Yet another US Westy....

[jimbobalero]

Hi,

After a long time lurking and occasionally posting, our van should hopefully soon be ready so I thought I would get her introduced to you all. A '69 Westy from California. It seems like a long time coming as she has been in the UK since October but hopefully we will get to use her this summer.
In the USA...

In the UK at last

Being painted

Windows back in

New Pop Top

Back Seat:

 

[jimbobalero]

We originally hoped to just polish off the graffiti but it was taking the paint off as well, so a re-spray from the swage line down was done.

All new seat pads and upholstery and just a general spruce up to make her a good family friendly bus as we have 2 young kids and now a puppy as well!

Watch this space.

 

[issit]

looks great

 

[georgeyv]

Looks a great bus!

Bet you can't wait to get out with the family!

I've got a US import I'm cracking on with - dying to get it finished and on the road to take my other half and little girl away!

 

[Lee C]

I recognise that bus, looked brilliant in the graffiti!!!

 

[CHILDSEY]

Coming along nicely.
Can't beat a white Westy 8)

 

[DeeDeeTheBay]

Love a white westy

 

[jimbobalero]

Well the MOT has been passed and we took a short 3 hour detour on our way home from our holidays to visit the van and see what progress had been made....

 

[jimbobalero]

Bus arrived on Thursday...


Reg Paperwork arrived on Saturday, so took it for a quick spin around the village I live in and it cut out completely due to a loose battery terminal.

Quick trip to Halfords and some new battery terminals to replace the rusty old ones and back running.

Realised 1st and 2nd gear are tricky at best to find. 2nd more likely results in reverse, so looking at upgrading to a CSP shifter as it is very fraught at junctions. Especially as the engine needs a bit of work and keeps cutting out at idle. I think I know what the issue is with that though (Here)

Some work to do but we are getting there!

 

[Pellwood]

nice bus, lovely interior. I know what you mean about the gear change, it can be a bit like stirring paint, but you get used to it, they're all in there somewhere. :lol:

 

[admwllms]

That looks beautiful mate. Definitely recommend getting a new shifter. I couldn't drive mine when it arrived as the gears were so bad (and I'm used to old air-cooled vw's), but stuck a cheapo empi one on and it changed the bus totally. Still need the bushes sorting I reckon (and a CSP shifter would be nice) but makes a world of difference and I just drove to spain on it so can't be too bad!

 

[jimbobalero]

No pictures yet but I fitted new battery terminals that actually grip on to the battery, new front seatbelts as the old ones where pretty cruddy and horrible, EMPI quick shift kit to sort the gear change out and started work on the engine.

Pictures soon.

 

[jimbobalero]

Quiet weekend on the camper van front.
Fitted the SCAT air filter I got my hands on (should have been their to start with so didn't cost me anything) which helped the engine run a lot nicer, although it did chuck a load of black stuff out the exhaust when it fired up.


Then took apart Offside Indicator to see why it wasn't working. Once all water drained out I discovered it is because one of the lugs on here has snapped off (The cover is cracked so that explains the water), if you push the bulb in fully it works. I did find a very old AA battery sat behind here which had long ago burst but has now been safely disposed of.



Other than that a quick trip to the shops with the youngest sat up front, just to get it out and driving around a bit. I cannot believe the gear change now. Precise and lovely. Plus I still have all the bushes to replace at some point as well.

Some photos of the inside that I took for the insurance valuation.





And one of the front.

 

[Resto-raider]

Looking really good. I like the blue touch inside, it sparks up the interior.

Have you sorted shifting gears? Mine had the same problem, but replacing the old bushes underneath fixed this completely. It shifts lovely now and it's a cheap fix.

 

[jimbobalero]

Looking really good. I like the blue touch inside, it sparks up the interior.

Have you sorted shifting gears? Mine had the same problem, but replacing the old bushes underneath fixed this completely. It shifts lovely now and it's a cheap fix.

Put on the EMPI quick shift kit (under £6) and that sorted it right out. I have a set of bushes which I will replace as well but that was enough to be honest.

 

[Resto-raider]

I used the Empi kit too, but only after having renewed the bushes. So different working order but worked great for me too.

 

[jimbobalero]

Well I removed the roof rack and cleaned out a lot of plant material and possibly a mouse nest....


Cleaned and polished