Aphroducky, a VW Bus

[Sneaks]

Yesterday was a crap day, never broke 40F, rained all day, a few flurries as it got dark. NOT READY FOR WINTER! Grrr. Today - as we know Mother Nature is bipolar - it hit almost 70, was overcast but dry. Windshield still hasn't arrived, ran to the hardware store (~30 miles away) and on the way back, hit a detour for a road race. This is rural Maine, when they say "ya caint get theyuh from heyuh," they mean it. What should have been a 90 minute jaunt ended up a little over 4 hours, the "detour" took me miles in the opposite direction before hitting a road I could use to get back home. Fun times. That left me with less time than I had hoped for the day, but I did get something accomplished. I had started the rack in the spring, then abandoned it to finish up more pressing things. Today, it got its place in the sun (clouds?). I deliberately left the center open to discourage my automatic tendency to over-pack, over-load everything. Figured if I limited my space, I might be more mindful of what I bring along (says the guy with a microwave in the cabin...).









Needed to get some heavy crimpers to do the ends for the house battery, those should be here on Tuesday, along with a new regular crimper (die-type) so I can do the wiring this week, and hopefully the windshield :(

 

[Sneaks]

I have questions... my crimping supplies showed up today. Supposed to be hit with a Nor'easter the next few days so I'm thinking of get some stuff ready in the house while riding out the storm. I have a 150A surge\80A constant isolator kit with 4GA primary wires between the isolator and the batteries (HA!! My alternator is 70A, lol). I got a heavy lug crimper tool that can do up to 0GA so I've got that covered, but then I realized I'm not sure how I should cut the cables? Definitely not gonna get done with a pair of dikes or linesman pliers :). We carry bolt cutters on our ambulances, I could borrow one to cut it but those really are more "mash it until it succumbs" vs "cutting," awesome in a get-it-done-NOW situation but not the most elegant. Would a grinder with a cutoff wheel be just as good?

The kit says to tap into the ignition but I'm thinking the alt light wire would be a better option as it would only connect them when the alternator is putting out juice instead of combining them as soon as I turn the key? This is how the Westfalia-installed relays were wired up. Yes? No? I can jump from battery to battery if I need to in a no-start, dead main battery situation. On that, I assume since the two batteries will both be grounded to the chassis, that if I need to do that for a no-start situation, I would only need to jump positive-->positive and not both poles?

The kit has 20' of the 4GA, I'm only going to need about 5' to combine the batteries. I have a fuse panel I'm going to install under the sleep platform. I was going to use 10GA (have 100' of red and black) from the house battery to the panel, but would it make sense to use the 4GA since I have it, even if I don't anticipate much draw? I plan on connecting LED interior lighting, the 100w lights up front, a Coleman cooler, small water pump, and a few 12v outlets for small electronics to the house battery through the fuse panel. I do have a 1500w inverter that will be wired separately direct to the house battery, I've calculated that 10GA would be ok if I keep the run under 4', which I plan on mounting about 18" from the battery, so within the "safe" rating for the max 60A draw. Should I use the 4GA for that too to be safe? Thanks to anyone who replies!

 

[Sneaks]

No garage so tucked it away on the side yard until spring comes.

 

[oldmopars]

I love that you are doing up an old Baywindow bus. I have had at least 5 of them over the years. I always wanted to convert one for more serious off road use. I have seen them used off road and they can go so many places due to the way they are made. My only issue with them and the reason I don't have one now is the reliability. I always seemed to be broke down somewhere and had to call my (unhappy) wife to come rescue me. I think converting one over to a Subaru engine, or some other watercooled engine would be a perfect combo.
BTW, I have owned over 35 Aircooled VW's over the years and even had a side business working on them. One year I had had enough and sold it all off at a local VW show. I miss them, but my wife is much happier.
I will keep following this. It looks good so far.

I know where there is a sweet early 70's Westfalia sitting in a barn. I am so temped to go see if it is for sale, but I am afraid it will be and I may have to sleep in it.

 

[Tyson]

This thing is incredible. They can get you so many places. My old beetle was great offroad. Thank you for sharing

 

[Sneaks]

Thanks for all the support. Weather has turned up here in Maine, snow is here and so are the cold temps. With no garage, work halts until spring, though I've been collecting some LEDs and other things so I can work on stuff inside during the next 6-7 months.

 

[Sneaks]

Spring has sorta come in Maine. We had 8" of snow on Wednesday, 55F yesterday. Mother Nature I think is off her meds. My primary job is still open for business and I volunteer nights as an EMT so despite the pandemic (and thanks to the weather), I hadn't gotten anything done other than move it back to the driveway. Did get my ham Tech license in Feb, now studying for General. Had a little time yesterday and the weather held for a few hours. $0.29 feabay LEDs “daytime running lights” make decent perimeter lighting, especially for the cost

. Not really stealth but I think inconspicuous enough that won’t detract too much visually when turned off. Still planning on a few flood lights on the corners for after dark excursions with more white light and better reach. Think these little ones will do ok for camp lighting. Have on both sides, wired to be able to be switched on side or side or both. Supposed to pour all week, got my projects all in a list so can knock stuff off as time and weather permit.

 

[Sneaks]

Yesterday snow, today almost 55F, Mother Nature needs to change her meds :). I took advantage of the nice weather since I had the middle of the day off and got some work done.

Mounted inverter, some outlets from house battery, switches for interior lighting, and switch/outlet for shore power. Mounted auxiliary fuse panel on the backside of that panel and ran feed back to engine bay. Waiting for a new multimeter/dwell tach so I can dive into getting the house wired up in earnest.





Installed sink (modified chaffing dish) and sprayer.





Cut n storage doors with magnetic latches







Carpeted front.

 

[Bugnut]

This. Is. Cool.

Love me some aircooled. Still kick myself for letting mine go. A bus would be just awesome, a dual cab T2 is on my bucket list before I check out.

Watching and hoping you'll be on some cool road trips soon.

Mike

 

[Sneaks]

Has a little time today to do stuff so carpeted pedestals, hooked up 2m radio, ran out of time to do CB :(



repurposed laptop table







finallygot grommets to wrap up exterior lighting







Wanted to get house battery wired up but snow tomorrow. Grrrr

 

[Dilldog]

This is so awesome. An old VW bus is one of those short list rigs for me. Your work looks very clean, should be a great exploration mobile!

 

[oldmopars]

There is a early 70's Type 2 Bus Westfalia sitting in a barn very near me. It is white and looks to be in good shape, but I bet it has not moved in 10+ years. I keep thinking I need to stop in and see if they want to sell it, but I don't currently have any money to offer them so I haven't.
I think it would be fun to do a project like this. I am a VW nut anyway so I know what I would be getting into.
I love how your bus is coming along. It should be a lot of fun once you can get it out and play with it.

 

[Sneaks]

Thanks, guys. I’m having fun and starting to get excited with progress. Not much done today, too many calls. Got one kick panel restored and some more curtains sewn up. Do not fear the sewing machine, it’s a tool and even has an accelerator :).

 

[Sneaks]

Welp, the "refresh" I did on the kick panels elicited a "what the hell, those are ugly as sin and don't match anything. Are you seriously going to put that in there?" from the better half. Oops. I guess she isn't into OG

. So, today had a break between meetings and cut up the leftover carpet I have to fit the factory panels. The fiberboard is surprisingly in good shape, just ugly. Waiting for a can of 3m 90 and some binding for the edges to show up so can finish them up. Yes, the passenger side one is modified to fit around a few accessories.

 

[Sneaks]

Knocked a few more things out today, nothing seems to go as quickly as I think they will :).

sink pump mounted and wired up.



what I like is the sprayer can reach out the window



CB installed, same vintage as the bus :)



battery isolator installed, but not thrilled with the fuse blocks. Rather small set screw to clamp the cable. Have some concern about how well they will stay put. Thought about safety wiring them but think leaving the the system disconnected until I source better ones is a smarter move.




made a kitchen light out of scraps and a 25 cent LED



Added some floor lighting below the bed



Lastly, wired and plumbed a real washer pump, using a momentary switch on the dash and the OEM reservoir. The VW method was to pressurize the tank with 15lbs compressed air from a tire pump, the “switch” was just a hose run up the steering column that the wiper stalk clamped shut when released. Yeh, I’m serious.

 

[Sneaks]

Took advantage of the nice weather to finish up this phase of the interior so I can move on back to mechanicals now that the ground is dry and solid. Hit the counter with poly. It’s old barn board taken from 19th building we tore down in the back yard a few years ago because of insurance reasons. Soaked up the first 4 coats hard before it finally took a gloss, love the color. Hit the new wood too.



Got the curtains wrapped up. Privacy ones come down and store under passenger seat. I love my little table:)




put the stock seats back in, the others were stupid comfy but made reaching the pedals with my stubby legs a chore. Plus,they just feel right, cup holder mounted, too.

 

[Sneaks]

pulled the right front tire old school with spoons, cleaned up the rim to fix a slow bead leak, then rebuilt front calipers, replaced soft and hard lines. Yay, can stop! Not that a bus goes fast but it does have some inertia :).





still haven’t gotten a house battery but the better half wanted see how the new lights look so grabbed the PS from my ham base and hooked it up to the house circuit. We both were pleased. Win!

 

[loper]

Nice baywindow. I have a soft spot for aircooled VWs, currently working on a '74 super beetle.

 

[Loanrangie]

Cool bus, i have a 74 1800 microbus that i was going to fit a pop-top but decided i didn't want to cut into a nice original 2 owner vehicle.
Runs great with its 200k klms on the clock and just needs a few small rust holes patched and a repaint.

 

[Sneaks]

Nice baywindow. I have a soft spot for aircooled VWs, currently working on a '74 super beetle.

my first car was a 71 Super. Loved that little thing:)

Cool bus, i have a 74 1800 microbus that i was going to fit a pop-top but decided i didn't want to cut into a nice original 2 owner vehicle.
Runs great with its 200k klms on the clock and just needs a few small rust holes patched and a repaint.

View attachment 155087

Nice bus, I want a roo bar ! Love the deluxe trim on your bus, looks good with that color

So today was GORGEOUS out. Supposed to mow the lawn but somehow got sidetracked :). Got a few more things knocked out.

Finally got my Renology fuses for my battery isolator setup so got those I and the rest of the wiring done for the house system and charging. muffler replaced, has to sound better than the blown out glass pack



Wired up an old router, mounted an old iPhone 5se off the head banger, ossed a even older 4s on the dash, both loaded up with WebCam+. Now I have a backup cam, total cost $3.99 for the extra mount. The analog bus is now digital :).















Running off local (in bus) WiFi, there’s almost no lag, clarity is decent. Will have to see how it works at night when the backup lights are on. Going to add some LED floods in the back so should be ok. If nothing else, it was fun to do.

Then kicked back with an iced coffee in the back of the bus and watched The Bus Movie.