Winnie - Our 1970 Bay

[Gjb4212]

My vans just outside Machynlleth, tucked up being put back together by a local guy.
Not that you need it but he knows his VW’s

 

[matty74]

Great day today (despite the weather), round trip from our site taking in Harlech, Barmouth, Fairborne, Tywyn and Aberdovey along the coast road back to Pennal.

Been chasing a slight backfire for ages now and decided to swap the dizzy out before this journey (like for like)
and what a difference it has made. Found that the existing one was sometimes getting stuck when returning from load causing the backfire when easing off result

 

[Journey]

Awesome pics! Thanks for posting.

 

[leon]

Great to see it being used in autumn. Planning one last trip in ours ove half term hopefully.

 

[matty74]

Thanks for all the nice replies.

It’s days like these that make it all worthwhile

Thursday was so different compared to the day before and the coast road between Aberdovey and Fairborne is an absolute belter

We did over 320 miles all told, great now having matching Nexen’s on the front too, especially in the torrential rain that we had on Wednesday.

One more trip to plan before the winter sets in, then it’ll just be occasional days out if the weather’s good. Diesel heater makes all the difference on the colder days

 

[matty74]

Up bright and early today for a 8am MOT slot at Wilson’s in Rhuddlan. Sun was shinning although it was bitterly cold until cab heater warmed up.

Winnie passed yeah.

Great find this garage, 2 old school VW mechanics run it so I know she’s in good hands and value their opinion on the things they pick up on.

 

[mike202]

Well done on MOT pass.

Hope you washed the salt off Winnie after!

 

[creationblue]

Great looking van, well done with the pass

 

[matty74]

Been a while in updating Winnie’s thread, spent far too much time in a funeral suit in recent months, but puts life into perspective and got the 3 of us itching to get back out on the road again.

Winnie passed MOT in March 2 advisories, leaking steering box and front brake copper covered in too much crap for inspection. TBF the copper was on my list along with 2 new front bleeders as well as a long list of jobs for this coming winter. I had the original steering box, removed it about 4 yrs ago, stripped and sat in oil for about the same amount of time, after it was also picked up as leaking on a previous MOT. Checked over the original, it was in good condition, so cleaned it up, ordered the necessary bits and pieces from Schofields and built it ready to swap over.

I had other stuff I also wanted to get done before doing our mini tour of Wales, so did the following:

• Reinstate Cooling Flaps and Thermostat - call me Mr Tickle
• Reinstate Original type Oil Filler and Rubber Beak
• Make good all tinware.
• Install 34 ICT Twin Webers and CSP Bellcrank linkage Inc return spring and balance pipe.
• Fit Alternator Stand Bolts replacing nuts and studs
• Fit Electronic Fuel Shut Off Valve at tank
• Hot Start Relay
• Fit new Accelerator pedal pivot bracket
• Replaced Buttys Bits throttle linkage with improved Full Buttys Bits throttle linkage Inc Top Hat bracket and stainless actuator bar with bush.
• Installed 123 Bluetooth distributor
• New Dry Coil - Blue like Bosch
• NGK Plugs
• New Yellow Petronix angled leads
• Refurbed Steering Box
• Big King Regulator
• New Fuel lines
• New Vac lines Inc pulse valve
• New Breather set up.
• Levelled engine as it only had 1 bolt securing it to moustache bar (noticed it was skewed when Webers first went in)
• Most importantly the addition of an EarlyBay sticker

It’s fair to say that the double nut method has saved me on more than one occasion as studs are never long enough for new bits just to bolt on are they

And now we’re on our mini tour

Can’t believe the drivability improvement with all the above done, it must be the sticker

Buttys Bits full throttle linkage has to be the best £120 I’ve spent on the van.
Previously I had a load of Heath Robinson springs to return the throttle giving leg ache after a long run.

This new set up is unbelievably good, you can actually feather the throttle and the 1641 SP just pulls and pulls and is fun to drive. Not even had dizzy temp at 90 Deg and Save My Bug has been nowhere near its high temp contact.

The bluetooth 123 has helped me understand how vacuum advance actually works when driving at speed and I’ve been able to create my own curve based 123’s one4all cure and my B series engine liking to be timed at 0 at idle. I don’t really
monitor consumption but we did approx 180 miles on half a tank (wow)

We’ve been to Rosnieger, Aberdaron, currently at Black Rock Sands, then New Quay Tenby, Cardigan, Dolgellau before home to Llanasa next Monday.

Weather’s amazing, what’s not to like

 

[mike202]

Wow you’ve been busy! Great pics that’s a huge spider crab

 

[matty74]

Don’t know where it got the £20 from, but he did buy us a round at the pub up the beach

 

[matty74]

Wow you’ve been busy! Great pics that’s a huge spider crab

Thanks Mike, I really should take pics when I’m doing stuff like you do but I always forget, plus I’m usually covered in crap with tools scattered everywhere not a pretty site.

 

[matty74]

Moved from Black Rock Sands Porthmadog (30.8 deg yesterday) down to Wern Mill Caravan Park, lovely site, just outside Aberporth today. 80 mile journey down the A470 / A487 it was a great run, we’ve done over 300 miles already since Friday, can’t believe how frugal these new carbs are and how punchy Winnie is when tootling around.

Off to Tenby tomorrow for a couple of days, we’re loving life on the open road.

Pizza oven’s ready and the Bar opens at 5 Happy Days

 

[matty74]

Early evening walk down to Little Quay Bay about a mile from the site … great end to a great day

 

[matty74]

Another fab day travelling from New Quay to Tenby via Barafundle Bay Beach (wow what a place) … Winnie worked hard up the hills and was flawless. She’s earned herself a drink for sure

 

[YellowBay69]

Another fab day travelling from New Quay to Tenby via Barafundle Bay Beach (wow what a place) … Winnie worked hard up the hills and was flawless. She’s earned herself a drink for sure

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Not jealous at all

 

[YellowBay69]

Not jealous at all

Ace trip you two - please keep the piccys coming as it gives those who’s still stuck in garage plenty of inspiration.

 

[matty74]

Cracking day yesterday (well after the pop top fiasco )firstly at Tenby and the South beach, where there was a street food festival

Followed by a jaunt down to Pendine Sands, where there was a Vintage Hot Rod show, with lots of rat look V8’s burbling away.


Both lovely beaches and great places to visit. Also saw a beautiful baby blue squareback parked up at the beach car park.



Cooked some salmon and roasted vegetables on the ooni griddle plate too.

Winnie’s done over 450 mile now, running great, even with the roof up

 

[matty74]

We left the Pembrokeshire coast behind and headed back over to Cardigan Bay yesterday, absolutely love it on Poppit Sands even though the weather was on the change




Then on to Happy Campers site for the night, just up the road from Cardigan itself. Okay site, reviews aren’t great but facilities were ok.



Then the weather really did turn today as we headed from Cardigan to Dolgellau, it was torrential but Winnie got us there safely



Managed to get a pic of the 123 giving almost 10 deg Vac advance when feathering the throttle. It has really helped me understand how to maximise the economy when tootling around. We will have done over 600 miles by the time we get home on £130 that’s blooming good for a loaded up van … well done Winnie

 

[mike202]

Leaving the pop top up is easily done, although yours is not as aero dynamic as a Westy one
I have a mantra I recite to myself when starting the engine ‘cap on, pop top down’ The cap on is not a VW hat for me or anything, it’s the sink drain screw on cap outside ! I’m prone to forgetting to fasten this .
On one trip I had left the pop top up whilst driving a few miles and was about to drive into a car park with a height barrier, when a nice old couple waved their arms at me furiously to alert me.