Itinerant Air-Cooled

I'm gonna start a thread dedicated to the rejuvenation of the '79 Westy I dragged home yesterday. It's missing a lot of parts, but I think have just about everything to put it back together, save for an FI fuel pump. I'll be on the lookout for a good used one once I get to the drivetrain. First things first, I have to get this looking like a complete vehicle before the god damned codes enforcer drives by. I planned to start on it today and of course after a weekend of gorgeous weather today it's 35 and chance of snow. Ugh. Tomorrow is opening day of trout fishing season and I'll be going out to stand shoulder to shoulder with some guy I don't know on a stream that's rushing so hard from the winter thaw that nobody could possibly catch a fish. Despite the weather, the rain is tapering off so I think I'm gonna go outside and get a start on buffing and waxing it. We are supposed to be having some warmer weather later in the week so I'm gonna attempt to put the windshield back in it. First one I'm actually putting back in. I've taken plenty out along the way...but the nose on this Bus is solid as a rock and has been POR-15's around the windshield lip so it's ready to go for new glass right now. I'll put a solid coat of wax on the lip under the seal anyway before I install the glass. I've got good windshields and a new seal already. Anyway, before I ramble on all day, here are some starting pics, taken yesterday when I towed it home. If anyone needs me, I'll be outside in a winter coat wearing insulated pants and long johns, buffing and waxing the Bus. I'm gonna start on the back of the Bus so I can get tail lights and a bumper installed which will make it look like a complete vehicle from the road. It's so close to the garage you couldn't see the front end unless you walked right up to it, which this guy will never do, much too lazy for that.

You can do it!! The windshield isn't to bad putting in. Do you have someone that can help ya out? If so have them put a little pressure on the outside with their palms to help it go into place. One hand on one side of the windshield and one on the other side.Just keep them away from the edges though. I used weedeater string and windex to put mine in and it worked good. Putting the seal on the windshield itself can be alittle hairy. I had to stretch the hell out of my seal to get it on. I thought the windsheild was going to break. Put your seal in the house near heat for awhile to get it loosened up some. Then just when you're ready to put it on bring it out. Once it is in use the palms of your hands to bump it to make sure it is in place. I smacked the hell out mine and it didn't break so they can take quite a bit once they are in there.Wish I lived closer. I'd be there to help ya out no problem.

We'll have this baby up to 20 pages in no time.

Good luck!
Hey what happened to the rest of the fleet?

Wow, it's freezing outside. Started to snow while I was buffing. Once my hands thaw, I'll be going back out. Got the rear end done, shined up pretty nice!!

Get yourself a couple cans of Mexico Beige paint and touch up those spots and you'll be in like flint. =D> Lookin good so far. It's cold here too. Supposed to be 50's tommorrow. I thought winter was over.

Here too. Spring is a few weeks late. Temps below normal.

Let me know when you need the fuel pump. I thought mine was bad and bought a new one when in fact I had junk in the tank. I'm carrying around the old one as a spare, but I doubt I'll ever need it. Maybe we can arrange a swap. I'm still looking for a good radio antenna and an original gas cap!

It snowed most of the afternoon but about an hour ago it calmed down, so I dried off the side of the Bus and got the buffer back out. I took the rear bumper off of my other '79 and readied it to paint it tomorrow along with an extra front bumper I had. Installed the sidemarkers on the side I buffed and waxed, and banged out the dent in the passenger rear. I'll have to tape off the reflector on the passenger rear sidemarker and paint the rim of it black as it should be. Looks like it was backed into something and folded the corner under. I replaced the broken jalousie window in the slider with a good one I had to keep the water out. I wanted to get a lot more done today, but considering the windchills in the teens and crappy weather I didn't do too awful bad. More to come....progress pics from this afternoon:

Lookin' good, Brian!

And I thought this was gonna be a dry year for Buses. I brought a ton of them home last year, but up until now, nothing has come along this year. I just made a deal for a '76 Westy to use as a parts vehicle. He said it last ran in '07, and is mostly complete. No title or paperwork to be had with it, so I don't have much choice but to part it out. I'll be using what I need from it and passing along the rest. Hopefully gonna be picking it up this weekend. Another 10 hour day dragging home a forgotten Bus....but for now, some pics....

Sweet! At least you won't need to rip off all the parts from your '79 to put it back on the road. Lookin good man. Keep up the good work.

Obviously, these busses are finding you! You are a 'bus magnet'; nice jobs, fast work and looks good when you are done, congrats.

Is it just the lighting or camera or does that paint really look that good? Wow.

IFBwax wrote:Is it just the lighting or camera or does that paint really look that good? Wow.

I guarantee it looks that good. VDubTech can do some amazing things with a buffer.

It definitely looks that good. I am one with my buffer. The paint goes from chalky and rough to silky smooth and shiny. It's like running your hand over a pane of glass. Supposed to be more rain today but I'm hoping to get the driver's side buffed and the bumpers painted. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for the compliments! I'm making arrangements now to bring the green Westy home so I can get everything I need off of it and part out the rest.