Getting someone to do the restoration.

[graysummers]

Hi Everyone,

Just a few words to say that it's good to come back to the site. My bus has been off the road for a number of years now. My job was so hectic alongside my additional taking on a Masters degree. My life was turmoil. The bus was a complete mess after all the salt from my local beach.

I know you all love restoring your buses and looking at your enthusiasm in such projects is awesome. Me? My job is full on and the end of the day is collapse and a different type of restoration project.......me!

I found a local guy in Machynlleth who loves buses as much as I do. He strips.repairs.restores. My bus is down to bare metal and awaiting the welding torch, the whole refit of everything and the respray. I couldn't do this myself with all the will in the world.

So....when the work is done (loads of pics being taken) I'll post them up. This guy is heartfelt amazing and a joy to talk all things bus related with. When you meet someone with so much insight, it's really comforting to know it's in safe hands.

Good fortune to you all.

 

[lisavx]

That sounds great that you're doing it in a way that suits you. We bought ours with every intention of doing all of it ourselves but then life, common sense and knowing our own limitations made us realise that we were probably being idealistic and unrealistic. We handed ours off to vanimal in leigh to do some of the bigger jobs and now we have it back we're getting on with what we feel are the finishing touches. Jobs that fit in with our work and our desire to keep this as a pleasurable hobby and not a terrible chore. Can't wait to see your pictures and I bet you can't wait to start using it rather than just seeing it sat there. [emoji5]

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[graysummers]

Thanks for the reply lisavx. You're right. Seeing it sat there for years and the grandchildren visiting from the Midlands and asking if we were going to the beach in billie bud was a heartbreaker. A car and a picnic? No comparison at all! A few months and it'll be back. All will be normal again. Like you we can add all the things that we can manage to do. Good fortune.

 

[Webbaldo]

Hey that's great!

Good that you've found a restorer you can trust.

It really annoys me when some people criticise how others do their van. Everyone has different lives/skills/money/time and at the end of the day enjoying what you do is the important bit.

Whether its built/bought/restored its still a van.

I didn't have time or money lol. With a little one due (back in march 2015), I found a bargain bin bus off taypic and knew if I didn't buy it id miss my window financially to be able to afford one. Luckily I can weld and can be patient lol.
Nearly 2 years later and I'm onto the fun stuff now like interior and hopefully by may our little family can enjoy trips to the beach etc. the way they should be, in a VW!

 

[graysummers]

Hi Webbaldo. I'm a staff nurse and it's full on. The guy doing up the bus has a business to keep alive and skills to offer. The bus is getting treatment that is priceless. 1972 and still around. It deserves the TLC its going to get. I reckon it thinks thank God it's not bandages, sticking plasters and splints repair jobby. Nice to see you've realised your dream.

 

[matty74]

Can't wait to see the pics, take plenty during the restoration. No matter how small a job you're able to do yourself, you'll be able to stand back with pride when you're up and running. We're itching to get ours out of the hibernation already and it's only been away for 8 weeks [emoji106]


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[graysummers]

Hi Marty. When I first had the bus I did loads of tinkering (changed the starter motor, secured a wobbly steering wheel and other stuff). It made me realise that to keep the bus truly secure in bodywork and the really heavy duty stuff can,t happen on a drive in front of the house. Changing the starter motor with all that weight above me on axle stands and getting the damn thing off behind the casing, was a real challenge, and pretty scary. I want the engine stripped and rebuilt so I don't get 16 mph to a gallon. That and stopping and puttering out. This is why it's so important that I can leave it for him to do. Tune ups, I can go and learn. I've got the John Muir idiots guide to keeping the bus alive. So will be watching over it like a hawk. Nice to have your reply. Cheers.

 

[graysummers]

Sorry....Matty, not Marty. Spellcheck!

 

[matty74]

I've been called worse lol

 

[thejinx]

I did exactly what you are doing. Bought bus I personally had no idea of what I was doing. Got a local business I trusted to do welding and spray and then put it back together myself. I couldn't have done as good a job as the professional. It's another bus on the road which I will hopefully see on my travels around Wales soon

 

[graysummers]

Hi thejinx. Love South Wales. Studied at Swansea Uni. Part time for 3 years. My daughters partners family all live in Cardiff. Had a trip around Llanelli, Tenby and St. Davids and back up to my area through Fishguard and Cardigan Bay about a month ago. Wished it was in the bus. I have Ynyslas and Aberdovey on the doorstep. Hoping to get out there by the late spring/early summer. All the best.

 

[CornishSilver]

Similar to yourself, I've read quite a lot of the various build threads and am amazed at the quality and jobs the guys are getting involved with. id love to be able to do it myself but am restricted mainly by not having the time to learn let alone actually do the job. I do take on the smaller jobs during the winter months, but come holiday season it gets done by the garage, whatever it may be. I am now servicing the bus myself, but in a few years when its going to need some tic in the body dept I'm not even going to consider getting involved other than driving it to the best pro I can find. We done Wales (some of it last season), lovely place especially Snowdonia.

 

[graysummers]

Cornish Silver. I just want the bus to be at its best. Then maintain it with loving care. It's not cheap running a vehicle from the 60s/70s. I used mine everyday for work as well as leisure. Like you and all the others on the site, we're obsessive about them. I'd love to go to Europe visiting friends in Italy. It has to be pretty sound for such a long trip. Wales though!!! Bala and Betws-y-coed, lake Vyrnwy..... all amazing visits. I emailed Paul (the guy doing the restoration) and he's taking a photographic history. That will interest a lot of the members on the site.

 

[graysummers]

I have photographs of my bus in its present state which I am finding very difficult to upload to begin to show the progress Paul is starting. I am going to visit his workshop tomorrow in Machynlleth. My second hand concertina Devon pop top has arrived from eBay and panels too from Schofields. The bus looks in a really sad state and the rust on the framework under the belly pans is unbelievable. I wonder when I drove the old girl every day that she didn't collapse on me. Paul has been reassuring and oozes confidence re: restoring her back to her best. What's brilliant about this is he tells me to drop in anytime and look at the progression. That means I see how it all happens. Any clues re: simple photo uploads. Just a couple at a time over the weeks ahead to interest you all.

Paul's lent me some veedub books to look at interiors and individuality from the past. I love stock. It's great stamping ideas collecting ideas and making the bus your own isn't it?

 

[Guest]

Any clues re: simple photo uploads. Just a couple at a time over the weeks ahead to interest you all.

use tinypic... click on the coloured text below this window, register an account and upload from this webpage. just copy and paste the address when the image is uploaded. You dont even have to leave the page to do it.

 

[graysummers]

Hi Johnny,
Thanks for the information. I have registered and it seems straightforward. I'll give it a try. All the best.

 

[NickJ]

Hi Gra, good to see you back on here and exciting stuff with your camper when my daughter was in Uni in Aber we used to drive past your place very often and I'd always check to see if your van was still there :mrgreen: fingers crossed it wont be too long before you will be chilling on Ynyslas again where we met quite a few years ago.

I've actually changed the colour since this was taken though. (the little boy in the pic is now 6'3" :lol: time flies)
I look forward to seeing your pics and hopefully seeing your van in the flesh so to speak. Cheers Nick.

 

[graysummers]

Hi Nick. Remember meeting you guys on the beach. I went to see the bus yesterday and it's simply a shell. Paul has blasted it down to basics and revealed all its heartaches. It now is at its worst as Paul says and can only go upwards from here. There are holes and rust you wouldn't believe. Just been looking at panels and other parts to begin rebuilding the sides. The guy I bought the bus from kind of went to town with the manual written by that famous vw restorer Heath Robinson. Bought quite a few replacement bits already for the chassis to be rebuilt and welded. Got a fantastic pop top from eBay. A concertina Devon top. So, it will be a while before we can get back to the beach. I'm looking to upload a few photos. All the best and hope you're enjoying your own bus experiences.

 

[graysummers]

Ok. Here are a few initial photographs.

I have a lot of close ups but realise that too many photos are not a good idea here. If you want more photos over the full restoration then I'll have to email them as things develop. Paul has the old girl on a "spit" that he made himself. It was great to see the bus roll over for access to work on. I've put a photograph here.

 

[graysummers]

Interestingly this was how the bus looked 6 years ago. Amazing what you can mask with paint and filler.