1971 Adventure Wagon

[Lobelowe]

Hi all Early Bay forum members, very new here and also very new to VW campers.
I am just trying to get to grips with this bus and hope to get it on the road for next summer :shock:
I have been trying to read as much as I can from the technical section but already have a ton of questions that I will no doubt be asking :roll:
I found it through a friend in California and after waiting months it finally arrived in time for the UK wind and rain

 

[ozziedog]

Looks like a smasher of a van. Welcome to the forum and ask away with any questions. You`ll find this is maybe the most friendly forum on ta tintinternet :mrgreen: Adventure wagons look seriously cool either stock or lowered. Keep a nice record and include those pictures as you have your own adventures in your bus :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,, Great pics!! :mrgreen:

 

[Lee C]

I likes these mind !!!!!!
Was very interested in the blue one for sale on here a few weeks back.
But alas Mrs C can't see their coolness!!! :roll:

This looks a belter like!
Plenty pics please!??

 

[Dave.P]

Looks real nice, would like to see more pics

 

[Lobelowe]

Thanks for the warm welcome, a few more pics.

Waiting for a boat...

Finally home

It made it thousands of miles then the spare wheel cover blew off on the M25, :sad0049:

 

[Lobelowe]

Storing it somewhere with the high roof was proving difficult. I was thinking of fitting a pop roof to solve this problem but after a bit of sound advice have decided to keep it as it is, "Mr Whippy" as my mate calls it

I want to get it mot'd and registered as soon as possible but have a few electrical issues.

Left indicators work but when I flick the rights ones the left dash indicator still flashes and I hear a little whirring buzzing noise, perhaps a short?? I took the dash out, wow what a nest of wires!! My fuse box is hung with cable ties? On a plus note I found the clear plastic cover behind one of the headlights, wehey!!

I bought the camper as We had a little girl 8 months ago and decided we needed a family vehicle, don't seem to have as much time as I used to :| The plan is to be on the road for next summer, guess you've all heard that before......

 

[CHILDSEY]

Cool bus 8)
Nice colour too !

 

[mike202]

Nice van, a high top You won't feel as battered by the wind and rain as if you had a poptop like me last weekend :lol:

Fuse box attached with cable ties seems to fairly normal, until you can get it all sorted. By the way the dash indicator lights are supposed to both flash whichever way you turn.

 

[Lobelowe]

Nice van, a high top You won't feel as battered by the wind and rain as if you had a poptop like me last weekend :lol:

Fuse box attached with cable ties seems to fairly normal, until you can get it all sorted. By the way the dash indicator lights are supposed to both flash whichever way you turn.

Hi mike,
Do you mean they both flash at the same time? I thought they should flash individually depending on which way you turn? When I turn left the left light flashes, when I turn right the left light flashes??
Would anyone have a photo of the correct wiring diagram for the 1971 US bus?

Cheers

 

[mike202]

The dash lights flash together which ever way you are turning, that is why the working one is flashing when you turn left or right. I would guess the other side's bulb is loose or blown.
You can get a lot of info from this forum, and the Samba is also very good, but I advise you to get VWOA Bentley service manual as they have good colour electric wiring charts for all years.

 

[Lobelowe]

That makes perfect sense, thanks for your help.

 

[kiki]

Hi there your van looks really cool. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to wait for it. I too am new to the vw world finally bought my first 'vw 1971 imported from sunny California. We took her away for one night and she was very cosy. Safe travels good luck to getting to grips I too am learning and have no experience but I find forums are fantastic for friendly support. Take care

 

[Lobelowe]

Hi there your van looks really cool. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to wait for it. I too am new to the vw world finally bought my first 'vw 1971 imported from sunny California. We took her away for one night and she was very cosy. Safe travels good luck to getting to grips I too am learning and have no experience but I find forums are fantastic for friendly support. Take care

Thanks KiKi, waiting was hard, shame it turned up same time as the winter, haha.

 

[Lobelowe]

After days of tinkering I finally sorted the lights out. I checked all the earths and just about everything else I could then fitted another light unit (one from my motorcycle) and everything is good
Indicators now work both sides as the correct rate although the arm/stork is a bit floppy and will not hold itself in the up/right position, any advice to tighten it up?

Looked like the reverse/back up lights haven't worked for a while. I managed to wedge myself under the bus and find one of the wires off the switch and also the fuse was missing and was not connected to the coil. The lights themselves took a good clean up before they worked, everything just has a fine film over it which prevents good contacts. All good now though which has put a big smile on my face.

Fit New headlights tomorrow, hopefully it will be straight forward. Also nee to sort the horn, there is a wire poking it's head out the centre of the steering wheel but nothing on it.

 

[Lee C]

If the headlights are owt like mine they'll need a bit modifying to fit!!???

 

[68_early_bay]

8)

 

[the irv]

i do love these 8)

 

[Lobelowe]

The new headlights arrived last week so I set about fitting them at the weekend. As mentioned they were not a direct fit, I had to cut a hole in the mounting frames for the sidelights and do a little bit of filing here and there but that's all. I gave the frames a rub down and a coat of primer before fitting them.


Just a bit of dust behind the lights, and a dead spider, but nothing too bad.

I found the lights through a link to Ebay from this site, they were £35 for the pair and seem to do job well.

 

[Lobelowe]

No matter how much I clean the old rear light unit it just won't work properly. I tried stretching the little springs for a better contact but still it just caused problems with my tail and brake lights so I had to take drastic action. The purists won't be too pleased with me here but the light was toast.
I took the bayonet fitting out of the light then put a 26mm hole saw to work.



I then cut out a couple of little slots for the new fitting



These were from a Suzuki GSXR motorcycle but they are the same on most bikes, quite easy to come by and have the earth built into them.






Just wish the little lights in the back of the dash fitted like this :?

 

[ballbag]

Sweet bus dude, great idea on the light too, happy days What the plans?