69 'Old Blue' Microbus

[71dormy]

8) happy days

 

[streetboy]

Well a bit of an update for 'Old Blue'

After a major end float problem with the new engine and leaving only a weekend to sort it before a planned trip to France on the 15th, I decided to use the old case and transfer the new heads, barels and pistons etc from the stuffed engine. I replaced all the gaskets and seals and more imporantly it had only 0.004th end float. Put it back in last Saturday and she ran fine with a little tuning.
So we decided to bite the bullit and go for it! (with a short term AA breakdown cover just in case)
Clocked up just under a 1000 miles over the five days and all without a hitch Used only a smidgen of oil on the way down and after re-setting the valves, carb and timing on the Saturday she never lost a drop

Glorious weather, clear blue skies and all had a very relaxing time after the nightmare build up.

Oh and Dormy, fitted the headlight covers and they work

 

[gninnam]

What a great result with the engine 8)

Glad everything worked out in the end (love the covers on the lights)

 

[streetboy]

What a great result with the engine

Cheers Gninnam, took a couple of days driving to fully relax

Now to strip down and find out whats wrong with the other case

 

[slammedresto]

any updates dude, hows it going 8)

 

[streetboy]

Hi fella

well its been a while but I have been playing a bit. I vastly improved my hesitation come flutter at 30mph due to an overtightened idle screw of all things :lol: was driving me mad trying to find the problem and never dreamed by backing it off and resetting it would make a difference, but it did like I said despite it being 99% better it still is noticable from time to time.

So, I have now purchased a pair of good condition solex 40/44 eis cards with manifolds, linkage etc, and a facet pump and pump blank to boot. A nice little job lot I'll bung some pics up as I tackle it, good or bad.

I have since been accumilating various odds so I can pick a day and fit this lot all in one go. Vacuum 't' piece, 5/16 brass pipe for the vac outlets, new gaskets and a vacuum anti pulse valve to smooth the signal out.

I'm just in the process of sorting the vacuum on the carbs as they came without. I'm removing the brass plugs and blocking off the lower vac hole below the throttle plate in the throttle bodys, (manifold side) this should give the desired pull for the dizzy.

And I finally found a use for that box of bike spanners in the shed! a bit of tweeking and I now have an extra return spring on the left had side carb I'm pleased with that

Aside the carbs I have replaced all four drive shaft boots, all the bolts came out and it was not half as bad a job as I imagined, a bit tricky getting the new circlips seated tho :roll:

But did have a drama on Sunday when adjusting the brakes. Having removed the o/s hub I was left with the inner part of the inner bearing attached to the spindle and separated from the cage leaving all the roller bearings on the floor :x new kit coming tomoz I hope as I got to pick the wife and inlaws up from weynouth friday :shock:

Picked up a cool ladder for getting up to the roof rack, well worth the £65 I tell you

What else, ah, a set of ambulance fans to fit, and also waiting for a pair of notek spotlight 12v halogen replacements to come from Aus so I can wire them up too. Mot due next month but should be ok now the boots are done. Lets hope so.

Still no plans to paint it yet tho, just love to drive it :mrgreen:

 

[streetboy]

Wheel bearing sorted, brakes adjusted and carbs sorted. Life is good :mrgreen:

 

[gninnam]

Wheel bearing sorted, brakes adjusted and carbs sorted. Life is good :mrgreen:

Cool 8)

 

[streetboy]

Ambulance fans fitted this moring and what a difference :shock: very powerfull on second speed and I think demisting issues will be a thing of the past not to mention really hot days will be..... 8)
Not a bad job, drilled a hole in the closing end panels for the wires and grommets, switch in predrilled hole under glovebox and bolted it up.
I did fit some sticky backed foam to the original sealing rubbers on the door channels which made a difference too.

Jobbed jobbed

not much to see after fitting, just another knob to play with the other is for the spotlights when I do them, a nos, in the box hella with instruction decal from fellow eb'er Mattp

 

[streetboy]

Passed the mot today with flying colours and no advisaries

All set for Vanfest Friday with my shopping list

Then down to Plymouth on Saturday to drop my boy off to uni :shock: A fair few miles to rack up, lets hope she behaves

 

[gninnam]

Well pleased for you 8)

Now enjoy

 

[streetboy]

you can be sure I will

 

[streetboy]

Had a nice 3 hour run to Vanfest this morning and never saw another bus till about 3 miles from Malvern :shock: mind you coming home I wish I had one of those big waving hands, me arm was killing me time I got home! :lol:

As for the fest, really enjoyed it, found a couple of odds and sods, a gear lever extention which took some getting used to on the way home but is miles better so a result and a set of under seat and upright/bulkhead mats from Schofields I was looking for and of course the obligitary 'see it, must have it' item in the form of...........

a 'Hawk' vacuum and fuel pump tester :roll: at a fiver a must have surley? will actually come in handy when I do the carbs.

Lots of early's there today and loads on the way up on my return. Despite wandering round looking for eb'ers nobody was with their buses! all looking for a bargain I guess
Did have a good chat with the guy selling the 'Balboa Bay Club' van on the for sales. Nice guy and a nice bus too. Hope he sold it

Oh, and the ambulance fans were mustard, got quite warm on the way home and they were fantastic at cooling the van down

And a pic of the ladder, I love this thing, and so does my little girl. The new climbing frame :roll: :lol:

 

[streetboy]

Just looking back, first post dated Oct 2009.

Have just done the Breeze I will use it for another few weeks before stripping and taking into work for painting over the winter.

Yeah right :roll:

 

[uber cool]

Just looking back, first post dated Oct 2009.

Have just done the Breeze I will use it for another few weeks before stripping and taking into work for painting over the winter.

Yeah right :roll:

:lol: :lol: I've just thought the same with my thread, started fitting the porsche engine last November, said it would be in for 2010 dubfreeze, yeah right, might not even make 2011 dubfreeze!

Do like that rear ladder :msn4:

 

[streetboy]

Hi Uber, trouble is I just enjoy driving it too much that I just can't bring myself to take it off the road for long.
Kinda like the roughish round the edges look too
Was doing the carbs after I get back today but with the Breeze on the 2 Oct not sure thats wise :?

How long will it take to fit your Engine? Once your brave enough to start you'll have it cracked off in no time

 

[uber cool]

if I was you I'd leave the carb alone till after the Breeze. Also you van looks great as it is, dont paint it :mrgreen:

My engine shouldn't take too long, its been in once and all brackets and engine mounts made, really i'm putting off rebuilding the carbs, since there is 6 of them :shock:

 

[gninnam]

My engine shouldn't take too long, its been in once and all brackets and engine mounts made, really i'm putting off rebuilding the carbs, since there is 6 of them :shock:

Greedy

 

[streetboy]

My engine shouldn't take too long, its been in once and all brackets and engine mounts made, really i'm putting off rebuilding the carbs, since there is 6 of them

where you going to put the bigger fuel tank :lol:

at least I've only got two to worry about

 

[RICH-I-AM]

Comming on nice mate and very well travled considering you havnt had this van all that long 8) .

When ( :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: ) you finaly get it painted, you ought to keep the colour original, it suits it 8) .

Rich