Just for interest.

[Velgreeno]

Hey folks. Just for pure interest when It comes to your bus, what would be the thing you would go no I wouldn't attempt i would just mess it up or are you the yeah il have a go type ? Of course when you own a vehicle like ours we all have to have basic knowledge etc and I mean im not the kind of pay someone to do everything kind of guy. If there is a job to do il do it even if it takes me an attempt or two and il do my best to get it right. From mechanics to interior to body work i will do it and have done it alot and everything is good and looking good for now but my biggest bug bear and no matter how hard i try, electrics has always always got me confused and im always in a state of eh and what's going on. No matter what I do or how hard i try its always got me baffled and just struggle big time. Its totally weird. Total block and my head goes no you will not take this in, i forbid it. Its totally annoying and i need some stuff done on my bus. (Yes you may face palm folks i have spoken to about this ha ). How about you folks ?

 

[milfredo]

I would give it all a go but... Welding is a mystery to me and restoring a van seems like a monumental task so I would be put off something that needs 100's of hours of welding. I don't have the space to completely dismantle a bus.

Time and space is a no-go I guess.

 

[YellowBay69]

I’d have to say electrics has been my nemesis. I’ve had to sit a learn it from scratch as my loom was chopped leaving me with no option but to replace. Biggest problem was my bus was built just as they changed some of wiring- which left me staring at 5 different diagrams which literally made me dizzy. Had some great guidance off Coda and a few others. Now hopefully well on way to finishing.

 

[ozziedog]

Rebuilding motors is easy if I got one of my engineering type pals with me. I’m never quite certain as to what is an acceptable amount of slack or play. For instance, when the shoulder of that cam bearing was too tight from new, I’d have no hope of knowing that whereas my mate picked up the broken pieces and reassembled then said “No wonder you’ve had problems, this shoulder is toooooo tight” I just saw a broken bearing/ shoulder and thought to just buy a new one. I’d have no issue with gearboxes diffs etc so long as I got the right back up. Welding was easy for me until recently and now I can’t see the weld pool so I get a young chap named Teddy to do mine and he’s just done an ace job on fixing up my cab floor, even making the components from scratch. Painting is all about prep and patience whereas I wanna just chuck it on.

Ozziedog,,,,,., leck triks are just the work of the devil

 

[Buss69]

Electrics need to be broken down and when you've done that it becomes a little easier. I can't quite remember exactly but to get a bus running you only need about 9 cables connected. Nothing else will work but the bus will run. After that it's a case of adding on circuits. I studied the wiring diagram for my '71 on a bunch of commutes over 6 months and had a pretty good understanding by the end of it. It gave me the confidence to try building my own loom. I didn't get it right first time because I tried to cut corners, a false economy. Second time round was a success and I'd added a lot of extra stuff, almost doubling the loom size. Break it down, it's way less daunting after that.
Personally I don't touch too much with the internals of the engine. I realise my limits here, simply, there are others who do this way better than me and the same goes for paint. I've resprayed the whole of a bus inside and out and it's definitely all in the prep, it takes years of learning and you need the time, kit and space all of which I don't have.

 

[67panel]

Never had a problem with electric until very modern type cars came along, can bus, what the hells that!! Being an old school mechanic I will turn my hands to most things, even had a go at covering the Sirocco seats in my bus with leather

 

[fallingoffalot]

Since getting my bus in 2019, I've had a go at some things, basic services, new brakes, replaced bits and bobs, resprayed most of it, but wasn't sure about the wiring so got a new loom made and fitted by Iain Burns, Also had a new gearbox fitted by Graham, and some welding on the bulge done by CJ Motors. I'm sure I'd be fine doing most of this myself, but I'd rather let someone who's done it many times before do it. I'm glad I did, esp the loom, Iain found so many other things that were wrong, that I would never have spotted, and fixed them whilst he was there. Next job is respraying the front now the rust is gone.

 

[sparkywig]

Electrics need to be broken down and when you've done that it becomes a little easier. I can't quite remember exactly but to get a bus running you only need about 9 cables connected. Nothing else will work but the bus will run. After that it's a case of adding on circuits. I studied the wiring diagram for my '71 on a bunch of commutes over 6 months and had a pretty good understanding by the end of it. It gave me the confidence to try building my own loom. I didn't get it right first time because I tried to cut corners, a false economy. Second time round was a success and I'd added a lot of extra stuff, almost doubling the loom size. Break it down, it's way less daunting after that.
Personally I don't touch too much with the internals of the engine. I realise my limits here, simply, there are others who do this way better than me and the same goes for paint. I've resprayed the whole of a bus inside and out and it's definitely all in the prep, it takes years of learning and you need the time, kit and space all of which I don't have.

Two, but one if you're push starting it.

 

[Clem]

I wouldn’t get involved in gearbox internals but most other stuff is fair game.

 

[Buss69]

Two, but one if you're push starting it.

Two minimum, live and earth return

 

[la_bigmac]

Body work! I have tried and while it looks good initially, fast forward 5 years and its look crap, the body work done by a professional lasts a lot longer.
I will give most mechanical and electrical jobs a go. I have not touched the gearbox or linkage, this is a mystery to me. But that is on the hit list, it's getting hard to select second gear in a hurry and I want a freeway flyer for Christmas.

 

[mike202]

Paint is a bit of a mystery to me. I won’t paint the outside of the bus but I am quite happy to do inside bits. I’ve only used cellulose paint which I have to say doesn’t seem to be the most durable. I painted the engine valance when I had the new engine and when I wax it occasionally I get the red colour on the cloth still. Also the pop top roof hold downs I painted with cellulose paint years ago have left red paint on the canvas.
I think 2k seems to be the best medium of paint but you need proper facilities to use it.

 

[Adam1970bay]

We have tried everything on our van, engine went away to be rebuilt as we had looked at it 5 years ago and was not happy.
Welding and paint cells done by me, ( learnt on a beetle, 3rd think I have welded and painted). Not body shop finish but costs a lot less, with celly paint I have found it takes a few cuts. Down then polishing with wax does not take the blue off.. I have a few paint cracks on the van maiming the sliding door.
the issue you have had with your pull downs I had on the back of my seats. When I used spray cans. To do the trim bits black. Guessing it’s a curing issues.
I have redone the who wiring loom one by one matching colours off diagram.

Pop top been our biggest pain, Danbury conversion, with a moon raker top screwed on, none of pop top companies roofs fitted our hol. We have found a roof that fit. And a few brackets hinges at the back to hold to roof, then a couple of tent poles from middle to from to lift - manually push up. A peg to hold it.

It’s worth giving most jobs a go, or save up for expensive garage bills.

 

[roobug67]

Bodywork, tried it, hate it. Leave it to the professionals who know what they are doing. I'll try/do anything mechanical or electrical.

 

[T2t25]

I’ve been putting mine back on the road after a 6 year lay up. The only thing I’ve paid for is to have the front screen fitted. I’ve done the electrics, brakes (all lines) paint and interior and engine rebuild