  10. Yep I've read through all of them religiously. You people are so talented it would be embarrassing for me to post anything there :eek:
    I'll try to take more pictures in the future though, only done it sporadically thus far..
     
  11. This is my daily driver in the meantime :)

    [​IMG]
     
    Jack Tatty, bernjb56, Louey and 5 others like this.
  12. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    The reason for posting is to receive help and encourage others. It’s all educating for all of us. :thumbsup:
     
    Ermintrude and vinnyboy like this.
  13. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    Welcome from sunny Barnsley.
    Pics good and bad always welcome :thumbsup:
     
  14. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    Welcome from a sunny chilly Notts :D
     
  15. Terrordales

    Terrordales Nightshift

    Hello and Welcome from The Colonial Contingent.
     
  16. scrooge95

    scrooge95 Moderator and piggy bank keeper

    Hello and welcome from down in the south of England
     
  17. Barry Haynes

    Barry Haynes I dance in leopard skin mankini’s

    Welcome from the poshest town in England
     
    Jack Tatty likes this.
  18. Day

    Day

    Hello..welcome front the Italian Alps.
     
  19. hello from yorkshire :)
     
  20. bernjb56

    bernjb56 Supporter

    Welcome along. Love Helsinki :thumbsup:
     

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