Move over audio, I have a new VW project

[krimney]

On my recent trip to Vancouver to deliver some speakers I stumbled upon a 1971 Volswagen Westfalia. Rebuilt engine, great maintenance, runs great. I bought it and drove it about 700 miles home without any problems. I have a few small things(I hope) prior to getting it inspected for registation in my province(a bit of a tax grab as the form I need to give to the mechanic cost me 7.00).

Here are some pictures.

[krimney]

Lots of head room with the top up and it will sleep 2 adults and two kids. a little rust but solid overall.

Any VW folks out there, I might need a hand with some maintenace.

[Celt]

How fun! :) Friends of mine used to have one of those. I think they were called Vanagons down here. Their's had a small kitchen and fold-down dining table in it and I seem to recall a bench sofa that converted into a bed. But that was a long time ago (mid 70's) and my memory isn't so good. :no:

[Cleve]

I believe the Vanagon was an updated, redesigned Microbus. This appears to be an original VW Microbus (the name they carried stateside) - looks like the perfect vehicle for Grateful Dead concert going! :yes:

[krimney]

This one has a table as well as the sofa/back seat that folds to a bed.

[krimney]

is lacking in the unit. Right now it just has a factory VW am radio, at least it works. I will eventually get some kind of car system installed in it. There is lots of room up front so I might go with an under dash cassette player and an external amp. Probably get a truck speaker that comes in a box so I can avoid any cutting of the original interior and so that I can use the box outside while camping.

[botrytis]

Well, Cylinder 3 runs hot on the Type 1 engines (used the Microbus, the Beetle/Superbeetle). Make sure you update the brakes (there are kits out here for it) because each shoe has an adjustment - do it wrong and you can't stop!!

Mechanical lifters need to be adjusted about every 3500 to 7000 miles (need to do it when the engine is cold). There are some after-market carb systems that use a staged 2 barrel carb and would give you a little more pep and better gas mileage to boot.

There are aftermarket door panels (or should be) so you can add speakers into the doors and make it look factory.

Look at Hot VW's the magazine and there are tons of parts places for them!!

If I can think of more - I will put it here.

Dave

[cabinover]

I like it. My dad was a VW tech (they were mechanics back then) and didn't mind the buses at all, easy to work on. Liked the Beetles too but would swear like heck anytime someone mentioned the TypeIII

I can see Spicolli and the cloud of smoke rolling out of it now!!

[Celt]

Yep! That was it...a Microbus! Like I said...my memory is for s**t.

[Nick_the_'Nole]

Anything you need to know about an aircooled VW, I can have prolly off the top of my head. The '71 doesn't need brake updates, it was the first year for disc brakes. It was also the first year for the more powerful dual port 1600cc engine (oooh, 55hp!). Cylinder 3 doesn't necessarily run hot, if the cooling is working properly. It should stay within 10 degrees or so... You can get front speaker kick panels to replace the ones that go on the front wall, or it's easy enough to cut a hole in the door panel to mount a speaker. (Just make sure you have a plastic vapor barrier behind the speaker.)

As for the vanagon thing, in some places the bay window type 2's (1968-79) were called vanagons as just a general descriptive term, but the true Vanagons were 1980-1992.

[Nick_the_'Nole]

Ok, I'll keep posting more info as I think of it. I'd suggest going to 800luvbugg.com and ordering a catalog, also try to get one from West Coast Metric, and cip1.com

That should cover most of your parts needs. For aftermarket carbs, I'd recommend the dual Kadron/Solexes that most parts places sell. I have 'em on my '69 Bug and they make a definite difference. An aftermarket quietpack exhaust would give you a good improvement as well, and you'll need all you can get for a breadbox like that.

Ok, done for now.

[lynnm]

Years ago when my wife and I lived in Geraldton Ontario ( 175 miles Northeast of Tonder Bay ) my wife called me at the end of a midnight shift at the hospital. She said our VW van started and ran but she couldn't shift it into gear.

I told her to let the engine run for about 1/2 hour and try again. She did and was able to get it to shift and she drove home but the she couldn't get it up over 30 mph.

In fairness to the folks at VW the temperature that morning was -55 Fahrenheit :lmao:

[botrytis]

I remember getting up one day, when I was still living at home and just after college. It was winter and -25 F in Chicago. My dad suggested I take one of their cars, from the garage. They didn't start!! Nothing!! So, I go out to my VW Superbeetle and it started right up. Had to drive 35 miles one way to work with the windows open to prvent them from frosting up.

Great cars for winter - just wish they had heat!!

Dave

[Sandy G]

Always wanted an original "Bulli"-the 1st series wagon w/the big "V" in front, & all those little windows on top. Now they're megabuck collector pieces-most of 'em got rode real hard & put up very wet. I also never thought too much of using my feet & legs as crash absorbers...Still, this is a nice one-ya done good, Ken !!-Sandy G.

[Nick_the_'Nole]

If you're in the right region you can get a decent pre-'68 transporter for a decent price, but then there's the little part about having to restore it. I noticed a '61 Kombi for sale around here for about $2k awhile back, good shape, no rust, even pretty good rubber seals still on it. Just kinda faded paint. Wish I had had the money at the time for it.

[THOR]

Scooby dooby doo!!! :banana:

[heathkit tv]

I forget exactly when but the second generation buses (busses?) switched to Type 4 engines AKA "Pancakes" Basically the same thing as used in the Porsche 914 (although there ARE a myriad of differences)

If your bus has this engine you should have new valve seats installed pronto as these are notorious for falling out....am surprised none of you other VW sexpurts have mentioned this. It is NOT an urban legend, this does happen very often! The older Type 1 (Bug) engines suffer from dropped valves if you don't keep after the adjustment or have overheating.

I've owned a bunch of the first gen buses and a pair of '74 Westys so I can speak from real world experience. Oh, and 25 years worth of banged up knuckles 40 hours a week means a little sumpthin sumpthin too.

For top quality parts at a fair price with excellent service before and AFTER the sale I strongly suggest http://www.aircooled.net

Anthony

[botrytis]

The '71 still had the original type 1 engine. And he said the engine was rebuilt - that would be one of the things changed along with the sodium-filled valves.

Dave

[heathkit tv]

Sodium Filled Valves? Holy sheep dip! I didn't know they were available for T1 engines....must've cost a pretty Pfennig.

Anthony

[Nick_the_'Nole]

They switched to the Type4/914 engine in '72. I didn't mention the valve seat thing 'cause it's a rare problem on the Type 1 engines, (it takes a lot of overheating or valve abuse, and something else usually goes before the valve seats pop) and that thing only has 20k on it anyway. But I will say it's kind of a good thing he didn't get a T4, in that respect, those things have so many little design flaws and they're expensive to fix on top of that.

[Sandy G]

As if a Type 1 transporter ain't weird enuff, I've always had a secret hankering for a Citroen 2 CV...Yes, I'll bend over now for the 1st person to give me a good kicking...<grin>-Sandy G.

[heathkit tv]

A Doo Chavoh ain't nearly as bad as the THREE Isettas I've owned. Neener neener neener! Or even my Dad's Checker sedan.

Anthony

[Rockmonton]

man that is an AWESOME one there, i've got my eye on this big old yellow one near my place!,