The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Bus, Microbus, Transporter, Station Wagon, Vanagon, Camper, Pick-Up.

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

Post Reply
User avatar
vwlover77
IAC Addict!
Location: North Canton, Ohio
Status: Offline

The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by vwlover77 » Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:55 pm

Greetings from rainy, tropical northeast Ohio! It's been a while since I've posted here... life has been quite busy!

The paint on the nose of my 78 Westy has been bad since I bought the Bus in 2005. The paint was blistering and lifting; finally a big chunk peeled off. When I saw how much rust was traveling under the paint, I decided that it was time to refinish it.

I took it down to bare metal with a rotary sander, sandblasted the rust pitted areas, rattle-can primed it, filled the dents, and tried my hand at spraying the finish coat with an HVLP spray gun in my garage. THAT was a misadventure that I will never repeat for the sake of my lungs and brain cells, at least not without building a temporary "paint booth" with good ventilation. (I did use a respirator, but by the end, the smell was starting to come through.)

I also took the opportunity to remove the spare tire carrier from the nose, which I've been wanting to do for a long time. The VW emblem is from my very first Bus, a '71. It fills and covers the holes drilled for the spare tire carrier perfectly!

Here's a couple of pictures of the work-in-progress and the final results. The color match to the Maaco paint on the rest of the Bus is not perfect, but pretty darn close. Up close, it's clear it's a first-time amateur's work, but it still looks better than it did! Overall, I'm pleased.

Image

Image

Image

Image
Don

---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick

"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen

User avatar
zabo
Old School!
Location: earth
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by zabo » Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:20 pm

Looks great in the pictures! nice work
60 beetle
78 bus

User avatar
Randy in Maine
IAC Addict!
Location: Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Randy in Maine » Wed Jul 15, 2015 4:06 am

Nice work!!

It looks like new.
79 VW Bus

User avatar
wcfvw69
Old School!
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by wcfvw69 » Wed Jul 15, 2015 5:41 am

For your first time, that looks amazing! nice job!!
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

User avatar
sped372
IAC Addict!
Location: Waunakee, WI
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by sped372 » Wed Jul 15, 2015 6:01 am

Yes, nice work!
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

Squeebles
I'm New!
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Squeebles » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:27 am

I'm impressed. Good job and thanks for posting the pics.
1977 VW Bus, 2.0 FI

User avatar
Mike Boell
Old School!
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Mike Boell » Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:56 pm

Looks great to me. Nice job.
Mike Boell
1975 FI Westy
Oregon City

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN THEY'RE PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

User avatar
Mr Blotto
IAC Addict!
Location: Northern Burbs / Chicago
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Mr Blotto » Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:35 am

Looks great to me. Nice Job. Make me miss my Westy :-(
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles :-(

User avatar
vwlover77
IAC Addict!
Location: North Canton, Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by vwlover77 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:09 am

Mr Blotto wrote:Make me miss my Westy :-(
WHAT???? You sold your Westy??? When??? WHY??? (Sorry, I've been off the board for a while...)
Don

---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick

"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen

User avatar
Mulcheese
Getting Hooked!
Location: Maple Grove, Mn
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Mulcheese » Sat Jul 25, 2015 5:17 am

Very nice and clean job!!
"attending to things in the moment with curiosity and acceptance."
____________________
82 Vanagon Westy - aka: Honey Badger - "cause she just dont give a ...."

User avatar
Mr Blotto
IAC Addict!
Location: Northern Burbs / Chicago
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Mr Blotto » Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:18 pm

vwlover77 wrote:
Mr Blotto wrote:Make me miss my Westy :-(
WHAT???? You sold your Westy??? When??? WHY??? (Sorry, I've been off the board for a while...)
Yep - this spring - got an offer I could not refuse - yep, I have seller's remorse :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Your bus looks great - looks way better w/o the spare tire/cover on the front IMHO.
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles :-(

User avatar
vwlover77
IAC Addict!
Location: North Canton, Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by vwlover77 » Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:21 am

Mr Blotto wrote:Yep - this spring - got an offer I could not refuse - yep, I have seller's remorse :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
I've been there. It was seller's remorse that caused me to buy this Bus! Are you shopping? :bounce:
Don

---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick

"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: The Tortoise gets a Nose Job!

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:27 am

vwlover77 wrote:
Mr Blotto wrote:Yep - this spring - got an offer I could not refuse - yep, I have seller's remorse :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
I've been there. It was seller's remorse that caused me to buy this Bus! Are you shopping? :bounce:
Damn, I am late to the party AGAIN.

Looks good with that emblem. Glad to see you joined us in the world of painting our own cars. Now you know why I am brain-damaged ever since rattle-can painting the Road Warrior without a respirator mask for the first half of the job . . .
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Post Reply