- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
mattp said:
Its passed the MOT but not Pete Nice!
Our Camper - Dorothy, 1970 RHD Devon
- Thread starter Whistler
- Start date
Help Support Early Bay Forum:
Its passed the MOT but not Pete Nice!
Whistler said:I can't believe its been so long since I last posted!
no internet at home at the moment so no pics, but one major piece of news is that it passed the MOT on Monday. WOO HOO!
A lengthy update as soon as the internet is back up.
So f%£?ing happy!
Brilliant news, well done 8) :mrgreen:
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Right then, something that has been on the 'to-do' list is update this.
MOT was on the Monday, then the following Sunday our lives changed for ever...
Fortunately it wasn't anything bad. On the 4th November 2014 just before 4pm this happened.
Amazing just isn't the word to describe it! So obviously for a few months I was learning to be a Dad (still sounds weird 7 months later!) so unfortunately Dorothy took a back seat. We did however go for a drive a couple of weeks later to the park.
Anyway, back on to the Bus now as this is Earlybay, not Mumsnet! - Note, must see if there is a Dadsnet!
Rewind some way back to June/July last year and I will pick up the story, going to be crazy trying to remember nearly a year's worth of what happened but here goes.
I think I said already that I just painted the dash a matt black to tidy it up. Actually really happy with how it came out. I had to fill two wholes that a PO had put in for a cigerette lighter and something else, then just sanded it, primered it and painted it black. Then the front fell over and got pretty badly scratched so I did it all again. Happy I did as second time round was a lot better for some reason.
Also my fuse box snapped in half so instead of doing the smart thing and getting a modern blade fuse setup I bought a late bay fuse box from I think Oxy-Jon and went about taking all the clips out of my early one and putting them in the late one. What a pain in the butt that was, but all done and the wires were all done and ready for testing. I don't recall the issues we had now but it was a fair few...
All was working fine in the end. Couldn't test the oil and generator light at the point but when the engine went in all was good. Really chuffed.
All tidied up as best I could at that point
After that it was on to the front bumper and interior. We had had for about 3 months now the door cards, rock n roll and seats all done waiting to go in. Done by EuropIan Interiors. Nice chap and I though very reasonable.
Bar the badge all done!
Kick panels, MadMatz mats and the seats in
Then rear bumper, engine lid etc.
We also picked up some FABRIK screen covers off here, very nice! We've since used these now and I have manged to get them to fit real nice and tight so sorry for the crappy first attempt pictures Mike!
Ronnie had found some sound-proofing stuff from a guy on eBay for not a lot of money, so I bought a roll, I think I got 10metres for about £45-£50. So that got stuck over the engine, inside any panel that I could get at and on the roof. I then (from the same chap) bought some modern cloth to go over the engine bay bit and down the front to the floor to tidy it up. I like it.
You may also spot that we had done the floor as well. It is a pastel Orange vinyl.
On to the door cards in the back before the Rusty Lee full width rock n roll went in.
Then the plan was to put the pop-top back on. We had kept the wood battens that the fiberglass fixed too and made some new ones with new wood. That was treated as well before we screwed it back on. Then the fiberglass went on then finally the roof. Annoying thing is that we used all the original screw holes but for the life of me I cannot get the 4 clips to stay snapped shut to keep the roof down. So I had to tie it down for a period, then more recently I've cable tied it. I do have a plan of what I am going to replace them toggle things with but that will have to wait for the time being.
Then it was put the engine** in time! :bliss: Ronnie popped round and we got the engine built up - my dad had a last minute trip to Coolair to get a couple of bits we were missing, lost or forgot! Got the engine in and I remember there being something that stopped us from firing it up but I cannot remember for the life of me what it was. So the following Saturday I think it was came back, did what ever it was that stopped us the week before, and immediately she fired into life. The feeling is mad when this happens! Nothing like a baby but up until that point the happiest I ever was that I can recall!
**a few months prior to this Ronnie had helped have a look at the engine, it was a VEGE engine and it all looked pretty good. We then test the compression and one of the cylinders wasn't that great. We took the heads and the barrels off and someone had put the con-rods back in upside down... :evil: It was something else that just pissed us off. After all of the downs we really hoped the engine would be OK. Ronnie got on the phone to Robert Parry who was currently building the top end of his engine. We had a couple of options and decided what route we would go down with the engine. Thankfully my parents as a present helped out with the money, thank you parents!!!
So with the electrics all done, the underneath all done, the inside done (I say done, but done as in a we can use it sense). It was down to Pete Nice for the MOT. We also had an issue that indicator warning lights didn't flash. So Pete in the end worked out it was because I had LED bulbs so out they came and hey presto all working fine.
Now I know that my Dad is knowledgeable (having been hot rodding and drag racing for decades) and Ronnie as well, but we went through the MOT and the only thing they had to do was adjust the headlights. WELL HAPPY!!
However, on the way down to Pete my oil light started flickering so I pulled over on the A3 and made some calls, I have one of those save my bug dipsticks and I think it may be faulty (it has happened a couple of times since then for no real reason, I will get a temp and pressure gauge when I get round to it).
The only other thing to note as above the rear wheel bearing was knackered after 30-40 miles. Pete changed the near side one and I have since changed the off side one (what a pain in the arse that was by the way).
We went out to get the Christmas tree, my parents were going as well as we needed to get 3 trees so luckily they were there, we broke down on the way. The driveshaft came off :lol: I think I used too much grease. I've since cleaned them up and used some lock-tite and all good so far. So a quickish roadside fix and we were away again, got the tree, all was good. I do remember the baby having the right hump that day though. We had to take it in turns to look at the trees as she would not stop crying!
With the fresh new MOT and new baby all was pretty good, hectic, tiring and a daze, but all good
We went out for a drive down to East Grinstead to look in a camping shop and then to a Caravan place near Crawley. Weather was crap obviously!
Then the baby took over for a while! Lots of family visits from here and other countries! The next time we got out we drove down to box hill.
MOT was on the Monday, then the following Sunday our lives changed for ever...
Fortunately it wasn't anything bad. On the 4th November 2014 just before 4pm this happened.
Amazing just isn't the word to describe it! So obviously for a few months I was learning to be a Dad (still sounds weird 7 months later!) so unfortunately Dorothy took a back seat. We did however go for a drive a couple of weeks later to the park.
Anyway, back on to the Bus now as this is Earlybay, not Mumsnet! - Note, must see if there is a Dadsnet!
Rewind some way back to June/July last year and I will pick up the story, going to be crazy trying to remember nearly a year's worth of what happened but here goes.
I think I said already that I just painted the dash a matt black to tidy it up. Actually really happy with how it came out. I had to fill two wholes that a PO had put in for a cigerette lighter and something else, then just sanded it, primered it and painted it black. Then the front fell over and got pretty badly scratched so I did it all again. Happy I did as second time round was a lot better for some reason.
Also my fuse box snapped in half so instead of doing the smart thing and getting a modern blade fuse setup I bought a late bay fuse box from I think Oxy-Jon and went about taking all the clips out of my early one and putting them in the late one. What a pain in the butt that was, but all done and the wires were all done and ready for testing. I don't recall the issues we had now but it was a fair few...
All was working fine in the end. Couldn't test the oil and generator light at the point but when the engine went in all was good. Really chuffed.
All tidied up as best I could at that point
After that it was on to the front bumper and interior. We had had for about 3 months now the door cards, rock n roll and seats all done waiting to go in. Done by EuropIan Interiors. Nice chap and I though very reasonable.
Bar the badge all done!
Kick panels, MadMatz mats and the seats in
Then rear bumper, engine lid etc.
We also picked up some FABRIK screen covers off here, very nice! We've since used these now and I have manged to get them to fit real nice and tight so sorry for the crappy first attempt pictures Mike!
Ronnie had found some sound-proofing stuff from a guy on eBay for not a lot of money, so I bought a roll, I think I got 10metres for about £45-£50. So that got stuck over the engine, inside any panel that I could get at and on the roof. I then (from the same chap) bought some modern cloth to go over the engine bay bit and down the front to the floor to tidy it up. I like it.
You may also spot that we had done the floor as well. It is a pastel Orange vinyl.
On to the door cards in the back before the Rusty Lee full width rock n roll went in.
Then the plan was to put the pop-top back on. We had kept the wood battens that the fiberglass fixed too and made some new ones with new wood. That was treated as well before we screwed it back on. Then the fiberglass went on then finally the roof. Annoying thing is that we used all the original screw holes but for the life of me I cannot get the 4 clips to stay snapped shut to keep the roof down. So I had to tie it down for a period, then more recently I've cable tied it. I do have a plan of what I am going to replace them toggle things with but that will have to wait for the time being.
Then it was put the engine** in time! :bliss: Ronnie popped round and we got the engine built up - my dad had a last minute trip to Coolair to get a couple of bits we were missing, lost or forgot! Got the engine in and I remember there being something that stopped us from firing it up but I cannot remember for the life of me what it was. So the following Saturday I think it was came back, did what ever it was that stopped us the week before, and immediately she fired into life. The feeling is mad when this happens! Nothing like a baby but up until that point the happiest I ever was that I can recall!
**a few months prior to this Ronnie had helped have a look at the engine, it was a VEGE engine and it all looked pretty good. We then test the compression and one of the cylinders wasn't that great. We took the heads and the barrels off and someone had put the con-rods back in upside down... :evil: It was something else that just pissed us off. After all of the downs we really hoped the engine would be OK. Ronnie got on the phone to Robert Parry who was currently building the top end of his engine. We had a couple of options and decided what route we would go down with the engine. Thankfully my parents as a present helped out with the money, thank you parents!!!
So with the electrics all done, the underneath all done, the inside done (I say done, but done as in a we can use it sense). It was down to Pete Nice for the MOT. We also had an issue that indicator warning lights didn't flash. So Pete in the end worked out it was because I had LED bulbs so out they came and hey presto all working fine.
Now I know that my Dad is knowledgeable (having been hot rodding and drag racing for decades) and Ronnie as well, but we went through the MOT and the only thing they had to do was adjust the headlights. WELL HAPPY!!
However, on the way down to Pete my oil light started flickering so I pulled over on the A3 and made some calls, I have one of those save my bug dipsticks and I think it may be faulty (it has happened a couple of times since then for no real reason, I will get a temp and pressure gauge when I get round to it).
The only other thing to note as above the rear wheel bearing was knackered after 30-40 miles. Pete changed the near side one and I have since changed the off side one (what a pain in the arse that was by the way).
We went out to get the Christmas tree, my parents were going as well as we needed to get 3 trees so luckily they were there, we broke down on the way. The driveshaft came off :lol: I think I used too much grease. I've since cleaned them up and used some lock-tite and all good so far. So a quickish roadside fix and we were away again, got the tree, all was good. I do remember the baby having the right hump that day though. We had to take it in turns to look at the trees as she would not stop crying!
With the fresh new MOT and new baby all was pretty good, hectic, tiring and a daze, but all good
We went out for a drive down to East Grinstead to look in a camping shop and then to a Caravan place near Crawley. Weather was crap obviously!
Then the baby took over for a while! Lots of family visits from here and other countries! The next time we got out we drove down to box hill.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
A couple more on our day out. Ended up being near my girlfriends Auntie in Edenbridge, a quick phone call later and they got to meet the baby which was real nice
This was waiting to see if her family was around.
Nothing much else happened, we ended going to Whitstable a few times, then one of those trips over the weekend we went to a farm shop in Favesham, started her up and there was an awful racket, like a screw was in the fan or engine. So it stopped then started again, so this is how I ended my weekend away.
Guess it saved me the fuel back...
Turned out it was the new alternator that was fitted, inside the fan housing where you attach the protective plate to before the fan goes on, one of the screws had worked it's way loose and was scraping on the inside of the housing. We had to take the engine out because we didn't know where it was coming from at that point. So all back in and so far so good.
So been driving around merrily for a few months, put a new windscreen in, swapped the dash bulbs for LED ones, had an alarm and immobiliser fitted. Also a radio and some front speakers. Had nightmare's with the indicators and indicator stalk, turned out it was the way the alarm was fitted. I then had to re-wire them the day we were going away but so far it's all good. We also stuck a bit of wood under the rock n roll to tidy it up.
Oh and I painted the wheels which looked pretty cool. Just a quick rub down, primer and spray. Only took a few hours so that's the level of workmanship that went into it
So May 20th was my birthday, we were going to go and stay near Longleat but one thing and another decided to stay closer to home. So we went down to Manor Court Farm just outside Tonbridge. It's still a working farm but with plenty of camping pitches, really nice site, recommend it and we will definitely go back. Back in February I took my dad to the Caravan and Camping show at Birmingham. I picked up some lights for inside the van and also a new tent
I went there looking at the new Vango Icarus, but I didn't like it and the guy I was speaking too was a complete prick so there was no way he was getting a couple of quid from me, let alone a few hundred. Later in the day we went somewhere we hadn't walked before and I spotted this.
So I bought it. We were supposed to go away in April in it but there was a hold up with it coming to this here from New Zealand.
After spending most evenings and the weekend and most of Monday in the end getting bits done - mad it was only a couple of weeks ago but I don't really remember all the things we had to get done.
This is the wheels and a wash, her first wash ever! I didn't end up polishing anything as the weather was shit and I was lucky to find an hour in between the rain to even wash her.
This one is a painful one, my dad many months ago pushed the bus and cracked the front panel. It just got bigger and bigger so we had to take the crack out and re-fill it and now it's flatted down my me. Needs doing properly obviously but we ran out of time before our week away.
Finally we were loaded up (sooooo much stuff....) and headed down to Tonbridge, we arrived about 4pm in the end, only 4 hours behind schedule :lol:
We had some mental rain and hail stones and then a double rainbow
I then tried to be something I am clearly not and be a new-age arty photographer! However, I do really like this picture.
and one more.
Next day was my birthday, all started great. Had a great breakfast with some eggs that were under an hour laid, some top Kent smoked bacon from a local farm shop in a nice (shame it wasn't from the farm shop but they had run out) french stick.
We went for a walk around the 350 acre farm, through corn fields, then through a field where we heard some crazy Jurrasic Park type noises down the hill, I ventured as far as I was willing to run back but couldn't see anything. There were three of us and a sleeping baby, we all heard it, walked quicker to get out that field. The site owner swears there are no animals in that field.... :roll:
Then through a couple of fields littered with sheep and lambs, back up to the top of the camping bit where I got bitten by a horse...
Got changed and ready to go out for my birthday dinner to Smith and Western in Tonbridge. We got around 2 miles down the country lane....
Let me just break off on a tangent if you will indulge me. We purchased this bus in November 2012, not even knowing what an Early Bay was. The plan was to see Europe by bus, things got us down, the amount of money spent is scary. We have learnt A LOT not just about people, but the bus, and what we are capable off. Thankfully I think all of you like what we have done and I don't think I've been part of a community or a forum with so many nice and helpful people, you lot are a credit to the Internet
After the blood, sweat, tears (nearly) we were way for the first camping trip in our beloved bus and our 6 month old baby daughter, what an experience it should be right? Well it was until...
Needless to say, we didn't get to Smith and Western for my birthday dinner. We instead turned around and managed to get back to the campsite. I had stopped at a junction and the guy behind didn't see that I had stopped.
We had also ran out of gas so we couldn't even have a cuppa when we got back, fortunately the campsite owner was able to find an electric kettle for us. Also provide the number of a pizza place that would deliver to us. I actually enjoyed the pizza even with people coming to chat to us about what had happened, phone ringing etc.
As it stands we don't think the other person was insured so I will have to pay the £150 excess and claim that back. LV couldn't find anyone that would take the bus down in the south so we loaded up the next morning and got a tow home. I've done my estimate of what it will cost so I need to get that to the insurance company on Monday. Ronnie is going to do the work for me as he pretty much did everything that has been smashed anyway. Also I think one of the only people I would trust.
So there you have it, in a few hundred lines nearly a year of stuff. I know I have forgotten loads so I may fill the missing bits in for when the baby is old enough to read this. There are still loads of things we want to do with the bus, but first of all is fix it up.
Still gets us down looking at these photos so I will put a happy one up.
This was waiting to see if her family was around.
Nothing much else happened, we ended going to Whitstable a few times, then one of those trips over the weekend we went to a farm shop in Favesham, started her up and there was an awful racket, like a screw was in the fan or engine. So it stopped then started again, so this is how I ended my weekend away.
Guess it saved me the fuel back...
Turned out it was the new alternator that was fitted, inside the fan housing where you attach the protective plate to before the fan goes on, one of the screws had worked it's way loose and was scraping on the inside of the housing. We had to take the engine out because we didn't know where it was coming from at that point. So all back in and so far so good.
So been driving around merrily for a few months, put a new windscreen in, swapped the dash bulbs for LED ones, had an alarm and immobiliser fitted. Also a radio and some front speakers. Had nightmare's with the indicators and indicator stalk, turned out it was the way the alarm was fitted. I then had to re-wire them the day we were going away but so far it's all good. We also stuck a bit of wood under the rock n roll to tidy it up.
Oh and I painted the wheels which looked pretty cool. Just a quick rub down, primer and spray. Only took a few hours so that's the level of workmanship that went into it
So May 20th was my birthday, we were going to go and stay near Longleat but one thing and another decided to stay closer to home. So we went down to Manor Court Farm just outside Tonbridge. It's still a working farm but with plenty of camping pitches, really nice site, recommend it and we will definitely go back. Back in February I took my dad to the Caravan and Camping show at Birmingham. I picked up some lights for inside the van and also a new tent
I went there looking at the new Vango Icarus, but I didn't like it and the guy I was speaking too was a complete prick so there was no way he was getting a couple of quid from me, let alone a few hundred. Later in the day we went somewhere we hadn't walked before and I spotted this.
So I bought it. We were supposed to go away in April in it but there was a hold up with it coming to this here from New Zealand.
After spending most evenings and the weekend and most of Monday in the end getting bits done - mad it was only a couple of weeks ago but I don't really remember all the things we had to get done.
This is the wheels and a wash, her first wash ever! I didn't end up polishing anything as the weather was shit and I was lucky to find an hour in between the rain to even wash her.
This one is a painful one, my dad many months ago pushed the bus and cracked the front panel. It just got bigger and bigger so we had to take the crack out and re-fill it and now it's flatted down my me. Needs doing properly obviously but we ran out of time before our week away.
Finally we were loaded up (sooooo much stuff....) and headed down to Tonbridge, we arrived about 4pm in the end, only 4 hours behind schedule :lol:
We had some mental rain and hail stones and then a double rainbow
I then tried to be something I am clearly not and be a new-age arty photographer! However, I do really like this picture.
and one more.
Next day was my birthday, all started great. Had a great breakfast with some eggs that were under an hour laid, some top Kent smoked bacon from a local farm shop in a nice (shame it wasn't from the farm shop but they had run out) french stick.
We went for a walk around the 350 acre farm, through corn fields, then through a field where we heard some crazy Jurrasic Park type noises down the hill, I ventured as far as I was willing to run back but couldn't see anything. There were three of us and a sleeping baby, we all heard it, walked quicker to get out that field. The site owner swears there are no animals in that field.... :roll:
Then through a couple of fields littered with sheep and lambs, back up to the top of the camping bit where I got bitten by a horse...
Got changed and ready to go out for my birthday dinner to Smith and Western in Tonbridge. We got around 2 miles down the country lane....
Let me just break off on a tangent if you will indulge me. We purchased this bus in November 2012, not even knowing what an Early Bay was. The plan was to see Europe by bus, things got us down, the amount of money spent is scary. We have learnt A LOT not just about people, but the bus, and what we are capable off. Thankfully I think all of you like what we have done and I don't think I've been part of a community or a forum with so many nice and helpful people, you lot are a credit to the Internet
After the blood, sweat, tears (nearly) we were way for the first camping trip in our beloved bus and our 6 month old baby daughter, what an experience it should be right? Well it was until...
Needless to say, we didn't get to Smith and Western for my birthday dinner. We instead turned around and managed to get back to the campsite. I had stopped at a junction and the guy behind didn't see that I had stopped.
We had also ran out of gas so we couldn't even have a cuppa when we got back, fortunately the campsite owner was able to find an electric kettle for us. Also provide the number of a pizza place that would deliver to us. I actually enjoyed the pizza even with people coming to chat to us about what had happened, phone ringing etc.
As it stands we don't think the other person was insured so I will have to pay the £150 excess and claim that back. LV couldn't find anyone that would take the bus down in the south so we loaded up the next morning and got a tow home. I've done my estimate of what it will cost so I need to get that to the insurance company on Monday. Ronnie is going to do the work for me as he pretty much did everything that has been smashed anyway. Also I think one of the only people I would trust.
So there you have it, in a few hundred lines nearly a year of stuff. I know I have forgotten loads so I may fill the missing bits in for when the baby is old enough to read this. There are still loads of things we want to do with the bus, but first of all is fix it up.
Still gets us down looking at these photos so I will put a happy one up.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Sometimes people are such a pain in the face.
I asked on Monday if my insurance company would be able to take one email (around 45mb) wil 13 photos and a couple of text documents. The reply was yes of course, I did say under my breath this woman has no idea what-so-ever. And I was right, check back this morning and they haven't received anything...grrrr
7 emails later the estimate has gone so fingers crossed they just pay up!
I asked on Monday if my insurance company would be able to take one email (around 45mb) wil 13 photos and a couple of text documents. The reply was yes of course, I did say under my breath this woman has no idea what-so-ever. And I was right, check back this morning and they haven't received anything...grrrr
7 emails later the estimate has gone so fingers crossed they just pay up!
yackaboo
Well-known member
Been reading your thread, good luck and hope you get the bus fixed up ok. Thankfully by the sounds of it nobody was hurt, its worrying that folks are driving around in their pride and joy and there are others out and about with no insurance.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2012
- Messages
- 261
- Reaction score
- 0
Oh no! Hope they pay up quickly and you can get the work done.
Woz
Woz
KevH
Well-known member
Whistler said:
What a bummer, and after all of your hard work over the last year and a half, too.
You will soon have your bus looking even better than it did before the shunt.
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2010
- Messages
- 3,247
- Reaction score
- 17
- Location
- Leeds
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1971
- Van Type
- Panel
What a roller-coaster!
It's great to see the van finally on the road and whilst there have been some "teething" problems that should not take anything away from what a fantastic achievement this is..
You should be very proud :mrgreen:
Oh, and of course congratulations to you for the new addition!
It's great to see the van finally on the road and whilst there have been some "teething" problems that should not take anything away from what a fantastic achievement this is..
You should be very proud :mrgreen:
Oh, and of course congratulations to you for the new addition!
madjack
Well-known member
Hi Mark
Did you get the van sorted and out in it this year
Did you get the van sorted and out in it this year
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Wow, it has been a while!
Van was repaired, went out a couple of times. Ended up changing jobs, moving to the Kent Coast in our first home which needed more or less rebuilding, so poor Dorothy has been sat on my parents drive since 2018!
That baby above is now nearly 9! And we have a nearly 3 year old as well!
Hope everyone is OK and enjoying their busses! I am back on the case to get Dorothy back up and running, she needs some small bodywork repairs where I assume moisture has got under the filler/paint and she has some cracks. Does anyone know a decent garage in Kent? I am North of Canterbury but I am OK to travel.
Thank you!
Van was repaired, went out a couple of times. Ended up changing jobs, moving to the Kent Coast in our first home which needed more or less rebuilding, so poor Dorothy has been sat on my parents drive since 2018!
That baby above is now nearly 9! And we have a nearly 3 year old as well!
Hope everyone is OK and enjoying their busses! I am back on the case to get Dorothy back up and running, she needs some small bodywork repairs where I assume moisture has got under the filler/paint and she has some cracks. Does anyone know a decent garage in Kent? I am North of Canterbury but I am OK to travel.
Thank you!
That’s great you still have the bus. It sounds like a light resto might be the order of the day.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,, get it aired and running!
Ozziedog,,,,,,,, get it aired and running!
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
That’s great you still have the bus. It sounds like a light resto might be the order of the day.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,, get it aired and running!
I am hoping so. On the list is 4 new tyres which will be done tomorrow. I am having an MOT done as well to find any nasty's I am unaware of. I have an appointment for a price regarding the paintwork she needs doing tomorrow and I have found someone local to do the head lining (this was never done).
I am trying to track down someone that can have a look at the engine for me as well. I have changed Plugs, Oil, Battery and Fuel.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Ozziedog,,,,,,,, I’m another that still likes my mot yearly.
I find it bonkers that an old vehicle does not require one.
Wasn't too bad in the end. My indicators have somehow stopped working in the last couple of days (I personally blame my youngest who we can hardly keep out of the bus). The front breaks are binding so I will probably just get new callipers, discs and pads for the front. The rear I am not sure what to do with yet.
Oh, and fuel lines need replacing! Funny how after all these years of being absent, fuel lines is still a topic.
The comment I got overall was "solid" which I am really happy with.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Went to have her tuned up yesterday.
Apparently there is an issue with cylinders 1 and 3. The suspect could be the head gasket. I've done a compression test on all 4 and they rage from 130ish to 140ish. Am I right in thinking that if it was head gasket the compression test would show this?
Basically, she is running really ropey and now back firing when I take my foot off the accelerator so she is over fuelling.
I have changed fuel filter, spark plugs. Today I have an order of leads, rotor arm and distributor cap coming. Could it be something as simple as that?
Apparently there is an issue with cylinders 1 and 3. The suspect could be the head gasket. I've done a compression test on all 4 and they rage from 130ish to 140ish. Am I right in thinking that if it was head gasket the compression test would show this?
Basically, she is running really ropey and now back firing when I take my foot off the accelerator so she is over fuelling.
I have changed fuel filter, spark plugs. Today I have an order of leads, rotor arm and distributor cap coming. Could it be something as simple as that?
Am I right in thinking cylinders 1 & 3 are the front two cylinders on opposite sides of the engine?
Is the garage familiar with old VW engines? As part of a tune up wouldn’t they be replacing all these parts?
Haven’t had one done on my engine so no idea.
As to your questions I’m sure Karlos or sparkywig will be able to help more.
Is the garage familiar with old VW engines? As part of a tune up wouldn’t they be replacing all these parts?
Haven’t had one done on my engine so no idea.
As to your questions I’m sure Karlos or sparkywig will be able to help more.
Tbh, I’d try another garage.
There are no head gaskets on an air-cooled engine, and cylinders 1 & 3 are on opposite banks at the front of the engine. Backfiring/popping on the over run is sometimes an exhaust leak.
Your compression tests look OK, did you do them with the throttle wide open?
There are no head gaskets on an air-cooled engine, and cylinders 1 & 3 are on opposite banks at the front of the engine. Backfiring/popping on the over run is sometimes an exhaust leak.
Your compression tests look OK, did you do them with the throttle wide open?
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 926
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Herne Bay, Kent
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1970
- Van Type
- Devon
Oh, I wasn't expecting that.
No, just turning her over didn't touch the throttle at all.
As an edit, we just let her run for about 15 minutes on idle. Did a compression test again and got around 135-140 on cylinder 2. Out of interest did it again with the throttle open and it was 150.
Cylinder 2 was 135, throttle on was 165
Last edited:
