Lucky Duck

I am.  In Olds Station, there is an automotive tech program.  They do welding, rust restore, ding and wobble repair and then painting etc...they teach people how to remove imperfections and get a car looking brand new.  And each fall, one vehicle is selected to be the "restore" vehicle and a ton of people apply to be that restore vehicle; mainly beat up hot rod oldies that need to be restored to original status.  Mustangs, Novas, Corvettes,  Chevy trucks...you get the idea.  And, my volkswagen was chosen to be THAT restore vehicle.  I consider myself to be extremely lucky.  So last Tuesday I dropped off Nigel after I spent two days completely stripping him off all outside trim, lights, mirrors, wipers, bumpers, racks...everything on the outside that could possibly be an interference.  I drove him totally ridiculous looking out to the school and parked him in a giant parking garage, and all the students surrounded him like he was fresh meat.  Because well, he was.  One kid, Michael, his second year in the program, yelled "OHMYGOD A VOLKSWAGEN!  A FUCKING VOLKSWAGEN" and was scolded for his poor language.  He retaliated by saying "Yeah, but volkswagens are my favorite.  And busses are my absolute favorite" and I knew at that point, my car was in good hands.  He would be the leader of this restore.

All the dings and wobbles are going to be smoothed to perfection, and then painted with two layers...a paint coat and a clear coat; something I don't have right now.  I am beyond excited.  The cost of this is going to be between 800-1000, and when I dropped him off I dropped 400 in cash as a deposit, with the remainder due upon completion.  I was told I would be getting approximately about 6k of bodywork and paint, and my jaw dropped and eyes popped like a cartoon.  Pimp.  Status.
I debated over the color of Nigel; would I get him done in the same color, or done in a different color?  But Niagara Blue was only done on busses, and only covered busses from 1971-1972.  I would be sticking with Niagara Blue.  Besides, I LOVE the blue he is.  And his name is Nigel TuffAsNails.  Set it stone I say. 
I miss my bus already and it's only been a week.  I was given the go ahead to watch them work on it at any time, and also to check and see how progress is going. Once he is sanded down to metal, I will go and take pictures.  It's going to be sad to see him completely silver or covered in bondo, but I know the end result is going to be astronomical.
I took my gas cap home with me when I parked my VW in the lot where he will reside for the next 4 months, and taped off the opening with duct tape so the fumes won't be an issue.  There's something really significant about that old school gas cap.  It's one of my favorite things about my VW.  It looks like a hubcap with the vw logo.  I just love it.  I didn't want anything to happen to it.  Call me superstitious.  Or possibly not trusting.  Meh.  I just really don't want to lose it.  I consider it TONY.  And if I ever lost it, Id be heartbroken.
My woman told me the other day "would you sell him?  He would bring you a lot of money when he is done being restored." and I told her "No way woman.  He's my peach."  She smiled at me.
He is my peach.  I love him dearly, and he's only a car.  Here's to the future.

Pictures; so behind!

I have a lot of pictures of my bus with all the added items to it on my fb, but I don't have any of it updated on here.  SOOOO....

 These mud flaps were the devil's advocate.  These.  Mud flaps.  Glad that's over.

Mud Flaps

Mud Flaps

This stereo is absolutely the best duo.  It is better than I anticipated from two speakers!  It's so bombastic how gets all the low Dbs I could possibly want to vibrate in my periosteum without vibrating the ancient parts in my busted.  It's silly string how this deck and two speakers can be so loud.  I am happy as a clam (wtf does that mean, really, have you ever seen alice in wonderland? Nativity happiness glee glee glee *effing love that show btw* baby clams, adorable shoes, even sweeter looking dots for eyes) with the setup and installment.  Props to mobile innovations and oh, yeah, props to me for finding the sweet deck online. I love I can listen to my iphone through it.  Martini! I think though, if I listen to Good Life by OneRepublic one more time, my speakers will self detonate by choice.  I can't help it; the happy level turns from ten to 11.  Like Nigel prefers. 

Kenwood Deck

Kenwood Speakers

I'm the biggest fan of the matching racks.  I think the racks are so slick and hot, and I'm glad I went through with it and bought the rear rack.  I loved putting it together, and I loved putting it on.  I love being self sufficient with this vehicle a LOT.  It's giving me a ton of self esteem!  Plus, now it looks fantastic.  I was driving from Golds Gym the other day and someone made the "roll down your window!" sign to my passenger side.  So I quickly popped him in neutral, pulled on my emergency brake, cranked down my window, and smiled like "yes?" and this guy said "Would you like to sell that?" I just laughed and said "Never!"  Burn and bury me in this thing, I swear.  I also installed my side step and it looks dope.  I'm running out of exterior accessory options!  I've almost exhausted them all! Help! :) A friend of mine is going to weld me up a replica ladder that westy's had as an option as an accessory.  They hang on the side but I want it to attach on like the roof rack, making it a permanent accessory.  They are super super rare, and when you can find one, they're SO much money.  I can't fathom dropping that kind of cash on metal.  "Little one...this is what I DO.  This will be fun for me" was the answer when I proposed the idea.  ANYWAY, here is the rack and side step.

Racks and Side Step

Last night I snuck and dodged out of the back door of work *while on the clock, I'm a rebel* to skip across the parking lot to Garlinis for "two shots of patron silver, please, and a small glass of rootbeer to chase it" and those shot glasses are doubles, so four shots of patron later in two minutes on an empty stomach at 9pm, I left my bus at work at 11:30 and walked my tanked ass home because I wanted to "walk this one off", refusing a ride.  So my abandoned Nigel got the worst of it.  I woke up to a picture txt from a coworker "your bussie got tagged this morning!" Oh GAWD.
.....One thing that must be known; I'm extremely anal about my things, especially my vehicles, so please don't do this shit even though intentions are pure.  How can I be bothered by hearts, of all things?  But the first thing I did when I drove it home was wash it all off, cussing under my breath.  I knew who did it right away.  Oh, sweetheart.....Car chalk is a pain!  It took washing the entire vehicle.  Love and Hearts....gaaah....Love hurts.

Love and Hearts

Rack Attack

I have gone to bed almost every night since I put the small rack on my bus thinking "I'm going to order the 45 inch top rack for my bus when I wake up, I promise myself this time", but when I get online and look at the 427 dollar price tag, I get clammy and my throat tightens and my mouth goes dentist dam cotton dry and I feel faint like I just married the wrong person and quickly exit out.  That's quite a pricey accessory.  Today, I said "Fuck it!!!!" and within two minutes and about three clicks, I had ordered my rack from cip1 to match my front rack.  I think my fear with hesitating was it no longer being available and not having matching split racks.  For me that's like....well it would never happen.  Which is why I finally ordered the rack.
I have a few items to do next on my list and a twelve window (twelve window, not a typo) tint is numero uno.  The cost sends bile up my throat.  But, I like good looking cars so I'm going to do it!!!  Curtains, still on the list.  Hanging over my head, gaaah!  That project is not fun for me.  It's super stressful but it will be done. 
I also received an email today stating fed ex has shipped my aluminum side step. Earlier than expected!  So excited! The day of arrival is suppose to be June 6.  Busdepot.com is a really slow shipping company compared to socalimports.  socal gets stuff out and on my bus in three days, and it comes from canada.
I don't have a respectable "thing" hanging from my rearview mirror, not even my bus shaped air freshener is holding up (I miss that marshmallow smell already!), so the day before yesterday I went down to the sun dog and put in an order for a ten inch mostly macrame, stones and a bell to hang from it, worthy of up to an 80 dollar price tag.  I said "I want something chunky and similar to the bell that hangs on the entrance door of this store." and if you have ever been to the sun dog, you know what I'm talking about.  I said it can be made with no time restrictions, no rush. "Ooooh, a challenge!" was my response.  I liked that. :)
I have been popping off the chrome trim on my bus to sand them down with wet sandpaper, grit 240, 400, 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000, then polishing them with compound and then a chrome polish.  I have officially removed almost every centimeter of corrosion and dents and dings on the trim, I can't believe what a difference it is.  And to think, I thought about buying an entire new set for like, 280 bucks.  Pass, I made them look close enough to brand new by hand. 
What I have learned about this bus so far is, if you are a DIY lover, a volkswagen is your dream vehicle.  I like how it keeps me busy and challenged and always making me do little things to tinker with it.  My hands are always black around my fingers and I swear my fingernails have to just grow up and be trimmed to stay clean. 
It's also amazing how many people have left notes with their phone numbers if I ever want to sell my bus jammed in my door, under my wiper blade, or even left on my seat.  And it's also amazing how many more people approach me about it.
GOOD news; the license plate I won off of ebay is going to work!  It was made during a certain number of years that style of license plate was assigned to my year of bus.  So I have to wait to get something in the mail (not my registration; something else....) so I can turn it into a collector vehicle *and never have to pay a tab for it again!!!* and sport the vintage plate on it.  It's going to be so cool.
Sometimes late when I can't sleep and those weird 3am thoughts where we think we can do shit we don't know how to do, I  think I can order a spray gun to touch up paint it with my air compressor. "I'll just start with the white trim...." WTF slow down Kel.  I'm so ahead of myself.... :)

fog lights, bumper guards, eyelids, rack, rain guards, accessory heaven

pro sign made this sticker for me

alabama arkansas

Driving my bus for the first time with the stereo installed, I didn't play three dog night's "joy to the world" like I preplanned.  I got in my bus and thought "No, Kel, this is 2011, not 1971." and so I chose to listen to a song that always makes me extremely happy;  I played "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  Blasted it.  How I love that song.

Joy To The Fishes In The Deep Blue Sea

The picture of the double half rack I said I couldn't find in my last post, I already posted in a blog previously and I didn't even notice it was the picture I was referring to; I didn't know I had already posted said picture.  It was like love at first sight but I took a double take. :)
My appointment is tomorrow at MI for my stereo and I'm super excited.  I'm going to play the number one hit from 1971 as the first song, which was "Joy To The World" by Three Dog Night, and its so hokey and I'm so soft and lame and carefree in my personality, it fits. It's going to put a really geeky dorky smile on my face as I laugh and roll my eyes in the moment, and wonder how many times the wheels on the bus went round and round while it played that song. Maybe a hundred, maybe not even once.  But as of tomorrow, at least once. PS I adore the blue star sweater. It's so martini.

Life is fantastic. :)

pinstripe, flap attack and addicted to parts

I can't stop ordering stuff!  Yesterday I ordered $451 worth of stuff....and one I am super thrilled about but will leave for last to mention....
German chrome cranks for my windows
Finger guards for my inside door handles
Accelerator pedal spring
Gas pedal pivot spring
Accelerator pedal
German pedal pads
foot pedal rod to floor seal
boot for accelerator pedal
(and the reason for the accelerator stuff is whenever I depress the accelerator pedal, no matter how much wd-40 I have squirted into that entire area, it still makes this funny squeaking sound that used to make me laugh, but now makes me not laugh as much.  It was cute and quirky.  Now it's just annoying.  So I thought to go ahead and get a whole new setup so the depression of the accelerator is smooth and not so jerky, and quiet and not so nails on a chalkboard.)
emergency brake handle grip (mine is soooo tattered, it's been pulled billions of times)
empi glove box (mine is cardboard, this one is plastic)
and last but not least and the  most exciting of all
a empi westy above front cab wood slat roof rack which set me back a pretty penny but worth it!

What I love about this roof rack, is the majority of bus owners either do a full front to back roof rack, but since I have a sunroof, I am going to do the short up front, and then a longer one in back.  Like this one in back but still with my short one in front.  It will look awesome split up like that.

I have seen a picture of a bus where it had a sunroof and used two racks, but  now I can't seem to find it.

Also I received my white mud flaps UPS today, but I'm having difficulties with figuring out how to put them on.  I am not exactly in the patient mood today, so I will have to figure it out another time.  The wind is my excuse.  

So this afternoon I went to AutoZone and bought a 1/8th inch roll of black pinstripe to sharpen the look between the white and the blue.  This is how it looks and I'm glad I did it.

I'm trying to get everything I can think of before I move away in September, because I know I won't be able to afford these big things once I do.  Trying to crank it out now while I can. Ok, until next time, which hopefully will be a pic of my mudflaps installed. :)

locks, panels and seats

Yesterday I removed the driver and passenger window roller, latch, and door pull to access the outside door handles to install key matched handles.  Yes, I can finally lock and unlock my doors with a key now.  Sort of.  Not my driver side.  Let me digress and say I had to order a spring for the key latch because it's 40 years worn, I can't turn the key on the outside and unlock it.  I went ahead and ordered three new springs because...three is better than one?  Because I don't want to eff it up and have to order another one and wait another week!  And I figure I might as well freshen up the passenger door spring while I'm at it.  Perfectionist.
Anyway...
Behind the panel lived an old school speaker so long ago forgotten which made me literally crack up out loud.  Hello 1971!  One tattered, torn (and paper pulp no less) 4" speaker pumped out Janis Joplin in 1971 and god knows what was the last song it played in his little lifespan.  Don't worry Nigel; in one week you'll be fitted with quite the stereo setup and Janis, your music will not be heard without all the intention you sing with.  I thought since I had the panels off, I might as well take some naptha and wipe around the edges of all the sticky dirt which accumulated over the years on the metal, so I did that.  Pretty pleased.  Then I took the panels inside and used an exacto knife to cut and shape the pieces of the fresh air arm rest which had been snapped in the same two corners on both panels so it looked like it never had snapped anywhere :) I'm crafty.  Then I just took a brush and soap to them and cleaned the hell out of them.  Then some vinyl treatment to give them a nice, new shiny look and smell. Beth resides in the side mirror by chance.

Today I drove to a wrecking yard.  No.  I drove to two wrecking yards and not one volkswagen was to be found.  Not a bus, not a bug, not a ghia, not a thing, not a hatch, not a one.  I found one 1300 bug engine lid by chance resting on a frontloader.  I didn't have my phone with me or I would have taken a picture.  It looked pretty cool sitting there.  I also saw a really old and very unique jeep truck with a once gorgeous paint job in it's day. So, no random doohickey part.  It is fun though, wandering around a salvage yard and looking at cars stripped of almost all things useable.  So I returned home, disappointed I didn't have a box of random shit to add to my bus; disappointed I didn't even find a bus for that matter, and wondered what I was going to work on next.  So I sat in the back seat and just looked around.  And the back seat belts....OEM.  So OEM their age had rusted them from being able to adjust to a wearer's waist size.  So I thought I would take them out and soak them.  Which, turned out to mean, I would have to remove the back seat.  And to remove the back seat, I also had to remove the middle seat.  Leaving me with this.....

Which was all fine and wasn't too difficult.  I thought to scrub the seats with hot water mixed with fabric softener (soap?  what is that?) and a giant brush so I could hose them off in the grass.  After I finished that, I took the seat belts inside and scrubbed them from brown to black.  More rust and dirt and crap came out of those things I ever could have imagined, but now they slide and adjust more like they should.  They look great, and I just adore they have a 1971 made in germany tag on all three.  Done and done. 

I also christened my bumper guard bottle opener.  At noon.  With a Guinness. I beamed and scoffed.  Howboutthat

Fwaps fwaps

Today I made three separate online orders for bus stuff. 

I ordered white mud flaps for my bus.  They are SO hard to find.  I found a pair with a VW symbol on it; most flaps I have been finding have empi on it, and that's a brand of a product, and while I like empi, I prefer the simplicity of the VW symbol.  So, here are what the flaps I bought look like.  It's hard to find them with brackets, but I did find a pair.

I also ordered 4" chrome with clear lens fog lights to put on my front bumper on the outsides of my bumper guards.  I have a nice little spot on my dash for a light switch, and I swear to myself and my blue sweetheart I will go to a wrecking yard THIS WEEK and look for spare switches and doohickeys needing to be re-homed and reused and appreciated again. :)

Last but not least, I ordered stainless steel vent shade guards.  They go on the front passenger and driver side windows.  I love this picture and the reflection of the bus.  :)

Also, I installed the rear window turn buckles and line and it is scary to drill into the metal of your own car, but it turned out perfect and it's just waiting for a curtain.  I am going to have to really muster up some talent to get this done.  However, I have also thought about measuring, cutting and pinning my curtains myself and then taking them down to seamstress mary's (BOMB PLACE AWESOME WORK) and have them sew them for me.  I'm truly just that bad at it.

Bumper Guards

Well, I got my bumper guards and put a vintage coke bottle opener on the driver side.  I do what I say and say what I do!  Pretty happy with the results.  I think two fog lights on the outside should make the front finish up and look nice.  Contemplating on getting a euro license plate made for the front to match the numbers of my vintage plate for the reason...just think it would look cool to have a euro plate on the front.  I also removed the orange reflectors from the inside of my turn signals to give it a cleaner, white/clear look.  I'm pleased.  My side step is on back order until JUNE, but I'm more than patient so I can wait. 
I'm about to drive to Lowe's to get some turn buckle hardware to start fabricating some curtain holders/rods although they aren't rods.  I'm going to use clear rubber coated wire so if they get saggy with time, I can tighten them down.  Then I'm going to figure out how the eff I'm going to make curtains because I can't sew a straight line sans thread across a piece of blank paper.  But I'm going to do it because I don't know anyone who sews.  Blue and white gingham check is what I'm going for, and if I can add rickrack around the edges....CUTE!  So Joann's is on today's list (yuck save me) for fifteen yards of fabric to wrap my bus.  Tiebacks would be next on the list and I'll make those with black leather straps and snap buttons.
I made my appointment at mobile innovations this afternoon, and will be having the door panels cut into and some kenwood speakers installed along with the kenwood deck I bought for it back in November.  I burned $350 today at MI and my appointment is May 16th.  :) HAPPY HAPPY!

T and Me

The Day Tony Dropped Off The Bus

New Stuff For Nigel

I have added new seat belts for the front seats, seat belt hooks, the jail bars on the rear sides and back window (my fav visual addition so far), eyelids for the headlights, shift extender because my arms are so short it became a pain in the neck (literally I think) reaching to shift, inside slider door handle, and exterior driver and passenger door handles.  Phew!  I still have to make an appointment at MOBILE INNOVATIONS to install my dash kenwood head unit and speakers but I keep putting it off because right now my little iphone on the dash playing Pandora's "The Head And The Heart" station at full volume keeps me smiling. I stopped listening to music while driving a few months ago; I hit the power button with the palm of my hand one day and I haven't turned it back on since. I am not in any rush. However, the hole in the dash bothers me for visual reasons.  But my personality explains.  Today I ordered two REWARD parts; reward for what, I am not sure.  I guess fun accessories would be better. The aluminum side step and the bumper guards for the front bumper.

Side Step for slider door

Bumper Guards Example

LOVE the bottle opener on the bumper guard; going to do it myself

I also like this style of fog lights which I will do this summer

I also have a bid on ebay for a 1971 Washington license plate, and I can use that vintage plate as my license plate on my bus and to me, that's just awesome.  It's white with green edging. I plan on stripping it to bare metal, pounding out all the little scuffs and painting it using patience and knowing I will only ever be painting one license plate in my life, so I can take my time.  The plate is GGH-908 and that has a nice little ringing rhyme to it, so I would be happy with it. I called EZ auto yesterday and asked if they kept plates to sell, but the answer was no.  I really want to get down to the wrecking yard and check out all the bones of buses which have been slowly decaying in the sun rain and snow for several years.  I just can't do it yet.  There's probably a set of old mud flaps, a roof rack and fog lights LOL just waiting to be removed. Yeah right to the roof rack.  That's all for now!

Slow Mo MoJo

He's so cool.  And yes, I kissed his vw symbol between his eyes.  Now I'll keep this updated with all the little fine things I'll be adding to it and just keep this blogger as a vw diary.

Mama I'm comin hoooooome

Tomorrow Anthony is going to put Nigel on a trailer and drive him over to Wenatchee for me as a "thanks for being patient" reward, and so I don't have to worry about the pass myself or making time for the trip. I think that is very considerate and kind and I appreciate it.

Less than 24 hours baby! I cant wrap my head around the fact. It's like Christmas my birthday new years the 4th of July and thanksgiving all happening tomorrow. No sleep for me tonight.

Sunroof Goof

Nigel with his siblings

All those faces have been so many places

I bet T just stands in here and stares

Rear Bumper and front vent cover

Sunroof cables have posed to be the dilemma from getting Nigel from point A (Gig Harbor now), to point B, Wenatchee.  With their breaking upon installation and test, Tony is having a hard time time finding a set worth laying the bucks down without a guarantee, but he is hoping he can find a company where if something goes wrong upon installation, another 300 dollars wasn't thrown in the wind.  If that road doesn't open, he has some ideas on how to do one DIY.  Which, crossing my fingers for the incredible labor behind something like that, I hope someone puts some magic fairy dust over that man's head and lets this obstacle slide.  He has been through some serious serious lately!  I feel for you my friend!

Until next time!

Ups and Downs But It's Coming Around

UPDATES UPDATES!
First E.Mail. From Anthony,

Just wanted to give you another update on the bus. I received those sunroof cables, but they ended up being no good as well.  Pretty frustrating, so I'm resorting to plan C, and fixing the old ones. I ordered some aluminum brazing rods last week so I can repair the broken cast aluminum pieces on the sliding mechanisms. The rods came in yesterday, and so I got to work on those right away. It was a challenge in itself to braze that stuff as I had no idea. However, I think it'll work. They seem stronger than ever so far. I have one tiny piece to make from scratch to hold the mechanism to the sunroof itself that allows it to pull back and forth and then I will have grind down the pieces to make all the necessary contours so they work properly, and don't bind up. Lots of metal filing! I'm really hoping this works. Otherwise, the only option is to order the cheap 300 dollar cables again, and reinforce those, which I totally want to avoid. But if worst comes to worst, we may have to. I'll do my best! I also talked to Ron at Wolfsburg West in California about it. They just announced that they are remaking all the beetle sunroof parts now, and inquired to see if they were planning on making bus sunroof parts. No go there he said. However, I talked to him about the cables, and he mentioned that he's heard similar stories of the after market ones breaking too.  I told him they should be made from one solid piece of billet aluminum, and CNC'd as one piece to reduce the risk of breaking. He thought that was a great idea, and is going to look into it. That will take a few months of R&D, which we don't have, but cool to hear none the less.

Besides that fiasco, i've been concentrating on the other things to get the bus finished up. Firstly, re-keyed the front door handles, so they take one key. I think I already mentioned that all the windows are now in. I had installed new clutch, and throttle cables. The old clutch cable looked as if was going to break so that was good to do for sure. I also finished the wiring harness that had been cut and partly missing. I ended up getting the whole rear harness from a parts bus, so all the factory colored wiring, and connectors are present again. I replaced the power brake hose underneath the rear of the bus due to it looking pretty beat. The transmission was then installed along with a new cross shaft, clutch cable spring, and also put the starter in. The C.V. axles were then repacked with grease, and installed as well. Yesterday, the engine went in. Looks great by the way. I may have to send you some pics from my phone, due the digital camera I had being on the fritz. Time for a new one I think. But so on, now i'm moving onto the brakes. The rear brake lines are on. One of the main front to rear hard lines had been cut for some reason, so i'll be repairing that today also. All in all, we are yet again, getting closer and closer. I refrain from giving a pick up date this time :) but it'll be soon. Actually, i'm glad that we decided to take the extra time needed, as it will better guarantee a nicer product in the end.

Well, i'll quite blabbing for now, so I can get back into the garage. Hopefully I can start this puppy up today. I'm charging up a battery, and painting the exhaust before that happens, so it'll probably be later today. I'll shoot you a call or email once I do, so you know she's alive! Hope you been good, and talk to you soon!

Best regards,

Anthony

THEN

Feb 11

Hey Kellee,

The bus is now running. There were a ton of little gremlins, I like to call them, that needed to worked out 

here and there. I'm going to work late tonight to get the brakes going, so it can be taken for a test drive. Pretty excited.  It's been a long time coming as I know you can imagine, but a milestone has been met with making sure the electrical all works, and engine running.

Putting the sunroof cables back in again is being saved for last, as I had to regroup by moving on to the runability (I don't think that's a real word), and figured at this point that should be priority. I've also been buttoning up the loose ends here and there as well.

That's all for now, I know it may not be much to report, but a huge part of the completion. Sunroof cables, brakes, horn, and detail is all we have left!  Maybe now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel?  :)

Have a great weekend, and talk to you soon,

Anthony

PICKING HIM UP MONDAY!

Original Seats

Seat Padding

How You'll See It

Seat Dials

Newly Wrapped Front Seats

Engine Engine Number Fine

Body Parts

OEM Hubcaps VERY Cool


I am happy to say, Monday I will be driving over to Port Orchard with the last and final payment in hand to pay for this tough little boy.  Let the work weekend FLY by!  :)

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! *Crossing Fingers!*

Pedal To The Medal

Rear Cargo Area

Front Driver Seats Wrapped In Back

View From The Dash, One Of My Favorite Viewpoints On A Bus

Sharp

Clean Machine!!!!  Look At That Baby!

Headliner.  So Tight, So White!

Nice Angle, I Love This Shot

Cute Seats!

So Nice, I Really Like This Picture

Ashtray and Oh Shit Handle For Rear Riders.  How Comical.

Can't Wait To Sit In This Passenger Seat, Turn Around, And See This.

Those Seat Belt Release Levers Are Killer

Walk Through.  Too Cool.

I can't believe how close this road trip is.  Tony has sent me a very exciting email Friday.  Here are parts of it. 
---------------------

Just wanted to check in again with some updates. The headliner is now finished. Came out great. 

Took about 3 days alone. Painting the little parts, and getting everything prepped was time consuming but worth it.

Rear seats, mats, all seat belts, visors, and panels are in too. The rear cabin area is just about finished with the exception of the rear hatch panel, which is going on today.  I put insulation behind the rear cargo panels for the winters, and sound deadening. I'm planning on getting the front seats finished by tomorrow. That will then complete the interior!!! 

The engine will be ready for pick up tomorrow. He's making it turnkey and doing a test running, and tune before I pick it up. It was supposed to be ready last weekend, but the cylinder cooling tin was not correct, and the heads were found to be no good, so those were swapped out for the suitable replacements.

I've recently been crawling around the brakes on the bus, and noticed that it will need a few things.

Front brake pads and rotors, 1 hard brake line, 4 soft brake lines, two rear wheel cylinders, and rear shoes.

The rear drums and 3 of the hard brake lines looked okay. I've ordered those parts and should arrive on Monday. Meanwhile, this weekend I'll be putting in the front door panels, windows, and sunroof. Brakes and engine will be in the beginning of next week. The bus has presented a couple of delays along the way waiting on a few parts and unexpected work, but we're now in the home stretch.

I hate giving completion times, because you never know what you'll find on these 40 year old projects, and what challenges that will bring, but I'm looking to have her ready for pick up next weekend. I really want to get enough test drives in Tuesday and Wednesday to break a few things in, and feel confident that it's ready for a long road trip to it's new home. I'll shoot you a call mid next week to let you know for sure.

If you need more of a heads up, or need to pick it up the following week, that works too. Just let me know.

So, Sunday, January 30th? :) Cross Fingers!!!!!!