Naranja Westy Road Trip - Done!

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Amskeptic
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Naranja Westy Road Trip - Done!

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Dec 10, 2015 7:18 am

Had to hit the road. Had to hit the road southbound to guarantee proper painting temperatures.
Waded into metro Atlanta traffic with the specter of a clogged fuel filter causing mayhem on the highway, but guess what? I got 160 miles to Perry GA before the engine started protesting a lack of fuel. A couple of bucks and backfires, and I dumped off the interstate, turned left because it was the more clear path to marshall my momentum, and I made it to exactly here:

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This time, I promised Naranja that I would replace that long-suffering fuel filter that has been blown out with blasts of carburetor spray some eight times already.
Let's Review:
I swore I did not want to drop the engine and pull the gas tank, even when I had to establish flow by reaming out the fuel nipples with a coat hanger. Many times, I wondered if this was folly. The first time we got the engine running, the filter gave us about 15 minutes before it died.

#2 (driving it home after buying it) Fuel Filter Clean-out:

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I decided that I would clean the filter every time it bucked. I got a good 60 miles on my way to pick up the nos Leistritz muffler. There was an overlay of ruined volatility occurring as well. The varnish on the bottom of the tank would dissolve into the fuel and render it less combustible. But I would only add a couple of gallons at a time, because I did not want a whole full tank of gas to get wrecked if I had to do a full draindown. Well, I never did have to drain the tank, and you all should know that these engines (even the dainty little fuel injected ones) will indeed run on the worst-looking craptastic gas imagineable.

#4 (day I went to get nos muffler) Fuel Filter Clean-out:

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Good thing I got the RandyInMaine-recommended 7/16" fuel hose from NAPA yesterday. The original large fuel hose had delaminated between the outer and inner rubber and had developed a chronic leak somewhere in the past 160 miles.
Yesterday's on-the-road Fuel Filter Clean-out:

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I say I am home free. I say this gas tank does not need to be removed, the car is running smoothly, has good (excellent after Chloe) power on the hills, and I am glorying in that new Volkswagen engine perk . . . it has exactly the same sound whether cruising or under full power. Steering is unbelievably light, just a little loosey-vague, and the brakes are reassuring, and the gearbox is exactly as it should be (no more muscling into 4th like I had to all summer with Chloe's Rancho rebuild):

The interior is a mess. There is NO WAY I can use a Westy as an Itinerant Road Warrior, it just cannot stow my inventory worth a damn. As it is, I am relegated to the poptop bunk, surveying chaos strewn about below. The cactus, however, does not care, it has thrown out two blooms:

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So.
First, an exhaust system paint, crossover/muffler replacement in Valdosta.

Second, front wheel bearings, chassis lube and some body/front beam rust eradication along the way.

Third, weisswurst has offerred to host the ever-dangerous removal of the original Volkswagen/Audi windshield (this one has a number of stress scratches and pock marks, to make it even more dicey) so I can treat the windshield channel, prime and paint, and install a new windshield seal.
Fourth, I'd like to trundle over to Pensacola (gas tank willing) and maybe help jackstar with some assembly of his Westy and maybe he will let me weld in a new battery tray while I am there.

Then, I must hie back to the frozen reaches of Atlanta where this car will have to sit outside all winter without me howling every time it rains.
Colin

get used to it, Naranja . . . :

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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

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Bleyseng
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by Bleyseng » Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:40 am

Looks like if you rotated the tool box and pushed it against the passenger seat you could fold out the bed. When I camp I have to put everything upstairs (duffel bags of clothes) so I can sleep on the bed. Everything else fits in the cabinets except the camp stove.

What all do you carry?? Dump the coke as its really bad for you, Wayne finally gave it up....
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by 71whitewesty » Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:31 am

I also believe there is a way to conveniently store all you bring in that westy. I carry a different set of gear when we travel but I can fit everything a family of four needs for extended periods including 3 or 4 bikes and a stack of boards and windsurfing gear AND the interior floor space is clean and uncluttered so that my wife and pop back there and tend to the kids when needed. Granted I do put a lot of that stuff on top and use a bike rack.
It is a must in a westy that you can comfortably stretch out and sleep at anytime, without popping the top in. Y opinion.
However it works, I think everyone is excited to see you in a westy this year.

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sped372
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by sped372 » Thu Dec 10, 2015 10:30 am

It takes some time to figure out the best way to stash everything, and everyone likely has strategies that work best for them and whatever cargo they bring along, but once you get it down pat the cabinets all serve uniquely specialized purposes. It's easily possible to bring a ton of stuff and not have anything 'out and about' while driving along. Large toolboxes excepting.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

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tristessa
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by tristessa » Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:15 pm

Bleyseng wrote:When I camp I have to put everything upstairs (duffel bags of clothes) so I can sleep on the bed.
That's why I put a high-top on my Westy .. but it was a high-mileage hacked-by-PO rig when I *bought* it, and I've felt no need to bring it back to stock condition. :evil:
Bleyseng wrote:Dump the coke as its really bad for you, Wayne finally gave it up....
So what does he mix with his Jack these days...? :scratch:
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by phaedrus76 » Thu Dec 10, 2015 2:48 pm

Amskeptic wrote: Then, I must hie back to the frozen reaches of Atlanta where this car will have to sit outside all winter without me howling every time it rains.
Colin

get used to it, Naranja . . . :
Please, say it ain't so. As a person that has spent countless hours removing rodent intrusion, I urge you to find good indoor storage. These things are regular rodent motels with a Habitrail of inviting pipes and ductwork just screaming "C'mon in ... nest here!".
76 Sage Green Deluxe Westy w/ manual trans.

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wcfvw69
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by wcfvw69 » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:31 pm

It simply sounds like Colin is a "hoarder" when on the road and brings TOO much crap w/him. While I've only taken a couple of trips in my 70' Westphalia, I was simply shocked how much room was in there to pack stuff. I still had plenty of room after packing.

Maybe we should have a "intervention" for Colin. Have a group of veteran bus folks access exactly what he's hauling all over the country. I'd start with the monstrous tool box. While I didn't peak in it while you were here, I wonder if you couldn't go through it and down size a few things and carry the tools in carry bags? That would appear to free up a lot of space.

The bottom line Colin is most of us want to see you driving this on next years itinerary. There is the comfort of a nice camper with an actual bed, stove and other comforts from home. I'll 'gently' remind you that you're not getting any younger... LMAO..
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

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cheesehead
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by cheesehead » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:35 pm

Leave it outside.....at the least get a bus cover! Not to mention I wanted to see it in person.

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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Dec 10, 2015 7:55 pm

cheesehead wrote:Leave it outside.....at the least get a bus cover! Not to mention I wanted to see it in person.
If my BobD cover fits, I will use it for the first time . . .

Got the exhaust pieces prepared . . . here the tap and die set is helping me clean the threads on the nos cross over pipe:

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This is the clangy cobbled-together tailpipe and holy holy holey muffler:

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Hunderd bucks for this, and I met a fellow baywindow enthusiast somewhere in the middle of Georgia:

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Once again, Itinerant Air-Cooled takes to the trees:

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Once again, Itinerant Air-Cooled takes to the curbs:

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Although the seller was quite fond of this dealer plate, "keep it on the car, that is where we bought it from," I ripped the thing off:

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Glued on plastic is a likely initiator of rust, and I am on a rust-eradication rampage:

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Razored down to the primer here, the topcoat was lifting under the plastic dealer plate to expose another secret of this car . . . painted twice in the rear :pale:

We have factory phosphate-factory paint, grey primer-orangy topcoat, red primer - current topcoat, all in little rings under the dealer plate. You shall be treated to the results of my efforts to "color match".

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The poptop frame makes a splendid mobile parts drying rack:

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While waiting for the exhaust parts to dry, I tried to clean up the hideous overspray on the doors:

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It is a work-in-progress, all of it:
Colin

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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

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asiab3
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by asiab3 » Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:22 pm

Amskeptic wrote:The poptop frame makes a splendid mobile parts drying rack:
What a game changer! Pretty soon you're going to be hanging plastic sheeting to paint in the windy rainstorms.

WHEN you find an engine compartment seal like Chloe's that is all one quality piece, please let us know. The Wolfsburg West 4-piece seal is jive.
asiab3 wrote:Something tells me you might be keeping this car after all. ;)
Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:33 am

asiab3 wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:The poptop frame makes a splendid mobile parts drying rack:
asiab3 wrote:Something tells me you might be keeping this car after all. ;)
Robbie
Bah!

Yesterday's h.o.r.r.i.f.i.c. exhaust system repair had me at the very edge of my fifty six year-old little bald edge. It was such a lovely Valdosta GA day for December 11th, sunny! 80*! Gnats a billion! What could possibly invade such a lovely damn day as this?

Michigan, that's what. The three years spent as a daily driver in Michigan with road salt still being found underneath, had welded the rusted exhaust system together regardless of any old "nuts" and "bolts".

I had this job timed to the remaining daylight, and spent good care removing bolts and nuts so that this cross over pipe might be a future spare, oh what a waste of my good intentions. Hacked the muffler off lickety-split,
"It's a great day!"

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Dremeled two left side nuts and one bolt head clean off (terribly tight quarters under there, you late bus people may know of this),
"Hey at least it is a the bugs aren't totally awful little annoying bastards flying in my eyes while dremeling kind of day"

I had dremeled the right side nuts off by 1:00PM, but the three STUDS on the right side of the crossover were completely welded inside of the right exchanger flange holes.
It is quickly becoming a what the hell am I doing in a FIELD in the middle of NOWHERE with a MICHIGAN road salt-welded MESS on my hands sort of day.

After hours of anthropological carefulness with the dremel, various pry implements, PB Blaster baptisms, even a damn hacksaw disassembled, inserted in between the studs and flanges, reassembled and sawed and sawed (note to self, twenty year old blade is "dull"), no dice, no dice, no dice. Sun going down. Running out of time. Drift punches in the totally sawed-off-smooth studs did not budge the cross over off the heat exchanger flange. The heat exchanger flange, I did not want to bend or break . . . . Six cutting wheels, a few zings against nearby sheet metal, some molten specks against my eye lids, oh and a couple of hours later, we are running out of time. Arms feeling like lead. You cannot hit a Michigan Road Salt Exhaust System too many times! It is not exactly strong in the areas that you happen not to be hitting with a sledge over and over and over again, but are depending on to stay together.
That is a 5:00PM shadow in the photograph below. Once again, a little desperate anger carefully applied, can help. I got out the sledge and just whanged that pig:

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Here is the Michigan Road Salt Flange:

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So, now the light is failing. Now, a full three hours later than expected, I have to dress the flange ears on the heat exchangers to make them "flatter" and dremel off old gasket metal that is contact/rust/time welded to the flange metal . The gnats are celebrating with the mosquitoes. There is shredded barbed grass locked into my drop towel. All of this to say, it is a tad uncomfortable, and in the dark, the UltraCopper rtv and the copper anti-seize become somewhat interchangeable as I rush-install the system.
But where is the two hole gasket, the only two hole gasket on the entire system? Not found on the Bus Depot paperwork, not found on the Wolfsburg West paperwork, I guess I never had one. Must Fabricate:

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What a long day . . .
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

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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by weisswurst » Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:10 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
It is quickly becoming a what the hell am I doing in a FIELD in the middle of NOWHERE with a MICHIGAN road salt-welded MESS on my hands sort of day.


What a long day . . .
Colin
Agreed, especially when this repair (although very cool out in the field) could be spent here either in the building or parked under the new "pole barn" that is perfect for camping in your westy under and is getting a new toilet and shower drain field Sunday morning! you will never want to leave with the HOT weather we have had during the day lately :pale: (I prefer colder weather this time of year)
C'mon Colin get here already!
Jeffveryexcitedtoseeyou :pirate:
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by wcfvw69 » Sat Dec 12, 2015 2:07 pm

Wow.. that exhaust was RUUSSTTTYYYY... Ugh...

It is amazing how quickly salt/snow destroy cars. Back in the early 80's, ton's of folks from the rust belt area's where moving to the San Diego area and brought there rust buckets with them. I was working as an alignment/frame tech. They'd bring their cars in for an alignment and I'd gasp when looking under it. You couldn't free any of the tie rod adjusters and all the bolts for camber/caster adjustments were frozen as well. A torch was a good friend to have when aligning them. I flipping hated working on those rust belt cars...

You're an animal Colin to do that repair where you did it. Most SANE people would of assessed how rusty that system was and waited to get somewhere with a garage, torch and other heavier tools. :)
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:21 am

wcfvw69 wrote:
You're an animal Colin to do that repair where you did it. Most SANE people would of assessed how rusty that system was and waited to get somewhere with a garage, torch and other heavier tools. :)

There's an assessment step?
::troll2::
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

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Re: Naranja Westy Road Trip

Post by weisswurst » Mon Dec 14, 2015 4:23 am

My fellow IAC brethren, the Maestro and Naranja have arrived intact and in one piece (at least they were when they got here :cyclopsani: )
I'll let him fill you in at his pace when he discovers the WiFi but I will tell you it's shaping up to be an interesting visit!
Damn shame that I have to leave for a day or two but the rest of my family and neighbors here will be enjoying Colin and his antics in my absence (my 6 year old already had him do a "safety repair" on his battle sword and really enjoys having him here). :flower:
jeff
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