Author Topic: How are the Bay projects coming along?  (Read 29569 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Geoff

  • *
  • Posts: 8394
  • Karma: 441
    • http://airspeedparts.com
How are the Bay projects coming along?
« on: January 01, 2014, 11:03:44 AM »
Who's got a Bay project that will hit the road in 2014?

I hear Bruce may get his on the road?

Richard?

Let's see some projects.

Offline 70's Looker

  • More than a 70's Hooker!
  • *
  • Posts: 1253
  • Karma: 2
  • what's this for?
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2014, 06:00:36 PM »
Common Bruce get it there, before you enjoy the SUV lifestyle!
Zündfolge Car Club

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2014, 06:22:43 AM »
As soon as I pick up my wicked engine that Darren is building and put in I it will be complete    Except head liner.  And I will take a bunch of pictures and post them. 
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2014, 06:26:52 AM »
  I think Bruce spent too much time slamming my bus and didn't make time to finish his own.   So thanks Bruce.  Still don't get tired of all the smiles and thumbs up when I drive it down the road.
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline aircooleddave1965

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 149
  • Karma: 3
  • Aircooled addicted
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2014, 06:59:32 AM »
I just got dropped spindles and boomerangs for my 73 Hightop. I have been driving it stock since I got it last spring. Rims and tires and altitude adjustment are coming soon!
'57 356 Speedster
'63 Scab
'73 High top Bay
'65 Kombi
‘70 Vert

Offline Hansk

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1638
  • Karma: 4
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2014, 11:27:17 PM »
Got a wheel package together






Big fat black fastback

Offline pittwagen

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 589
  • Karma: 2
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2014, 11:53:30 AM »
This is my project.  It is a year round driver but there is plenty left to do.  I figured it would be a 3-5 year project and I am approaching year 4 in a couple of months.



Most of the mechanical items have been resolved.  Westfalia interior is mostly complete with the exception of a head banger closet. Installed a big AGM battery (under the back seat) and 110/12 volt electrical system last summer.  No problem handling the original Dometic 12 V fridge.  Still need to figure out some auxiliary heat for those cool overnight trips.  Espar D2 or Propex 2000 are the choices.  Both are thermostatically controlled and very fuel efficient.  The propane unit is a little more costly as I will need a new tank.   

I also installed a set of proper winter tires in November so I don't have to worry about ice and snow.

It is still very lonely out here.  Almost never see any Bays on the road here in Ridge Meadows.

Offline rekka

  • *
  • Posts: 286
  • Karma: 6
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
    • Radwerx Creative Inc
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2014, 06:25:57 PM »
Hey Hansk. What size are those? I like em.
Radwerx. Architectural features in wood, metal and concrete www.radwerx.ca

Offline Hansk

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1638
  • Karma: 4
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2014, 11:29:22 PM »
 Those are P225/70/15s  so still not LT rating but oh well.  They're on eurovan rims which actually DO NOT work on a bay.  Everyone else probably already knew that but I just had to try and make them work anyway. Don't try this at home.
Big fat black fastback

Offline Geoff

  • *
  • Posts: 8394
  • Karma: 441
    • http://airspeedparts.com
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2014, 07:49:31 AM »
In 1993 I put euro van wheels on my 71 bus. All that was needed was to enlarge the center bore for the bearing hub to pass thru. The fwd offset worked good on a lowered bus.

A better way to go is the 15" Benz steel wheels.

Offline rekka

  • *
  • Posts: 286
  • Karma: 6
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
    • Radwerx Creative Inc
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2014, 09:05:55 AM »
Thanks Hansk. I've increased the centre bore on a few sets of Audi and Mercedes rims over the years. Not a big job.
Radwerx. Architectural features in wood, metal and concrete www.radwerx.ca

Offline Hansk

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1638
  • Karma: 4
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2014, 04:29:38 PM »
Yes but to have these steel wheels properly machined would not have been cost effective in this case .  So I went red neck back yard  , now they fit ... but can never be balanced again ,  plus I'm pretty sure the wheel has been weakened somewhat .  I can live with this but would not recommend it to anyone .
Big fat black fastback

Offline rekka

  • *
  • Posts: 286
  • Karma: 6
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
    • Radwerx Creative Inc
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2014, 04:49:07 PM »
I think you can balance the wheel and rotor/hub together as the bore in that will still be in the right place. Problem solved.
Radwerx. Architectural features in wood, metal and concrete www.radwerx.ca

Offline Hansk

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1638
  • Karma: 4
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2014, 09:27:58 AM »
True but the other issue with these is the bolt holes are up off the surface of the rotor more and probably should have longer studs . I agree with Geoff , mercedes wheels would be better.  I think in the long run I would go with one of the 27/8.50/14's LT tires out there on stock wheels.  Same outer dia. as these.

Hey Pittwagen , what winter tires did you go with?   Mine is also my daily driver rolling project. 
Big fat black fastback

Offline pittwagen

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 589
  • Karma: 2
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2014, 10:53:53 AM »
These are Hercules 185R14 C.  Nice tall skinny tread.  Got them out of their warehouse in Toronto a couple of months ago.


Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2014, 08:09:35 AM »
Here she is.  The never for sale bus.  I had a great time putting her back together.  The story was a interesting one.  I bought her in Calgary and she had many problems

No ignition
No bumpers
No brakes
Half dash was incomplete
And the bottom half was 60% rusted
And nose had a nice big dent with a inch of filler in her


I really liked this bus and looked like it was a good save.  So after I drove to Calgary to pick her up my first stop was to a real good suspension guy I have had work done by before, Bruce c.  Aka notchback.  When he seen it he looked pretty hesitant to do so much work since the work would be worth more the than the bus itself.  But he did it and did a wicked job of the slam. Plus other things. 

Once I got her home I figured I would insure it and drive it around for the summer.  Well I think she was very angry being neglected for so long she must have been pissed.  Because when I took the paper work in and the insurance company went to do a out of province vin check the noticed they didn't match.   Well that is another story in itself. But in the end of a 8 month process I got the clear title.

Anyway before I could insure it the bus needed a out of province inspection.  And to pass that I would have to get a structural done because of the rust and the slamming of it.  I did find a body company that really like vw and agreed to repair all the rust and give me a pass on the structural since the frame was modified (joys of living in a small town). Not too many can say they have that piece of paper with that much mods done. 

Finally with a clean title a structural inspection and out of province inspection she was finally a complete happy bus.  And when I went to get my new plate I was amazed by what I got.  After all the work on her and hoops I jumped through and the plate there would be no gutting name for her then Khristy

So anyway I had Darren k build me a 1776.  And it turned out awesome.   Thanks

It was fun.  And a headache.  But man is it sure fun doing it and make life interesting.
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #16 on: February 06, 2014, 08:12:08 AM »
More
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2014, 08:14:44 AM »
Going for the cheech and Chong look. Gotta have some fun
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2014, 08:18:17 AM »
That is a smooth running engine. Thanks Darren!  Only thing that spooks me now is the muffler is only 2 3/4 inch off the ground.  But looks cool
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2014, 10:40:35 AM »
So tell me what do you think ?
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline aircooleddave1965

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 149
  • Karma: 3
  • Aircooled addicted
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2014, 06:40:43 PM »
I like it! Nice stance.
'57 356 Speedster
'63 Scab
'73 High top Bay
'65 Kombi
‘70 Vert

Offline rekka

  • *
  • Posts: 286
  • Karma: 6
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
    • Radwerx Creative Inc
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #21 on: February 07, 2014, 09:40:14 AM »
Can't go wrong with a lowered bay. I dig it.
Radwerx. Architectural features in wood, metal and concrete www.radwerx.ca

Offline Hansk

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1638
  • Karma: 4
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #22 on: February 07, 2014, 09:57:25 AM »
Nice work.
Big fat black fastback

Offline westcoast-paul

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 294
  • Karma: 0
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #23 on: February 10, 2014, 08:20:08 PM »
i agree - nice stance!

what are the suspension specs?

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #24 on: February 11, 2014, 08:05:33 AM »
We'll Bruce put in a adjustable  4" narrow beam with drop spindals in the front.  He welded a all new front tubs to give me the clearance too. It is a 2 1/2" lift below the seats.  And all new spring plates and stuff on the back. 
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline Richard Kuczko

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 543
  • Karma: 7
  • AirSpeed Forum Member
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #25 on: February 11, 2014, 08:09:19 AM »
Rear bumper is off too because I am getting it cleaned up along with the front and vw plate to match the roof color
70 tintop kombi.  "Never 4 Sale!!!!"

Offline kinggeorge13

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 272
  • Karma: 2
  • Whaddya mean I can't buy more buses?
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #26 on: March 24, 2014, 02:48:52 PM »
I'll start posting pictures soon.   Just waiting for good weather as I have the difficult situation of 3 x 1975 Bays (2 Westfalias and 1 Riviera) and no garage: we do it all on the driveway.   An orange one, an almost neon-yellow one and a white one.    The orange bus is my daughter's pride and joy and daily driver (short distances mostly) but in an unfortunate slip of her attention a month ago got T-Boned by a small truck and damaged pretty badly everything from the front drivers door bottom (dog-leg area completely mashed in, door too damaged to make a worthwhile repair) all the way to the back bumper which was bent like a pretzel on one end.   Front wheel driver's side wheel wrecked.  ICBC wrote it off in record time.   But I'm unwilling to be the person to put one of these wonderous vehicles into the ground so we pushed hard to allow us to keep it on the road and take the 75% value payout.    They agreed after we did the basic safety fixes (replace wheel, check steering, suspension, brakes, etc), fix the left rear marker light (simple right?  Not always.....) and replace the back bumper.  With two other bays in the driveway we had our choice of bumpers.   But rust..........rust.........rust.....always rust.    Anyways, after an amazing 3 hours of work and possible occasional cursing, we got one of the other bumpers off and put onto her orange bus.   Meanwhile, the insurance ran out (just coincidence) and now I need to do a tune up before trying her out at Aircare.    Then she's on the road again and I'll work on the panels/bodywork when possible on weekends.    She also has new canvas top material we plan to install this summer and a new sliding door rail insert.   This bus alone is going to keep us busy.

Meanwhile, the other two buses do not currently run (won't start).   I'll work on them as time is available.  The yellow bus ran for the first month but then stopped running.  Initial quick tests proved no gas flow so I suspect fuel pump or possibly even just a neglected fuel filter.  Spent a couple weekends late last summer replacing the back brake cylinders that should have been simple until I had to deal with frozen bleed valves and very corroded brake lines, all of which I ended up replacing and learning the tricks of bending stainless steel brake lines with my new bending tool.    It's trickier than it looks.... 

The white bus is the Riviera.   I bought it in Squamish, where it had not run for a year.  Someone from some VW club had been helping them work on it and I don't think had a chance to get too far into the diagnosis before the owner just gave up the battle and put it up for sale.  I had it flat-bedded over to my place in Fort Langley.   Other than charging the battery so I could play tapes in it's cassette player while I worked on the orange bus, I have not had any time to even look at it but  I look forward to getting to that point.

Oh yeah, the yellow and white buses have original engines.  The orange bus has a 1979 2000cc engine in it.   One thing I've learned is people were pretty inventive on disabling all the diaphram valves that wore out over time (decel valve, EEC valve) and of course the whole charcoal canister and where the various hoses that used to go to it now go to.   

I'll post pictures and progress, simply described as orange bus or yellow bus or white bus.   

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 kinggeorge13

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 272
  • Karma: 2
  • Whaddya mean I can't buy more buses?
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #27 on: April 03, 2014, 07:09:54 AM »
It always amazes me how much longer some things take to do than I initially figured.   I'll admit right now that other than Grade 9 automechanics, I've had no formal automotive training.   But I do seem to have some meager level of mechanical understanding and a background in electronics and add to that a bunch of manuals, reading online forums of repairs/explanations and yes, even Youtube, I'm learning as I go.   14 months ago I had a Nissan Leaf and  Jeep.  Then I added my first 1975 Westy and started working on it and I was hooked.   Now I have the three I previously have mentioned.   

While I'm sure some will question the validity of this but I assure you, it happened and my youngest daughter can attest to it.  The absolute horrendous, stomach-sinking sound and shaking that came from our one running bus a couple months ago as we drove along at 50km/hour on 88th Ave in Fort Langley was a sudden shock.   I thought for sure we'd lost a rod or somehow a piston broke or something incredibly bad.   The noise and rattling and intense shaking from the rear of the bus was simply terrible.   2 seconds later it stopped running and we gently coasted to the side of the road and sat there and wondered.  The best part of that moment was that I was exactly, and I mean exactly two houses away from my ex-wife's house and I simply could not imagine having me and the bus that she was quite against me buying die there.   I could not believe the timing. 

So we tried to start it up again (yes, I know: damage damage damage but from what I heard, I had to really wonder how much worse it truly would be if I tried to get it going in any way).   I simply had to get to my own house and driveway, a mere two blocks away.    Well it started but it sounded terrible and unless I kept the gas peddle reasonably pressed down, it simply would stall again and die.   So giving it more gas than made any sense, I managed to edge it slowly (and I mean slowly!) down the road, shaking and banging and rattling away that must have had people look out their windows.   Freaking red light at Glover Road and it died again.  Sweating bullets, I waited for the light to go green and tried to start it again.   It had to be a careful combination of starting and lots of gas or it would die again.   Other drivers were now clearly looking my way wondering what the noise was.   I crawled along Glover and edged into my driveway and shut down.   

I could not imagine what disaster I would find in that engine compartment (assuming I could even see what it was) and I did not want to face it just yet.  I went in the house and made a coffee as I mentally thought out scenarios and what each one would cost, all the the way to complete engine replacement.   Oh yeah, and did I mention?   This bus is actually my 18 year old daughter's bus.  Her pride a joy.   Voted at her school WGSS as "Cool ride of the year".   I hardly ever drive it.   I get to fix it but I'm not allowed to drive it.   And now..........it looked like I'd killed it.   

So, coffee in hand and flashlight at the ready, I opened the rear engine door.   It was less than a second for me to see what then took my brain many, many seconds to comprehend.   There standing up way out of place was one of my spark plug wires up in the air.....with the spark plug still attached.   Seriously, I must have stared at it without moving for at least 30 seconds as  my brain went in to a WTF......WTF.....WTF  loop I could not break out of.   I could not have been more surprised had I found a watermelon sitting there.   

Then my consciousness finally returned and I reached out and gingerly pulled the end with the spark plug towards me.  I started thinking it must have had it's threads all mostly stripped from years of previous folks doing a bad job of changing plugs and the threads finally gave up.   But as I looked at the threaded end of the spark plug, I saw no telltale metal shavings or bits on the threads.   Other than looking like a used spark plug, it looked utterly normal.   So I then peered into the hole (deep under the tin, of course) and with what little I could see, the hole had threads and no obvious damage.   I kept looking back and forth between that spark plug and the hole but could see no clue that would explain how that could possibly have popped (exploded) out of there.   The bus was running fairly well right up to the second it happened.   

So what else could I do but get a new plug and try and see how it went in putting it back in.  Well, as per my earlier explanation of my lack of expertise, even though I've done lots of work on my buses in the past year, I have not yet done an actual full tune-up (but I plan to soon and have all my learning done) so I had never changed a spark plug on these engines yet.   Ok so I'm sure lots of you have lived this already and possibly many times but to quote my daughter with a healthy "OMG", who the heck designed such a nightmare of a place to have to put in a spark plug?    Is it going in straight?  What the heck is "straight"?  I kept running back to one of the other buses to peer into it's tin cover to try and memorize the bizarre angle that spark plug had to be oriented at to go in properly.   After all this, I believed the threads had to already be compromised and possibly they were not even good enough to hold any more and here I was, Mr. Novice, trying to thread in a plug into that questionable hole at an angle that was very difficult with the engine tin in the way and no easy way to feel/see how the spark plug was progressing.   What was too easy to turn (not going in at all)?  What was too hard to turn (cutting nice new threads at the wrong angle)?   If I was sweating earlier, I was a freaking Niagra falls at this point.   I was using a new, small torque wrench that supposedly  makes a little "tick" noise when you get to the set torque.   I'm upside down. sweat pouring down my face and dripping off my nose and all I can hear is my heart pounding in my ears, trying to listen for that little "tick" noise from my torque wrench and continually praying to the VW Gods to please not suddenly rip through the remaining threads and end my ability to get that spark plug snugged in properly.

FINALLY!  The torque wrench makes that wonderful tick noise and I know it's in there at the proper tightness.  I felt it was at the right angle.  I was relatively sure it did not have the hard-to-turn experience of cutting threads at the wrong angle.   It just kept nagging in the back of my head "how the heck did it pop out of there?"    Now the moment of truth.   I got in the driver's seat and turned the key.   If my heart was pounding before, it was now pretty much in fibrillation.   But the engine fired up and immediately sounded............normal!    Really?   Was I really that lucky?  I ran back and stuck my head in as much as I dared and listened and listened but it sounded like it always did.    Nothing bad.  Nothing expensive-sounding.    I went back and gingerly revved it a couple times and all was good.   

So I've decided all it could have been was the PO or whoever used to service it, possibly in fear of stripping the threads, didn't put the plug in very tightly and it slowly, eventually unscrewed itself until only a thread or half-thread held it in and it finally popped out.   You likely are wondering, just like me, that surely that cylinder was losing a bunch of compression leaking around those threads near the end of it unscrewing and I don't have an explanation.  Sometimes that bus purrs along and sometimes it's a little rough sounding.    Maybe it was a little rough and we just did not notice.    But that's the only explanation I can figure.   

So why did I start this post with my comment about things taking longer than I always expect?  Because two days ago I went back in and changed out the other three spark plugs so I would have all four as new ones.   All the others were fairly snug but I'd venture to say not as tightly as I would have expected.   But it is a huge pain dealing with the lack of space, the angles and the engine tin with it's small hole a couple inches above the plug.  Even with my new set of "wobbly" extensions, it's no picnic and worrying that one minor mistake and you could start stripping the threads...............it's a very stressful job and I'm glad it's done.   
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 WESTY69

  • *
  • Posts: 895
  • Karma: 615
  • Just Slam it and Drive It !!
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #28 on: April 03, 2014, 08:05:03 AM »
Now that's a great story , glad it all worked out , what's next on ur to do list for the bus ?
Those that mind , don't matter !!
Those that matter , don't mind :)

Offline kinggeorge13

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 272
  • Karma: 2
  • Whaddya mean I can't buy more buses?
Re: How are the Bay projects coming along?
« Reply #29 on: April 03, 2014, 08:17:36 AM »
Next for the orange bus  (the one with the new plugs) is the rest of the tune-up: new points, new condenser, set the timing and then a day-pass from ICBC to take her down to aircare to see if she passes so we can get her back on the road and my daughter can re-claim her freedom.   We still have body work and the driver's door to replace after the car accident three weeks ago but that's all cosmetic (already replaced the wheel, the side marker and the bumper) and I'll take my time with that and practice with my new MIG welder as one of my summer projects.   
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