Author Topic: my 1973 hightop camper project  (Read 7581 times)

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Offline beetlemania

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my 1973 hightop camper project
« on: April 14, 2011, 11:50:58 AM »
hi all, well here is my project...a 73hightop camper.i bought the bus off a guy that bought it off a guy from the mainland....dude i bought it from said he got it home and went to take it for a drive the next day and it just started smoking blue real bad and had no idea how to fix it. all the quotes he was getting scared him, so i made it just in time to save it from the crusher (or so he was threatning in the ad).so i replaced the Pistons&cylinders and found a set of rebuilt heads from someone on here that works at KMS tools(cant remember his name)and new sparkplug's, wires, distributor cap,replace the thermostat with a working one...removed the heater boxes and replaced them with type 4 heaterbox replacement tubes and removed the gas tank for inspection and cleaning.
 i bought a rusty old 914 header (or so i was told)for cheap and had it blasted and found it was solid, with just one little seperation crack near the flange,that i welded up. just have to find a usable muffler, respray some engine tin, clean up the 34mm webers then finish putting everything back on the engine and reinstalling tank,new gas lines etc & reinstalling engine.find a good usuable windshield..then bobs yer uncle.
my future plans for this bus is  tubb'd both front and back and convert to K&Link pin narrowed adjustable front beam and adjustable spring plates & drop plates converted to wide5 in the rear. then drop it down in the weeds properly  :evil1: .install some 40mm Dellortos and some other "minor pimping" lol...but for now,get it ready for summer camping (i plan on alot of that foshow!)who knows, i may get camping and decide not to lower it.... :-\
this is when i brought it home

after taking the heads off and inspecting things

installing new Pistons&Cylinders

interrior mocked up, what you'll basically see when you enter "THE HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING" (said Vigorously with the loudest of loud manly man voices(with a touch of german accent thrown in)
« Last Edit: April 20, 2011, 01:46:47 PM by beetlemania »

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2011, 02:02:43 PM »
my Frankenstein fanshroud..

Offline Geoff

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2011, 06:15:30 PM »
Lanny will love that shroud! ;D

Nice bus!

Offline owdlvr

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2011, 06:22:22 PM »
I've got a Muffler packed for the swap tomorrow...

-Dave
--
'71 Type 1 - Rally Car Project
'75 Type 1 - Heirloom
'95 F150 - Unfortunate daily driver...

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2011, 06:32:48 PM »
Lanny will love that shroud! ;D

Nice bus!

thanks, she's a bit rough round the edges but a gem none the less!

I've got a Muffler packed for the swap tomorrow...

-Dave

oops,i forgot to update, got one already, thanks anyhow.

Offline buddy boy

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2011, 08:57:02 PM »
lookin good , hope to see it at some of the events this summer !!

"only dead fish swim with the stream"

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2011, 12:35:32 AM »
thanks, i'm hoping to have it on the road for the summer!!

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2011, 08:57:25 PM »
heres some of the engine tin on,just waiting for the front tin to get blasted then i'll finish painting it. i ended up doing the cylinder tin in the black & white frankenstein theme...probably wont stay white for very long.


Offline Jeremy

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2011, 01:21:25 PM »
Most Van Halen like. Looks good.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2011, 01:47:07 PM »
Most Van Halen like. Looks good.

thanks.

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2011, 09:34:08 PM »
finished up with the painting today....then again, who knows i may find something else that needs Frankenstein stripes  :P anywho, finished cleaning the gastank and putting it back together. reinstalling tomorrow then hoping to
get to test starting the engine in the next few days.




Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2011, 09:53:11 PM »
stock mirrors gone.....new mirrors on,I found a set of NOS west coast mirrors for a good price.getting closer now, just need to get a new windshield installed and reinstall engine...woooohoooo!!




Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2011, 12:26:23 PM »
Its FINALLY in!!!!


Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #13 on: September 24, 2011, 10:19:59 PM »
so after figuring out i had the #2 & #4 sparkplug wires backwards, i corrected it and it started up right away, its still abit rough (stinger exhaust doesnt help), just hafta recheck the valves,fine tune the timing and carbs and should be good to go.
here's a little video i made lastnight.....this is how i reacted to the engine starting up for the first time (i was bored)
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/BengH/?action=view&current=ItsAlive.mp4

Offline silas

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2011, 10:13:13 AM »

Offline Geoff

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2011, 11:30:14 AM »
Nice job  lol_hitting

Offline beetlemania

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Re: my 1973 hightop camper project
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2011, 12:05:55 PM »
thanks guys!