losing the love UPDATE!! 8/5/12

[Gadget Boy]

LMFAO @ Nugsy :lol: :lol:

 

[THE LAST PANZER]

This is private Pheonix 140 earning his keep during a tour somewhere deep inside Lincoln, man that was a long summer but every man made it home.

 

[petegee56]

Just for Toad

Just because it has fancy wheels and suspension , Doesnt mean it doesnt earn its keep ......

:mrgreen:

This is the cleanest I have ever seen the gadget bus. :lol:

Everyone has been in the place you are now, I have been their many many times but stick with it, once you work through all the problems it will be what your hope it would be for your family

 

[choplee]

I hear you lobie your not on your own with losing the love and money for your bus ...

 

[Toad]

Just for Toad

Just because it has fancy wheels and suspension , Doesnt mean it doesnt earn its keep ......

:mrgreen:

Now thats what I'm talking about! lol
Great photos...cheers
(Just trying to help keep peoples priorities right really. Goodies are fine if you have the funds, but should only be done once the basics are in place.)

 

[Trikky2]

All old vehicles, of any marque or model, will have gone through the "old banger" stage. Eg. their value becomes very low and owners will have spent the absolute minimum they can get away with just to keep it running. Volkswagens are no exception and in some ways suffer from this even more; since they had a well deserved reputation for their reliability back then, they became even more of a target for the "run it on a shoestring" brigade.

The exceptions are rarities and if you find a vehicle that has been well maintained and looked after, with few previous owners, you will have to accept to pay a higher initial purchase price.

If you want a vehicle to be reliable the answer is simple. Check everything is correct. This means removing/fixing any and all previous botch repairs. Check all the rest is well within tolerances/wear limits. Then maintain it correctly.

If you have a problem, fix it correctly. Repairing it by bolting on some piece of replacement cack, or messing about addressing the symptom rather than the cause, only stores up more problems for later.

These vehicles were used widely all over the world in all sorts of conditions and environments and were known for their rugged reliability. Running around on the smooth roads of temperate Europe is a walk in the park by comparison.

 

[ozziedog]

^^^ Nicely put Trikky2 ^^^

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, :mrgreen:

 

[lobie]

went to my local dub klub meet last night without the bus it was great to see the lads and all the air cooled rides on a really nice light night it lifted my spirits again now im just keen to get the bus sorted and back on the road so i can join the convey again, it was cool as we all drove along and people just stopped and pointed and smiled, wish i had had my bus with me

so with summer on its way its got to be back on the road asap unfortunatly funds are very tight but i have put a few more bits and bobs on ebay so fingers crossed

the loves coming back slowly, but after everything ive been through since sept with the fire its hard to relax, but you guys have posted some great comments

and to top it all my dad found out he has bowel cancer so is in hospital at mo, want to get the bus sorted so i can take him out in it when he comes home

big thanks to all of you on here for your support

 

[uber cool]

Sorry to here about your dad. But glad your carrying on, as others have said we all have ups and downs with these buses.

 

[Tofufi]

Hmm I've had 4 buses in 15-20 years and just driven them round really. One T4 engine needed a new head when the valve receded, but it still did 55 on 3 cylinders. Othere than that and some rust...nothing. Must be lucky.

My bus with a stock 1600 would do 55 with a lump missing from one valve... on the flat :lol:

Otherwise, I've not had too many issues, only little niggles to sort. Once you've sorted them all, you'll be fine.

I've had mine 6 years, and the only niggle now is the bodywork...

 

[yachty]

Just for Toad

Just because it has fancy wheels and suspension , Doesnt mean it doesnt earn its keep ......

:mrgreen:

I say sir, that bush on your muxf could do with a trim :shock:

Or

Your bus has more on top than you have Dean :mrgreen:


Hang in there Lobie. If you haven´t already, buy the idiots guide and equip yourself with the basic tool kit found within and you´ll soon be maintaining your own bus and saving yourself money for the goodies in the process

 

[lobie]

Just for Toad

Just because it has fancy wheels and suspension , Doesnt mean it doesnt earn its keep ......

:mrgreen:

I say sir, that bush on your muxf could do with a trim :shock:

Or

Your bus has more on top than you have Dean :mrgreen:


Hang in there Lobie. If you haven´t already, buy the idiots guide and equip yourself with the basic tool kit found within and you´ll soon be maintaining your own bus and saving yourself money for the goodies in the process

i looked at my van last night sat on the drive and told it, you will take me on camping trip and you won t keep breaking down :lol: everytime i get fustrated, then i walk out of the house and see it sat there and i know i just couldn t part with it for anything, espicialy now the light night are here
i would just rather be spend my money on festival tickets

 

[Nugsy]

Hey Lobie, remember talking to you at the diner meet and looking at your bus. And how proud you were to be chatting about what you'd achieved. This little bump in the road will be nothing compared to all those memories you'll get this year driving it. I lost mine totally in a fire after 2 years af blood sweat and tears. Now replaced with a US import, its not the one i swore at, hated, etc and never thought id get the same kind of feeling from driving my imposter.

every now and again i remember how i told myself i'd feel

As in, my new bus is 'my' bus, without what happened to the old one i wouldnt have got here. The old one was an experience i'd rather not have gone through but the feeling fades slowly. Soon you'll forget how you feel.

Chin Up dude

 

[madjack]

Was your engine not replaced after the fire then from pics it looked as though it was when you had it rebuilt so why is it costing you?

 

[lobie]

Was your engine not replaced after the fire then from pics it looked as though it was when you had it rebuilt so why is it costing you?

According to the guy who rebuilt it he said he only rebuilt the top half so not his fault I did argue with him that I spent a lot of money and felt let down but he wasn t interested and offerered to sell me a recon engine

So if anyone every comes across a guy call Simon Jenkins at brookside VW air-cooled steer clear as he will fleece you

 

[simo]

It wasnt that long ago - go back to your insurers telling them that you now have problems with the engine as it keeps braking down and they have not repaired it to an acceptable standard!

Got to be worth a try :mrgreen:

simo

 

[lobie]

quick update ordered a new bottom end from steve strong (nice bloke) so van should be back up and running by end of month, may have my old bottom end repaired if it not too bad then i have a spare or may sell it if i needs funds for other jobs

so watch this space for more progress

the love is coming back now :lol:

 

[Clem]

Good work

The good times will follow :?

:mrgreen:

 

[Graham L]

Did you do a search on Steve Strong before buying, having you read the thread on here?

I've had no dealings with him whatsoever but the name rang a bell so did a quick search http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30070&hilit=steve+strong&start=20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wouldn't it just have been easier to get the bottom end rebuilt, I also thought when brookside did your repair work you couldn't praise them enough?

 

[lobie]

Did you do a search on Steve Strong before buying, having you read the thread on here?

I've had no dealings with him whatsoever but the name rang a bell so did a quick search http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30070&hilit=steve+strong&start=20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wouldn't it just have been easier to get the bottom end rebuilt, I also thought when brookside did your repair work you couldn't praise them enough?

ive done some research on steve strong and also spoke to the guy himself and some of his customers, it seemed that since he has set up on his own things are much better
as for brookside they where great until i had a problem then they just didn t want to know at all

as for rebuild the bottom end i figured easier to by a rebuilt one , as my engine has been on fire once and no telling what damage it may have done to the block
will take a look at the old block and maybe repair it or sell it for spares or repairs