Working on your bus

[paul_q]

I've always enjoyed working on my bus even when things don't go to plan but this year's pre season strip out, clean and service seems like a bit of a chore. I don't know if it was down to the constant rain lack of time or getting older. I still got a sense of achievement when finished and i am not about to start paying for someone to work on my bus but wondered how others feel.

 

[Clem]

I've not had much time to do much to my own van as I have been doing work on my brothers - its been dragging on and I am thoroughly sick of it! I'm a bit narked that all my energy and enthusiasm has been drained on a someone elses van - and I'm not even getting paid to do it!

I think a step back and some time out normally makes you love it again.

 

[graysummers]

That line from Clem about “step back, time out and it makes you love it again” is spot on. Also, knowing your skill limits, time available and, yes, old age. Renovation on my bus required skills far above my capabilities. But I’m going to give every effort into upkeep, maintenance, small repairs, etc. In the past I fixed problematics as they arose. My bus didn’t sit around for weeks on end awaiting a holiday or weekend away. I used it daily as my only transport. So couldn’t afford it off road for weeks awaiting input. I’ve replaced the starter motor, (got scrawped arms from getting THAT bolt loose), faffed with engine adjustments, worked on stabilising the steering wheel, looked at dodgy electrics up front, failed windscreen wipers, put in gaskets and worked on replacing bits and bobs in the exhaust/heat exchanger system. Wouldn’t have dreamed taking out the engine for a complete overhaul. Not enough time. And no workshop facilities. And when back in my hands, once again, it will be my daily transport. I suppose what I’m trying to say is recognise your limitations, not in skills base because we all have ability to learn and apply, but in time allowed to achieve, workshop facilities available to you and what your 62 year old creaky bones are allowing you to do by telling you with the experience of aches and pains that take a fair while to disappear. I haven’t been behind the wheel for about 4 years now, first 2 and a half years SORN and then the renovation process. A really important part of ownership in my eyes, is reading about them and understanding them from information in the Bentley, Muir, Haynes, this site and its members’ insights, etc. I’ve stepped back big time, so am very ready to love it again.

 

[ozziedog]

I’m another 62 year old and I struggle with inspiration. The start of the down slide was when my reading glasses are on then off then on again. I tend to now spend more time just looking for my effing glasses than actually doing anything, it drives me bonkers. I also forget where I put any flipping thing.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, good exercise though walking round and round the garage :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[atafonso]

I love working on my cars, but my work commitments are not allowing me to work on them with time and patience, and being a perfectionist that means i normally get upset because i either do not start any work or when i start i have to rush :?

So for my Bus i decided to pay a good friend of mine to do the welding needed and hopefully when she is back i will paint it myself.
Engine will be refreshed and fully blueprinted with some mods to improve fuel economy and reliability, such as a rotating assembly balancing, full flow oil filter, etc. I won't be modifying her engine as i already have a Beetle with a 2180 turbo engine that requires way more maintenace and fuel, so the Bus is going to be mostly stock. 8)

One problem i have now is having too many cars, i have realized i cannot look after them all properly, so ideally downsizing is a must. What a difficult task

Abel

 

[vinvan]

I agree with Ozzy, the older you get the more things go missing, glasses, pens, pencils, spanners, sockets, the list goes on, the other day was working under the bus with a screwdriver put it on the floor for a few seconds and "shazam" its gone, found it on the kitchen table two hours later ??????????????

 

[ozziedog]

I agree with Ozzy, the older you get the more things go missing, glasses, pens, pencils, spanners, sockets, the list goes on, the other day was working under the bus with a screwdriver put it on the floor for a few seconds and "shazam" its gone, found it on the kitchen table two hours later ??????????????

I have to double and triple check any jeans or trousers that are going into the wash. Check all the pockets. Had a pair of jeans in there with a couple of sockets in the pocket. Mrs Ozziedog says”What’s that bloody noise” and” I think we need a new washing machine “ so check and check and check again or it might cost you a few hundred :shock:
Another thing,,,,,,, I must have eight or ten or maybe even a dozen pairs of reading glasses. I usually can’t find any at all and sometimes they have like a gang meeting and they’re all in one place taking the piss out of me. I got three newish pairs and one of them has got a lace on it like Dame Edna, Mrs Ozziedog thought that might house train me. I’ve got four or five sets in metal cases from Aldi, and various other ones and some have got no padded bit for on top of your hooter and a couple of pairs halve been repaired with super glue and you can’t bend the arm no more :lol: These ones are in real life just confined to the garage because Mrs Ozziedog calls me a tramp if she finds them in the house,,,, but when they have their gang meeting and annual piss taking extravaganza,, then they’re there with their mates bigging it up and acting all hard and smudgy. If they could talk, they’d be saying “Wot You Lookin At” and I’d say ,,,,“Nuffink cus I can’t find me glasses” , :lol:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,now I’m making lunch now, so don’t forget and set things on fire,, again :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Webbaldo]

I'm 35 and admit I only really love it april-august. By October comes I just want to put it in storage but then in march I get impatient at the anticipation of playing with it again :lol: :lol: ooer.

I have to admit though after doing the full resto 2015-17 when problems happen now, especially the day before you wanna use it, it does get annoying.

Thing is I'm naturally a tight git and distrust most garages (or prefer things done my way). Other than rebuild a gearbox or fit front balljoints I can do the rest myself. As with most its just time.

I really wouldn't want to pay a garage 100quid for something I can do in an afternoon

And its not age, I still spend 40% of the time looking for tools or parts!

 

[graysummers]

After an age hunting for them......I found my bus keys in the fridge once. What’s that all about? Glasses? I go all continental and hang them in my shirt front above the last done up button. Then still look for them around the house when there under my nose all along. It ain’t funny really. Reverting to what this thread is about though, If I want to do some work on the engine I hope in future I don’t try to look for it in the front of the bus.

 

[thejinx]

I do enjoy a tinker but will ration the jobs out so I don't start to resent it. A couple of small jobs each weekend, larger jobs wait until winter when I can take my time. Glasses are my big one as well. my main issue is sockets, always losing them around the van. I am at the point I count them in and out so that I don't leave them in the engine bay. I have done this by the way.

 

[lisavx]

We've done about 50/50 with regards to the work so far. Half ourselves and half we've handed it over to someone supposedly more professional. We've been restoring it for around 2 years and have times when we feel like pushing it off a cliff and times where we love doing the work. But we're definitely at a point now where we want to be spending more time using it than working on it as it feels like a bit of a slog. I think this depressingly long winter has sapped a lot of energy and motivation for most things though. It's been too bloody cold to think about lying on the drive. We've got a beetle that we're also working on so it's double trouble haha.

The only trip we've managed so far this year was a short jaunt to Worthington Lakes last weekend but it made it there and back [emoji898]

Lisa

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[paul_q]

I've always lost tools definitely not a age thing. I spent half a hour the other weekend looking for a carb meter that I literally had just put down, Unfortunately I'd put it in a safe place.