Author Topic: 1971 Deluxe Project  (Read 8126 times)

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Offline gsun

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1971 Deluxe Project
« on: January 19, 2017, 07:42:15 PM »
About time I posted on the restoration of my 1971 Deluxe sunroof bus. I got it in April 2013 out of Salem Oregon. Been sitting ever since. Finally got around to getting it going. This is when I picked it up.









First I built a place to work in my warehouse.




Then I bought a parts bus from Geoff and stripped it. Good I did because I need a lot of parts! This was it when done.



I have stripped the 71 down to where it needs to be pretty well. The engine is at Dana's Miller Auto for a rebuild. New cylinders, pistons, bearings and all.
I found bits of rust during the process.

Front floor is rusty.



But the cargo floor is good.



Rust around the sunroof but I have a spare roof from a Westy (thanks again to Geoff) so will cut the metal needed out of it. The slider portion has rust but Geoff gave me a spare when I bought the roof.



All windows are out - rubber is no good, the dashboard is cracked - back to the parts bus. It had a good one.
 

There was no chrome trim around the belt line but there are holes that have been filled in. The parts bus had a full set of trim.

According to the M plate, it originally was Pastel white on top and Elm Green on the bottom. Not my favorite. Going to paint it Niagara Blue. Alabaster basket weave interior which is what I wanted. But maybe something else...

It's about ready (after a serious clean!) to go into the body shop. I intend to pick peoples brains a bit - hope you don't mind.... :86:

Report back later.

« Last Edit: October 31, 2017, 09:22:31 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2017, 07:19:05 PM »
Got the engine bay clean. It's green! Never would have known that. Took three hours and two rolls of paper towels to find it.
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2017, 07:20:40 PM »
New problem. The engine case is toast. Can't be machined. On to the spare engine. See how that turns out....
9 years and counting....

Offline silas

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2017, 11:24:19 PM »
right on! nice w/h & work area and cool bus! have fun and keep us posted on the progress!  :cool:

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2017, 09:42:25 PM »
Spare engine is worse than the original! Located another that is supposed to be in good shape. Have new heads, pistons and bearings anyway so I have high hopes. It is going into the body shop the first week of March. Been ordering new seals and other parts. It will at least be driveable this summer.
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2017, 07:53:58 PM »
Took her into the body shop today. Going to be a while. Probably a month to six weeks. They are a bit backed up....
9 years and counting....

Offline Geoff

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2017, 07:38:35 PM »
Good to see it underway!

Offline kinggeorge13

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2017, 02:04:30 PM »
Don't know if you want to divulge but it would be super-interesting to know what they end up charging for the body work and paint job.   That's a lot of work you did to get everything removed from the bus inside and out.   Can't wait to see it when it comes back!   
1975 Westy, Serenity
1975 Westy, Jack Sparrow
1979 Kombi, Pistachio
1979 Kombi, Oliver
1977 Tin top camper, Cosmos
1974 Westy, Garfield
1973 Tin top camper, Bart (now thinking he's 1976)
1974 gutted Riviera, Casper
1975 Westy, Stella
1979 Super Beetle, Penelope
1967 Fastback, Green Hornet

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2017, 07:10:06 PM »
I'll let you know. I should have saved the parts bus until all the windows were out. Could have used some of the metal. Also there was a leak in the rear hatch and the panel on the inside left is rusted. Picture of this added. Overall, not a lot of rust. Picture is after a serious clean. Still needs some blasting.





« Last Edit: October 31, 2017, 09:39:27 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2017, 07:29:38 PM »
Finished with the engine tin. Blasted, primed and top coated two coats of black and two clear. Not shown are the heater boxes and the air cleaner.



« Last Edit: October 31, 2017, 09:04:29 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2017, 09:15:23 PM »
Phase two complete. Geoff worked really hard on the metal replacement.

Both lower rear corners replaced along with the battery tray.





Driver and passenger side floors replaced.





Rocker under the slider replaced. Geoff made it.



Geoff also made pieces along both sides of the sunroof



Cut and patched under the front window. Couldn't see the problem until after I took out the window. Also the left rear window got a patch.



There were other areas. The driver dogleg needed a patch. The passenger dogleg was hit and needed attention. In front of the right side wheel well needed a patch. The left side was hit and someone, rather than pulling it all the way out, put about a half inch of mud on it! Geoff pulled a lot of it out but more work needs to be done. Got a driver door and a slider rather than fix the original ones. Less work. It's going to the body shop next week for finish work and paint. Hope it doesn't take too long....
Overall it wasn't too bad and the bus is now very solid.

« Last Edit: October 31, 2017, 09:02:11 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline silas

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2017, 10:08:24 PM »
looks solid! nice to get some metal replaced and holes fixed!

whatever happened to the rest of the parts bus? scrapped?


Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2017, 10:00:42 PM »
Yep. I got 12 bucks for it. It was a rusty mess. Kept all the salvageable parts and some not so salvageable...
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2017, 05:11:50 PM »
The body guy never did get around to starting so I took it to another fellow. He has started and should be done in a couple weeks and on to paint. Only have a couple pics.



« Last Edit: October 31, 2017, 09:32:55 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2017, 09:28:26 PM »
Found a new picture hosting site. Imgur. Really easy to save pics and upload to forums. Let's see how much crap they send me....
9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2017, 09:42:20 PM »
Motor is done. 1600 DP. Put together by Dana at Miller Automotive. It will be a bit before installation, but at least it's ready!







9 years and counting....

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2017, 09:48:06 PM »
I followed advice and worked on the aluminum deluxe trim. For the beltline I used oven cleaner to get the anodizing off. Then 0000 steel wool and then Mothers Mag and Alum polish. It really shines. But for the window trim, I didn't bother with the oven cleaner. Just used the polish and steel wool together. Worked pretty well. Here's a pic of a half done piece.

9 years and counting....

Offline BUSDADDY

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2017, 09:32:20 AM »
Looking good G, but I see a few issues on the engine you'll need to adress before it goes in.

The front tin over the flywheel is for a beetle, the bus version has added sections on the upper corners to match up with the hole in the firewall. Those heat exchangers are also beetle, the cables won't reach the control arms, bus ones have a lever on the outside facing up. The fuel line zip tied to the heat riser tube is going to be interesting. I don't see any seals on the oil cooler exhaust ducting, recycled warm air doesn't help cool much. That alternator pulley might give you problems, watch the swaps for an OG one so you'll have one ready when it disintegrates. Once it's on the road you'll find out if that 009 needs some carb rejetting to fix a flat spot, that muffler may be OK, but some of the new ones are restricted internally and act like a governor ~55 MPH. The chrome parts are something you'll have to figure out the hard way, once again watch the swaps for OG parts.
The pulley, distributor and muffler are things that can be dealt with later, but the front tin, oil cooler seals and heater levers are easier to fix when it's out, now's the time for thermostat flaps as well.
Interesting garage you have there, cool!
RUST NEVER SLEEPS

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2017, 09:03:07 PM »
Interesting. All the tin came off the bus. I pulled it, blasted it and painted it. The heat exchangers as well. I have another set so I'll compare. The cables were hooked up. The pulley was not off the bus. I'll check on the muffler. The chrome valve covers are going to be replaced. Those were temporary. Not my garage! I wish!
9 years and counting....

Offline BUSDADDY

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #19 on: November 26, 2017, 10:46:59 AM »
Well it's not uncommon to see a bug motor slapped in as a unit from a junkyard find, not everyone can spot the subtle differences in the tin, especially if the bus motor is already gone. The 71 only tin has added "ears", the 68-70 also works but you have to cut a hole for the oil cooler exhaust. I made up a few pairs of ears years ago, I'll see if I can find you a pair that you can weld or screw on.



The heater levers can be adapted by removing that linkage on the inner sides and bending the lever back over on itself so it faces upwards, if it was somehow connected before you'll have to fix the cable tubes as well since they must have been cut loose and bent to reach. Here's a universal replacement heat exchanger with both lever styles for comparison.




Another thing I just noticed is the generator, if it's a 30 amp Beetle version opposed to the 38 amp bus model you'll need a 30 amp voltage regulator or the generator will die from overwork. It looks like it has the 38 amp tin, make sure the pulleys align now since the bug generator is shorter.
The pulley looks like an EMPI product, some last OK, but more often that not they get loose and wobbly fairly soon, make sure you have at least 10 shims in the stack so the cupped washer clamps down tight when the nut is tightened up.
RUST NEVER SLEEPS

Offline BUSDADDY

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2017, 11:13:58 AM »
Oh yeah, regarding the muffler....

Some recent Jopex (AKA Dansk or JP group) mufflers have a restrictive tailpipe opening as well as a smaller than normal tailpipe and damper, you'll be able to tell once it's on the road, some work fine, others can't go faster than 55 no matter how hard you mash the pedal.
RUST NEVER SLEEPS

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #21 on: January 22, 2018, 07:23:35 PM »
Changed the tin and the heat exchangers for the correct ones. Had them from another motor. Also the valve covers. Paint is done. Now to put it back together.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2018, 07:32:01 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Offline Geoff

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2018, 05:14:41 PM »
lets see it in paint!!!

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2018, 08:10:33 PM »












« Last Edit: January 24, 2018, 08:25:46 PM by gsun »
9 years and counting....

Stephan Schmidt

Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2018, 09:35:17 AM »
Looks great!  What are the colors?

L87 top??

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2018, 07:43:50 PM »
 It's called Pastel white L90D and Niagara blue L53D.
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Offline silas

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #26 on: January 25, 2018, 08:37:20 PM »
looks great all painted up! wicked!

Offline gsun

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #27 on: January 25, 2018, 09:24:48 PM »
Still looking for a sunroof.... :41:
9 years and counting....

Offline Geoff

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Re: 1971 Deluxe Project
« Reply #28 on: January 28, 2018, 07:34:55 PM »
Woo hoo!!! Looking great!

Offline rolls and pleats

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