My 70 Bus!!

You have no idea what you are missing.

Not much of an update, but figured I would throw one in here! LOL Only thing I have gotten done lately is got the motor almost back together, although I have to pull the carb to give it a good cleaning and rebuild. Once that is done I should be able to try to start it.

I am also working on my sink cabinet! Did a little wood glueing! I will glue the table next!



Luckily I got out of a midnite work shift tonight, so I will be albe to pull the carb and get it cleaned or at least soaking! I'm trying to talk Bob into taking his project truck off the other lift so I can put my bus on it. He isn't working on it right now anyway! LOL If I get him talked into it, I will be able to start on doing brakes and brake lines and all!!

I got the carb off and pulled the top portion off. I was really surprised in what I found! I don't know how long this bus had been sitting, but according to the rat poo and nuts, it appeared to be sitting for a long time. This is what the inside of the carb looked like!!



I pulled that screw/jet thingy out of the center and could see threw it in all directions. Clean as a whistle!!! So needless to say, I put it back together with out cleaning it.

Now it was time to test the motor. Found the starter jig and got everything hooked up. Turned it over and it didn't try to start or put or anything. Then I realized that when I put in the points, I didn't adjust them. LOL Once that was done, the motor that had been sitting for who knows how long started right up and purred like a kitten!!!! I was shocked!! It sounds so good. Well, except for a small exhaust leak. My next project is to tear the front tin back off and check the bolts on the exhaust parts. Didn't think to do that before I put it all back together.

Remember, it looked like this.



Here is the motor without the air ducts and all, but it is basically the finished product!



I guess we will be reinstalling the motor right where the bus sits. Meaning it won't go on the lift. At least once it is in I can start working on the wiring. Need to make sure the lights and all work for the brake and light inspection. Then I will have to wait for the lift so I can start on brakes.

you have some luck. that carb looks great. I have had them clean as could be on the outside but then they look like a cat litter box on the inside. good work, keep the updates coming.

Cat litter box? That's funny right there!!

looking good

The engine looks great. Nice job.

Well, today we went to the wrecking yard that we saved Wes from, so we could get some parts off of his less fortunate brother! LOL We got the back up light wiring loom, rear deck lid, tar board for above motor, and some misc. stuff we didn't really need, but might as well get them. LOL

I figured I would come home, install the wiring loom, tar board, and change the fuel line. Then I would be ready for the motor. Hubby (Bob) suggested that I take the screen out of the tank and check it for gunk. Well, it didn't come out. It fell apart trying. So he said since I was this close, I might as well take the tank out and clean it up. So that is what I did!



Tomorrow I will pressure wash the tank out real good. It's really not to bad. Hopefully I will be able to get that done, put it back in, and hopefully, just hopefully, get the motor in!! Will be nice to be able to start it up!! Although, I need to work on the brakes before I can move it. The pedal won't even budge.

I also replaced the old yucky engine seal with a nice new one! It was easier to do then I though it would be.

Old one,


Nice soft new one!



On another note,
I was messing with my fridge a bit today. I had to put the door back on because it had fallen off during cleaning. I put it on and was trying to figure out how the tray's went in. This is the only way I could figure they went. Just doesn't make since though. I was under the impression that a block of ice sits in the try that has the hole in it. If that was the case, it couldn't be a very big block of ice because you wouldn't be able to put much on the rack above it. Or do I have my fridge set up wrong? Also, it appears I am missing the bar for the door. What else am I missing?



More tomorrow, I hope!

I finally got the tank back in, twice! LOL I installed it, then realized I forgot the sending unit wire, so I took it back out and fixed that, then put it back in! LOL I'm good at installing gas tanks now. I am pretty sure I am ready to reinstall the motor. I may attempt to do that later today, just to see if I can do it by myself. If not, I will obviously have to wait for hubby to help me.

Today I decided to tackle the job of painting my donor deck lid and apron. They came off a red bus, and I think they would look better in white. Even if the white is brighter then the bus's white. LOL



This is just the primered stage. I am currently doing the actual painting stage .



Time for a second coat. Hopefully I can get the motor back in, then I can see how bad my white painted decklid looks on the bus! LOL

The next stage will take the longest. I need to tackle the brakes. Hubby has cars coming out his ears to work on though, so the lift may be tied up for a few weeks.

The little horses are gonna be so excited when they see their new home. I can hear them now.....MOVIN' ON UP..TO THE EAST SIDE...
SAC

sactownbug wrote:

The little horses are gonna be so excited when they see their new home. I can hear them now.....MOVIN' ON UP..TO THE EAST SIDE...
SAC

HaHaHa!! LOL

No horsies in this stable!! To much for them to chew on!! LOL

Ok, I am a bit excited about this update! Today I installed the motor all by myself!!!!



Although I do have to back up a bit. After I installed the gas tank and put the wall back on, I was left with these parts left over!


I am pretty sure they came from the wall, but I don't really know where. What I think is I put it in the wrong grove and I must be covering up 2 of the screw holes because of that. In the next pic you can see how it looks like the whole top piece was behind something solid in stead of the notched pieces I have it behind. I'm nto going to worry about it. I will save the screws for the next time, if ever, I need to get to the tank.



I also did some more painting on my deck lid and apron. I moved them over by the bus to see the difference. It is quite a big one! LOL I may see if I can find some rustoleum that is a bit less bright white! LOL



Tomorrow is another day!

Nice job on the motor install!!

silvertonguedevil wrote:

Nice job on the motor install!!

Thanks!!

I was really excited to be able to do it alone!!

We tried to start it with the key but it didn't want to start. One problem is I don't have a battery yet. I was using a jumper box that was half dead. By the time we tried a few things, it woudn't turn the bus over at all. Tomorrow is another day on that too. I am charging the jumper all night. Bob thinks that it may not be getting power to the coil. He was going to try a jumper wire, but the jumper box died before we could do it. Tomorrow I will clean the connetions on the coil. I have to admit, they did get some paint on them. Shhh, don't tell Bob! LOL I will see if that was the problem before he gets home! LOL

justcruzin wrote:

I am pretty sure they came from the wall, but I don't really know where. What I think is I put it in the wrong grove and I must be covering up 2 of the screw holes because of that. In the next pic you can see how it looks like the whole top piece was behind something solid in stead of the notched pieces I have it behind. I'm nto going to worry about it. I will save the screws for the next time, if ever, I need to get to the tank.

THOSE ARE A HUGE PAIN IN THE BUT WITH THE ENGINE IN. THERE IS ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE TRANS THAT HOLDS THE GAS TANK COVER DOWN. THEY GO IN FROM THE BOTTOM. I PERSONALLY WOULD LEAVE THEM OUT UNLESS YOU PULL THE ENGINE AGAIN. I ONLY KNOW THAT CUZ I JUST DID A SENDING UNIT ON A 79 BUS IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO GET THOSE OUT NOT TO MENTION GETTING TO THE SENDING UNIT WITHOUT PULLING THE ENGINE. IT ONLY TOOK 3.5 HOURS PLUS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER DID ONE ON A BUS SO IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

Smogman72 wrote:

justcruzin wrote:

I am pretty sure they came from the wall, but I don't really know where. What I think is I put it in the wrong grove and I must be covering up 2 of the screw holes because of that. In the next pic you can see how it looks like the whole top piece was behind something solid in stead of the notched pieces I have it behind. I'm nto going to worry about it. I will save the screws for the next time, if ever, I need to get to the tank.

THOSE ARE A HUGE PAIN IN THE BUT WITH THE ENGINE IN. THERE IS ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE TRANS THAT HOLDS THE GAS TANK COVER DOWN. THEY GO IN FROM THE BOTTOM. I PERSONALLY WOULD LEAVE THEM OUT UNLESS YOU PULL THE ENGINE AGAIN. I ONLY KNOW THAT CUZ I JUST DID A SENDING UNIT ON A 79 BUS IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO GET THOSE OUT NOT TO MENTION GETTING TO THE SENDING UNIT WITHOUT PULLING THE ENGINE. IT ONLY TOOK 3.5 HOURS PLUS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER DID ONE ON A BUS SO IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

Thanks, but I got those in! LOL That is the thing, I got those hard to get to one's by the tranny, got all the ones' around the wall, and even the one's for the regulater. So I am at a loss, unless there are 2 more that go on the very top corners. I think I got the wall in the wrong grove at the top. It doesn't show it very well in the pic, but there is a lighter shade of gray that runs along the top of that wall. It looks like it should have gone behind a solid grove instead of that broken one. Does that make since? LOL

Today I only got a few things done to the bus. Spent half the day working on the curtains and they are still not done! Tomorrow is Hippie Christmas, meaning I get to unwrap the tie dyed curtains to see what they will look like!!

The dog helped.


After the tie dyeing was done, I went to work on the bus again. I figured out part of the problem with the pedals. They didn't have much room to move!



Sad to say, I figured out that the bus was not invaded by pack rats. Found no treasures in that mess. LOL

I soaked all the moving parts under the bus with WD and left it at that. Tomorrow I will see if the pedals will free up a bit. I already tried the gas pedal and it started moving, but the brake is still stuck solid.

I then turned my attention to the interior again. Finally went and got some trim to finish the floor. Also found a shag rug at Kmart!





I got my first stickers installed today too! I am wanting some Sactown Vdubs stickers so I can add them too!! Anyone know when they will be available?



On a side note, I got my bus rug that I found on ebay and got that hung too!



I'll probably have a curtain update tomorrow.

The curtains are going to be awesome!

My favorite place to eat fast food has to be IN-N-OUT. We should do all of our meets there.

Today was Hippie Christmas!! I still haven't figured out what ones will become curtains or which ones will even work as curtains, but they are all tie dyed. The larger ones are flour sack towels. The smaller ones are cotton dinner napkins. I couldn't find the ones like I used for the 'false curtains". I searched high and low for that type of napkin, but they must not sell them like that anymore. They work for bus curtains because they are just the right size and also have big hems that can be cut open on the corners so one can run them down a rod. Oh well, I will figure out something for the ones I have now.

Here are some of them!











I know the flour sack towels will be perfect for windshield curtains. The smaller ones I may have to go buy some sort of curtain rings, so that they will hang down enough to cover the windows. I won't be able to open the hems on them.

Today I did a lot of skipping around. Worked on a little of this, and a little of that.

I started off working on cleaning up the rusty holes in preparation for the fiberglass. Much to my surprise hubby decided to help me on this. He changed his mind on the fiberglass, in a way. He decided to go with Marglass.

Here are the holes,



Marglassed,





Once that was all dry I painted the floor white.





While I was waiting for the paint to dry, I tackled the rear panel. Went from this.



To this,



All thats left to do for paneling is the side door and the headliner. I need to find the material for the headliner but I have just enough paneling left for the door. I may tackle that tomorrow. My last day of vacation.

I also ordered a Master cylinder today. So soon the brakes will be getting looked at.

Today I went on search for curtain hangers. Didn't find what I wanted, but found some that I could make work. I took big ring off the holder. I tried leaving it on, but the curtains hung to low.









I still need to figure out what kind of cord was used for the bottom of the curtains, and once I do that I will just reverse the holders and run them along that cord.

I also got my battery, apron, decklid, and new rubbers for the tail lights installed today. The paint color is a bit off, but I like it better then the red it was!



I started painting the bumper black on the inside. Also painted the to tin pieces that go on each corner. I need to find the rubber that goes on the corner metal, then I can re install the bumper. Leaving the outside of the bumper the way it is. One day I will find a straight one to replace it.



After hooking up the battery, I tried to start it, but I was not getting a good connection. I need to replace the battery cable ends. So needless to say, still didn't get to try to start the motor.

I did start to mess around with the lights though. I am now getting headlights, both high and low. Tail lights, although I had to go play with the drivers side connections to get it to work. I will clean all of the connections before I take it for an inspection. Also, have parking lights and hazzards. Still no blinkers. Need to get those figured out.

I found one wire under the dash that I couldn't figure out where it went.



That red wire is in a sheath with a black wire, in the next photo you can see the black wire going up into the dash area with a brown wire next to it. The brown wire is coming from somewhere else though, not in the sheath with the black and red one. I am going to go look at the wiring diagrams, but I highly doubt I will figure it out. LOL It's like a spagetti mess under the dash, doesn't look nothing like a wiring diagram all nice and flat and laid out.



I had to stop writing and help push the bus. It has officially made it in the garage! Although still not on the lift. At least I can keep going when it is raining outside!



You can sure see the difference in the colors in that last photo.

yo quiero Taco Bell.

silvertonguedevil wrote:

yo quiero Taco Bell.

LOL She is actually saying "Yo quiero let's go in the house because I am freezing!" LOL

Sorry, my spanish is a little rusty.

Sorry, this is kind of a boring update, no pics. LOL

Today was an interesting day. LOL I decided to play with the electrical. I cleaned all connections on the tail lights and reverse lights. I now have turn signals every time I turn them on!! Then I decided to tackle the dash lights. Climbed on the passenger side, and managed to get laid down with my head on the gas pedal. LOL I found where that small wire connects. I need a new brake warning light. The male part broke off and that is why my wire is hanging there. didn't see much else so I decided to go lay on the other side. After playing a human pretzel I was down on the floor. I found a big red wire that was not connected. It appeared to go to the headlight switch. I could even feel an empty male connector. I tried and tried to hook it back up while laying there but it just wasn't going to happen.

I then switched my attention to the heater/air levers. I went and got some small sockets in hopes of using them to pinch the one end so it would close enough to pop out of the hole. Nope, not going to happen. I didn't want to break them so I quit that.

As I sat in the bus contemplating how I was going to get the wire hooked back up, it dawned on me. Just remove the headlight switch. DUH! Blonde moment. LOL So that is what I did. I then hooked the wire up to the prong that looked like it was being used. I tried my lights, still had everything except dash lights. I started messing with the dimmer part and walla, I had dash lights. I had turned it before, but never jiggled it and all. I cleaned the connection for the dash lights, but I still have to jiggle it. I concluded my switch is going bad. Hubby say's he thinks we will be fine using it for the inspection, so I told him he could take it there. LOL I haven't reinstalled it in the dash yet, just in case we find one before we have the inspection.

Well, after figuring out the dash light problem, I decided to make sure I still had turn signals. I had nothing, not even gen or oil lights. I figured out that the red wire that had fallen off, did not go on the prong that i had put it on. I moved it to the other empty prong and everything was back to normal. I have know idea what the other prong is for, but the way it is hooked up now seems to be right

I also finished some cabinet installation. If you remember way back a few pages ago, I had made my own headliner for the rear and it was a tad short. Today I fixed that by adding an extra piece of paneling. It now looks complete from the front. Spent have the night searching for the screws to finish installing the shelf, and finally found them down the side of the seat. Same place I found the postcards that the PO lost! LOL Needless to say that is one more thing done.

I think I am getting there. A few things that need to be done on the inside is, finish installing the sink/ice box. Need plumbing parts to do that. Need to make a headliner for the cab. Need to buy a new pop up tent.

The only thing left to do on the outside is fasten the temporary marker lights to the bus. My originals were to far gone. I plan on finding some original style later down the road, but these will do the trick for the inspection. Need to change the cable ends. Once that is done and I have a better connection we can refocus on the motor not starting.

I also have the brakes to deal with. I bought a new master cyinder so that part is good to go. Just need to get on the lift to do everything. If I have to I may try to change it laying on the ground. At least I am in the garage so I stay dry.

Once the motor is running and the brakes are fixed, I think I will be ready to go for the inspection!! Then it will be all about driving it for a while. I can't wait. Hopefully I don't have to many leaks, or I will only be able to drive it on fair weather days. LOL Maybe this bus will have lights that don't flash anyone and I can use it for going to the monthly meetings! LOL