Nick's 1971 Westy

[Six Volt]

Yea! Keep at it. Welding can be an adventure!

[blue71]

My dad and I worked on putting more parts together today on the westy. The bus didn't come with the aluminum pieces for the top hold down, so some were salvaged thanks to Keith B Just any FYI for everybody, the holes don't line up on the aluminum parts from different buses, even if of the same year. The window in the sliding door didn't like to open very well, so I installed the other spare I bought in the fall and it works pretty well, just have to clean it and its twin up. I have a line on another closet of the right veneer, we'll see how that turns out. Hinges are still MIA. The wiring works, wall socket and 68 seat socket are wired together for the time being. The clock radio played Christmas music for us. Their switch and fuse aren't hooked up since we didn't know how to wire them in correctly.

How does the 3 bulb stock domelight attach and get wired? The Bentley just shows the stock domelights that are 1 bulb.


I also played with the motor charging problems and found out that the generator was fried by the PO. My fun with that is under "Getting the 71 westy to run" thread in the bus engine section.


A shade change perhaps, and a top rejuvenation?






Need to reinstall bumper and drill emblem holes.



What do you think of the floor sample? It's stuff from Menards.


Awesome cleaner works wonders on old dirt



I forgot the bolt for the headache rack. The vent window will be replaced when I am able to get free time to call glassmaster Dan when its not 100 degrees out.

[Howie]

That flooring looks good! Nice job!

[CraigOnTheBoat]

Looks real good!!

[blue71]

It wouldn't start with new generator, battery, starter, and ignition switch so I bought a ton of 6ga wire. It's too thick, but I got it to work. Now it turns over and starts. The choke was scavenged from a different carb. Now it's finally 2 colors again, photos after it dries. There are some imperfections in the job, but it's a LEAKOIL bus.

Now to reinstall the bumpers, rear apron, and figure out the emblem placement and go for a test drive.

[blue71]

It's nearing completion! I think this one probably qualifies as my first "real" project to date since the 3 other bugs I've to have were so bad I sold/parted them, the bug (Hans) came mechanically ok, but in need, and the bus (Olaf) was in need of assembly.

The bumpers are on and the main interior is installed, still minus doors I need to get mom to make some curtains from the templates I have on hand and make a bag to fit the tent and poles. I have a blue plaid fabric for that, as well as a surprise for the yellow vinyl later on down the road. The flooring and wood paneling will be done later when I have the funds. For now I'm gonna find a cheapo rug and rough it The hubcaps were roached, but as always I have original spares from a different ride that are in a bit better shape and need chrome polish Looking at the front doors I found a steel stamping like the ones that were on early wheels saying "4/71", which matches the vin sticker on the B pillar. I looked more and the wheels have the same stamp on them, now to check the rest of the panels for a 'numbers matching look'


Those seats I put in it are actually WHITE and GREY not a two tone grey, cleaning things with Awesome cleaner shows off whats underneath.


Here are some photos. It was originally pastell white according to the m plate, as is a spare ratty mirror in a box of parts. Need to find my stash of good replacement mirrors! The color change was done by me from who knows what shade of blue by a PO to royal blue, not a great respray due to it being hot that day, (runs/rough patches) but it does the job for now. I may redo it later, or at least fix the runs with 2000 grit wet-sanding.


when picked up


now




still some dents from that damn tire carrier, need a slide hammer puller thingy or more filler before restoring the emblem to it's place....

Anyone know what the little plastic plugs things are that hold the emblem in the holes, who sells them, and their placement?





rotten original hatch, future welding project


replacement before repaint


the repainted rear hatch


The taillight harness is all fubar'ed to not have any wires to go to the corner reflectors, find ones or ignore and later fill?


bumper steps are so so underneath, and I should strip the old old white paint off the black rubber eventually, or spray with black Krylon



Learning bodywork and filler use, tried to fix up the problems caused by a PO, not much rust there, but dents etc. I'm not great at sanding, 40 to 200 is all I did, should have used a block I guess.

[blue71]

I drove to Wakeman to get gas, had a ton of funny looks and waves from folks. My dad followed me in his truck just in case anything happened, good thing he did. The westy was a bit slow to accelerate and then died on the way home. I called Sean as soon as I saw smoke but no fire thankfully! Smoke was coming out of the breather tube for the oil, it still has oil in it, and everything was really really hot back there, bumper apron, carb, oil stick, distributor. The drums were hot as well. After talking to Sean for a bit he recommended letting it cool down. We did, and limped I did in 2nd for 2 miles of fun times. I'm going to look for a 46mm wrench in my stuff, then swing by a few places to see who has one I can borrow out west so I can check out the brakes all the way around. After that, I'm going to check the timing and make sure my points didn't fry after I search for the degree markings on the pulley.

Thanks a ton Sean for the advice!

[Howie]

The "funny looks & waves" from people was them trying to tell ya, "Hey! Ya'll's bus has SMOKE pouring out the back!".

[wwebner]

Anyone know what the little plastic plugs things are that hold the emblem in the holes, who sells them, and their placement?

I have some.
Bill

[blue71]

I'll stop by your shop on the way home from Elyria today. Do you have a 46mm socket I could borrow too Bill?