Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year story

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Sylvester
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Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year story

Post by Sylvester » Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:16 pm

I bought Samantha four years ago and have enjoyed her almost every day since. Samantha truly is a good vibe, positive karma Bus. I have known that since I brought her home sight unseen from Indianapolis is 2007. Samantha was put back together in 1995 after sitting in a California back yard for years, and you can see how cruel those years were to her. Underneath there is a lot of rust, from sitting in the grass and not moving at all. In 1995 she was put back on the road by the PO, who did not get all the rust and bondo off the body but had it covered up, and it is showing. Four years without a garage have not helped either, but soon I will have a new home and a garage for Samantha and I to work in. Samantha and the house will be my hobbies, and I have promised her as best a restoration as I can do when that garage becomes a reality. So I drive her every weekday, in a city where air-cooled VW's are so rare that I may see another than Sam once a few months. So, I restore her a piece of a time, and that is where Colin comes in.

Colin and I have replaced the clutch, the exhaust, carburetor, intake, heat exchangers, front brakes and now the rear brakes. I bought mine from Bus Depot, and I did not buy the hardware kits because I read on here were most were crap, and I hoped all my hardware sans the shoes were OK. I did get two wheel cylinders, not the $75 ones, but the $16 ones. The shoes I got were not riveted on, but adhered and two were a little off on the surface pad to the shoe. At first I was going to use my shoes on the Bus since they did not look bad, and we cleaned and re-assembled the passenger side drum, only to find the drivers side leaking and the pads chipped on the side. So, off came the passenger side again, Colin re-doing that side in one third the time it took me the first time. And here is the wrench in the cog, my top spring on the drivers side had snapped and was still attached, and I had no replacement. I called Zabo and he had some, but he was out of town. The guys at Stockornaut Restorations had one, but they were a distance away. Colin thought we could find one at the local FLAPS store, so off to AutoBone we went. I did ask at the desk and we got nothing in stock, with Colin mentioning to the counter guy this was the bane of corporate America, just junk and no choice. But lo and behold I found a kit that seemed to be made for ACVW's at Advance Auto, they had let Colin and I dig through their inventory and we found a bag that had the closest spring, and even had the retainers, clips and pins that we used on the drivers side wheel.

This is how crunchy the drivers hub looked:

Image

Here is Colin looking at the drivers side hub, it was leaking from the cylinder, so we replaced it too:

Image

We cleaned the backing plate, Colin sanded the drum in a criss-cross pattern, and with the new retainers and spring, the drum went back together like budda.

Image

With Colin there the brake job went a smooth as could with only a few bumps in the road. Samantha really is a good karma Bus, with all this rust you would have thought the hubs would have had to have been heated and pounded off, when it all just came apart. I put both sides back together, Colin then instructed me how to properly adjust the parking brake. Remember, adjust brakes, then adjust emergency brake. Now 5 clicks and it is set. Here is both sides painted and ready for the wheels:

Image

Image

We also replaced my oil pressure sender that was leaking, and adjusted my rich running carburetor. It runs without that lag that had developed this winter, and will use less gas now. With a few test drives we had the brakes perfect and the carburetor running great! Samantha is now running and stopping great, with the Atlanta run you over traffic, this is a must to have.

So here you have it, have the Itinerant Air Cooled mechanic visit you and fix a part of your favorite ride. Then you can take that knowledge and keep these nostalgic running museums on the road a few more years. Peace man!

Image
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:23 am

Sylvester wrote: I restore her a piece of a time,
With a few test drives we had the brakes perfect and the carburetor running great!
That really is a good bus. We need to address the rust prevention angle.
Today, I remove the windshield in the BobD along those lines.
You going to remove the shocks to see if the squeak goes away?
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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Sylvester
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Sylvester » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:17 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
Sylvester wrote: I restore her a piece of a time,
With a few test drives we had the brakes perfect and the carburetor running great!
That really is a good bus. We need to address the rust prevention angle.
Today, I remove the windshield in the BobD along those lines.
You going to remove the shocks to see if the squeak goes away?
Colin
Rust never sleeps, bondo never lies, grease never slithers, is that how I said it? I will have to do the shocks the weekend after next. Next rust attack is the windshield, if I can just get that garage to do it. Doing windshield repair outside would be the day we got massive sudden thunderstorms.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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zabo
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by zabo » Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:33 am

sorry i wasnt around to save you from the 'zone - but glad you found the spring!
Back in town now- was a nice weekend down at hunting island sc
60 beetle
78 bus

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:09 am

zabo wrote:sorry i wasnt around to save you from the 'zone - but glad you found the spring!
Back in town now- was a nice weekend down at hunting island sc
When is your VWgittergether in Atlanta?
I am going to Miami tomorrow if I get the windshield in without a disaster, but will be back in Atlanta on Tuesday.
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: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by rustbus » Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:31 pm

Hey Colin,

I'd love to hear how your windshield removal goes - i assume you are taking it out without damage to the seal or anything else?

something i want to do soon...

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by zabo » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:58 am

Amskeptic wrote: When is your VWgittergether in Atlanta?
I am going to Miami tomorrow if I get the windshield in without a disaster, but will be back in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Colin
Its next wed, the 13th.
- right down the street from where we saw you last time, if the weathers nice. (outdoor seating)
If the location changes i'll let you know.

urban pie
2012 Hosea Williams Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30317


have fun with the windshield :compress:
60 beetle
78 bus

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by sped372 » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:08 am

Sylvester wrote: Image
Is that paint or rust converter? Just curious.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

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Sylvester
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Sylvester » Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:11 am

sped372 wrote: Is that paint or rust converter? Just curious.

It is Dupli-Color Engine Enamel Ceramic spray. Colin recommended it, and we coated it thick with the stuff. I can report later how well it holds up.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:23 am

Sylvester wrote: It is Dupli-Color Engine Enamel Ceramic spray.
Not too thick now, we got about two coats. Does the can mention "ceramic"? I thought it was just the garden variety engine enamel good for 500*.
ColinInUpperFlorida
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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Sylvester
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Sylvester » Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:31 am

Sylvester wrote:It is Dupli-Color Engine Enamel Ceramic spray. Colin recommended it, and we coated it thick with the stuff. I can report later how well it holds up.
Amskeptic wrote:Not too thick now, we got about two coats. Does the can mention "ceramic"? I thought it was just the garden variety engine enamel good for 500*.
ColinInUpperFlorida

It is CERAMIC (tm), meaning they have some gimmick "Ceramic formulation" verbiage on the can. Maybe ordinary, maybe extraordinary (The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is "EXTRA", my quote not theirs). So far it has not burned off or flaked, we'll see long term. And yes, I coat my stuff pretty thick, Colin is the spray paint pro here.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:58 pm

Sylvester wrote: Colin is the spray paint pro here.
Only the finest pine needle texture and plump bug paint braille . . . :
Image
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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Sylvester
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Sylvester » Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:26 pm

Amskeptic wrote:Only the finest pine needle texture and plump bug paint braille . . . :
Image
What kind of paint was this? This is a far cry from a paint booth ya know.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:17 pm

Sylvester wrote:
What kind of paint was this? This is a far cry from a paint booth ya know.
Rustoleum Gloss Black Engine Enamel. Actually not too bad of a paint.
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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Sylvester
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Re: Sylvester, Samantha the Bus and Amskeptic, a four year s

Post by Sylvester » Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:13 pm

I tell you there is nothing better than driving a fine tuned stoppable Baywindow Bus through town. Upper 70's and going on errands with the vents open, the window down and some 70's tunes on the radio. More than one person telling me they loved the Bus, and the nods from the younger crowd when I pull up. You will never get this in Ford F150 brothers and sisters!
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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