Delta Green 70 deluxe "The Lunch Box"

[squareweave]

I had a few other pics of this van in another post so I thought I would share the progress as it comes along in this post.

Well this is what late night surfing Craigslist will get you. I totally did not need this project but I am sure glad I picked it up now that I have it home. I live in Vancouver B.C. and this bus was located in southern Oregon. From what I saw in the pictures it seemed pretty damn clean and I just had a good feeling about it. The owner told me that it was original paint and uber solid. (I'm a huge fan of buffed orig paint) So I sent the money and had a shipper pick it up for me as it was cheaper than doing the drive myself by the time I rented a truck and trailer, gas etc.

Once I got the van home I realized how solid it really was. The only part of this van that has rust is under the windsheild and just by one of the middle seat mounts. It has never seen undercoating and with a clean up the underside and fender wells will be all clean original paint.

My plans are to buff out the original paint which I might add has great patina along the beltline, install a new 70's era interior, detail the inderside and detail wheels, bumpers engine etc. I have dubbed it as the "The Lunch Box" and looking forward to having it out this summer.

I will try to keep you posted as progress comes along. So for now..............

Pics of what I saw from previous owner:

I got the van on Dec/21 and gave it it's first bath in a long time a week later. All of the little red spots are glazing putty, the previous owner though that it would be a good idea to smear that stuff on the little door nicks. Luckily it comes off with your fingernail. I will have the paintless dent removal guy come out from the local new car dealership and pop out the blems without damaging the original paint.

Back bumper is toast so on the hunt for nice replacement.

Clean original paint inner fenderwells, just need a scrubbing and some Varsol to remove the road tar. The original seam sealer is still mint.

Stripped and clean up the interior.

 

[squareweave]

Took all of the deluxe trim off. One of the previous owners didn't really dig the patina thing so he decided to spray paint over the fade. I used 0000 steel wool and oven cleaner and it came off with ease. You can really see where the rim was.

Og paint polishes up nice on contrast to the oxidized door. I love patina like this. Only 40 years of California sun can perfect this without rotting the underside.

And the boss keeping the rubber mats safe :roll:

 

[mcvw]

Lovely lovely lovely!

Jealous, not only of your bus, but your location too!!!

 

[roland]

Very nice!

Got a soft spot for delta green 70 since I own one!

 

[dubscum]

lovely

 

[mattyd72]

Looking good, what teqnique did you use to remove the trim ?

I need to replace a few of my clips so have decided to take the whole lot off so I can mop the entire bus, and wondered if there was a method that didn't involve scratching the shit out of the paint or brute force.....

 

[squareweave]

I slide a pice of paper behind the chrome to find where the clip exactly was and then use a "plastic stick" (like this white one in this picture) to pop off the chrome. You can get them from a glass shop that does auto glass. They have two different ends on them but it worked good to pop off the chrome. I have also filed the ends to what shape I needed in the past. They are pretty darn paint friendly but you still have use a bit of finesse.

 

[gninnam]

Looks like you got a nice van there mate 8)

Your plans for the van sound spot on to - looking forward to see where this renovation ends up

 

[squareweave]

Next up: Wiring! Typical early 1970 bus fusebox failure.

My 70 westy has the same problem but still driveable. Early 70 fuseboxes crack, crumble and then all of the fuses fall out. Some body tried to "fix" this one at some time with some american style fuses but to no avail. So I just received my late 70 fuse box and started at it tonight. I pulled the windsheild and pushed the dash back. I absolutely hate wiring but love a challenge so off to the races I go. I will clean up under there while its all apart as well.

Here's what the old one looks like.

As I pulled apart the heater vents and Voila, I found these in the tube. Confirms what I thought, A California Van. The M code stated that it was delivered to San Francisco but now I why it is so darn clean.

 

[squareweave]

Spent a bit of time in the garage this weekend. Cleaned up the front passenger fender well. It has a hard waxy coating that is a bugger to come off but with the right products it comes off. The front floors are soooooo clean.

Also made a trip down to Seattle on Monday to pick up a new set of rear seats. Found them on Craigslist. The original owner took them out of his van when he bought it new to get the interior converted. Just dusty and a bit faded from the sun coming through a window in his shop.

Also scored a original kick panel for the middle seat.

These arrived today, a set of mint original door air duct/armrests to replace the original ones.

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

That has polished up really well! Loving the underside - mint!

And those seats you have scored look like the really quite rare champagne edition ones to me, if so, they could be worth quite a bit.......at least there is a champange edition bus in this months camper and bus with the same trim...... :?:

Nice result all round!!

Alistair

 

[Guest]

should look great when your done. 8)

 

[71dormy]

8) that wheel arch is nuts ...do like a nice delta green, keep up the good work dude

 

[VivaSkegVegas]

That is a beauty!

 

[squareweave]

Gave up on the wiring so I cleaned the under side of the Lunch Box, oven cleaner from the dollar store and a cheap electric pressure washer did the trick . I wanted to see what I had under the dirt and a 40 year old coat of waxy rustproofing. Looks like the rustproofing did a bang up job at keeping the underside nice and clean It came out very clean. That stuff in the corners and brown spots is not rust just the waxy crap, I will get that by hand with some thinners. Also need to get off the black asphalt spots. Check out the original green overspray on the underside. Here's a few shots :

Cleaned the rear inner fender wells too.

Is a Deluxe complete without an Emden? This is the latest addition for the dash.

I have ordered a brand new wiring harness for the van. With the harness in now I found a few melted wires and chaffed spots and if you're gonna do it, do it right. It should be made late this week and shipped out, Looking forward to have a "sano" wiring job not the usuall rats nest. If anybody needs a nice late 1970 only fusebox I now have one for sale.

 

[gninnam]

Nice job so far and as for the how clean under the rustproof the bottom of your bus is :shock: Jealous

keep up the posts

 

[Kirk]

Sweet. I love green EBs. Whats the plans?

 

[squareweave]

Semi stock, meaning stock hieght with white walls, 70's inspired pattern stock interior (no not shag :lol: ), rubbed out patina'd paint and everything else detailed to the max. I have a set of Fuch earlies that I had planned to put on it but just don't have the guts to cut into a frame that is that clean. And if I am going to lower it, it's all or nothing

 

[davebug]

looking very well that one fella !!!

 

[squareweave]

A couple of weekends ago I went stateside and picked up this 69 deluxe. Who ever bought this bay certainly wanted a "Deluxe" bus. It has a sunroof, jailbars, kamie parcel shelfs, Emden radio. But........ it has rust. Some areas are great like the front floors, most of the cargo floor etc. But the nose has been tapped and the bottom of the dog legs are ugly, rockers and the worst part is the previous owner taped up the sunroof and after sitting outside for years the roof is toast. I am hoping to salvage the parts for the sunroof (plastic, cables and guides) I unfortunetly am going to use it for parts for the "Lunchbox". It has a decent orig interior, good running motor etc. I will post in the classifieds when I get around to pulling at apart but I am starting a new career and the the cars aren't first priority for a bit.