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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 2:55 am Post subject: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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I thought I had better start a thread for my Bus. I've had him almost a month and a half now. This is my first foray into Kombi ownership (well, running and registered bus it is )and I have to say that they are a hoot to own and drive. Named Houdini for his ability to magically make engine oil disappear
The bus is a 1978 panel van that has had windows added to it. Has a auto box and was originally a 2L injected engine. But it presently has a carby 2L fitted, though the computer is still in the engine bay. Has a rear seat which folds into a bed and rear seat belts fitted. Is currently blue plated as a five seater. Has factory air con in the overhead console style, though there is no compressor fitted to this engine. All the other components and hoses are still fitted to the bus.
Has 15" Merc wheels. And I picked up the awning a few weeks ago when I was down Brisbane way for Buggyfest, massive thanks to Paul at Steelart for hooking me up with this. It's 4m long and 2.5m out, so a huuuuge area to sit and have smoko under.
I know you all love pictures, any questions feel free to ask away!
Plans for the bus is a little bit of lift, some big tyres, manual box with a locker, twin batteries, second fuel tank, fix the aircon, maybe a bigger Type 4. You guys all know the drill, it can't stay standard!!!
Smiley |
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Vanapplebomb Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2010 Posts: 5445 Location: Holland, MI
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dirtkeeper Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2008 Posts: 3204 Location: Left of everywhere
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:44 am Post subject: |
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I'll be watching. I have a 72 bus waiting for my attention on the side lines. And I have to say I was surprised at the stock clearance and generally fun To drive. |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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Brian wrote: |
so what are the plans for it? |
Written at the bottom of my first post.
Going to turn it into a camping/offroad bus. Nothing too hardcore like my Bug. But still enough to embarrass some 4WDs
Smiley |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:51 am Post subject: |
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I have a second stock Syncro locker. One is going in my bug and the other might end up in the bus. But I also really like the look of these, and think one would work really well in the back of an offroad bus.
http://www.weddleindustries.com/products/new-products/new-vw-094-atb-locking-differentials
And I haven't decided on the final box yet. The auto is pretty well on it's last legs so I will be changing it out for a 5-rib 1800 box sometime in the near future. But I think I would like to try and get the 094 5 Speed to fit like I will be running in my bug. Might have a few issues keeping the engine from poking out the back of the car though. Well shall see.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:08 am Post subject: |
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Well this happened....
The auto gave in and decided to go on strike. I knew it was bad but thought it might hold on for a little while longer.
The next time Houdini moves under his own steam it will be with a manual box!
Smiley |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 9:38 am Post subject: |
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So I was thinking about getting the 094 but it still has the problem of being too long. I was given the idea to cut out the torsion bars and just run some stiff coilovers. Just throwing some ideas out. _________________ Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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Brian wrote: |
So I was thinking about getting the 094 but it still has the problem of being too long. I was given the idea to cut out the torsion bars and just run some stiff coilovers. Just throwing some ideas out. |
I was just going to move the engine back a bit and convert it to upright if necessary. That's still a long way off though. It'll be getting a simple 4 speed 1800 box for the time being.
Smiley |
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Vanapplebomb Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2010 Posts: 5445 Location: Holland, MI
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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smileyman3000 wrote: |
Brian wrote: |
So I was thinking about getting the 094 but it still has the problem of being too long. I was given the idea to cut out the torsion bars and just run some stiff coilovers. Just throwing some ideas out. |
I was just going to move the engine back a bit and convert it to upright if necessary. That's still a long way off though. It'll be getting a simple 4 speed 1800 box for the time being.
Smiley |
Why change to a 5 rib from the gear box it has now? Not geared low enough for your tastes? If your going to swap out transmissions, you may as well just do the 094 that your working towards. _________________ 1800 Type 4 Berrien 295
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021 |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:39 am Post subject: |
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Vanapplebomb wrote: |
Why change to a 5 rib from the gear box it has now? Not geared low enough for your tastes? If your going to swap out transmissions, you may as well just do the 094 that your working towards. |
If you read what I wrote above the auto has died. So I'm going to swap it to the 5 rib for now cause I have one and pretty well all the parts to do it. Plus I know it will bolt straight in.
The 094 will take a lot more head scratching so I want a bit more time to plan and measure stuff to see if it will fit.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:55 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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Well it has been a long time between updates!
Last report was the bus had come home on a tilt tray with a busted auto. A lot has happened since then.
Engine and box both came out! Enlisted a few mates to come and get dirty with me.
We separated the offending paperweight from the engine (not far off a paperweight itself)
Fitted up a flywheel and new clutch kit. Can't remember if it is a 210 or 215. Whichever is more common.
And then pulled this box off the shelf to use. This is actually the 1800 bus box that I was running in my Baja for a few years. We had to find a bellhousing to fit. Which I got of another box on the shelf. Because I cut the ears off the bellhousing to fit it in the bug with no bodylift.
After this I spent a lot of time lying around under the car sorting the manual conversion out. I decided to remove the condenser and aircon lines from under the car. They were all old and will be replaced with modern stuff anyway.
And old school condenser was crazy massive, but only held on by four M6 bolts to the chassis rails!! Check out the fan motors, they are like starter motors!!! The fans have hit the condenser at some stage as half the fins have been flattened over.
This was the monstrosity that was hanging out under the front left wheel arch. I removed the drier and cut the hoses off flush with the floor. And removed all the hoses under the car that when to the condenser and engine bay.
I removed the auto shifter and all the cable mechanism that goes to the box. If you look closely down the gearstick hole you can see the little circular tab that the manual shift rod has to sit in. All the autos have this it just need to be bent around so the shift rod can fit into it.
While I was in there I gave the front floor a good cleanup and a coat of paint. It was covered in glue where someone had previously glued the carpets down in the front.
I 'procured' some stainless steel tubing from work and welded that in underneath for the clutch tube. Pretty well all of the tabs and holes that it goes through are there. You just have to bend them into place.
Engine and box were fitted back up. I lashed out and bought a Berg shifter for the bus. Got it at a very good price on special and I have to say that it makes shifting so nice and the bus a pleasure to drive.
Here's a good tip for those playing at home. If you want to seal up your clutch/accelerator cables go to the wreckers and have a look in the engine bays of some more modern cars. You can pick up these little concertina boots off the throttle cables of some cars. I found that little Ford and Mazda hatchbacks have them. Everytime I got there I have a look and grab any that I see. I put them on the clutch and accelerator in the bus. On both ends of the tubes if I remember correctly.
So once this was all done (around early Feb 2015) I enjoyed many months of trouble free motoring, if your idea of trouble free is topping up the oil with the fuel that is
Including many camping trips with Scouts or with friends. It is so lovely to be able to pull up on a level spot, fold the back seat flat and flop into bed if necessary. No need to pitch a tent or swag and you have a nice warm, dry place to sleep and even a spare tyre to cuddle!
The bus was mostly used for smaller trips and running around town. But I took a few longer (600-800km one way) trips down to some VW shows and drag meets. Once again the bus proved versatile with it's lack of middle seat and massive cargo area. At one show it served as a swap meet ute and had no less than 20 wheels and tyres, a 36 horse engine, doors, guards and all other sorts of bits loaded inside to the headliner.
At home it proved to be a worthy workhouse. Capable of carting furniture for friends and all manner of camping gear alike. I have used it to bring 6m lengths of steel home, tying them to the roofrack. And 2400x1200mm sheets of timber, that fit so neatly through the back and onto the waiting bed that you swear the VW engineers must have measured the timber, gone back in time and built the bus to suit!!
At one point we needed a canoe transported for a Scout ceremony. No one had a trailer or car that it would fit in, but it was seemingly designed to strap to the roof of Houdini the bus. I liked the look of it on the roof so much that I didn't return the canoe for nearly 2 months
To say that I have fallen in love with the space, comfort and versatility of the bus is an understatement. I now 'get' why people and so enamored by them.
Coming soon, why an engine needs all its valves and rings. And making a big bus.
Thanks for reading.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:13 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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So, around the start of November last year Houdini developed a serious smoking problem, we're talking way more than a pack a day here.
And that pretty much put an end to me driving him. When you go around creating smoke screens that the Australian Army could hide a convoy in things are pretty dire.
Now ever since I purchased the bus the engine hasn't been in very good shape. Drinking oil and requiring very regular valve sets have demonstrated that he was never looked after very well by previous owners. But I knew all this and it's part of the reason the price was so good when I picked him up. The fact that I have done many many kms and lots of hard work with him has probably also been deleterious to engine health.
So early in Jan I pulled the engine out and took it over to a mates place, we stripped it down and discovered a few things.
Didn't take long to reduce it to this.
May have a slight issue here...
On the other head it has eaten part of the inlet valve guide. You can see the hammering on the head, it is mirrored on the piston. I remember when this happened on the way to Brisbane from the VW drags one arvo. Horrible noise for a second or two, and then it must have spat it out the back. And the funny thing is that it actually ran better and felt like it had more power afterwards!! But I guess you can recognise half a horse when you only have about 10 to start with!
Pile of bits awaiting cleanup.
So the basic breakdown includes. 2 broken rings, one stuck oil ring, broken and eaten valve guide, hole in exhaust guide and the flaps were missing in the fanhousing that direct the air into the oil cooler
Bus still started and ran fine though!
In addition to this we found that it has the worst possible Type 4 heads on it, those with 37mm inlet valves. It was supposed to have 1800 heads with 41mm valves, but I guess I got jibbed on that one too. Explains where some of those horses had escaped to.
Plans for the build are pretty basic
-96mm pistons
-stock cam but changing to hydraulic
-getting another set of heads rebuilt with 41mm valves and new everything
-balance and fix any other little issues with the engine like the missing flaps etc.
Should be a nice torquey little setup
While the engine has been on holiday I have also gathered some additional bits for the bus. Front and rear flares, set of 15" Merc rims that have been modded with an offroad offset and 32 rear and 30 front inch tyres respectfully. Front end adjusters, and some other bits and pieces.
And I started work fitting the back wheels first.
Here is what the back looks like stock with 15" Merc rims and tyres.
And this is one of the 32s and the rear flares to go on.
The flare should sit around here somewhere. You can see there is a bit of trimming to go.
I marked a centreline up from the hub to work from.
No way this will fit on there yet!!
Cut, cut, cut. And then it bolts right on!!
This is only rough cut for now. I just wanted to get one on the car and see what the fit was like and how it looked. I have to trim a fair bit higher up the guard yet, somewhere in the 50-75mm range. I going to take the opening up so it is level with the top of the inner guard. And then the flares will be fitted afterwards.
I have yet to try a 30 on the front, as you can see the weather was pretty miserable with it raining on and off while I was trying to chop the guard. Hoping to attack some more tomorrow with any luck.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:06 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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I got the other side rough cut out and fitted up the other 32.
The stance is good and I like the look with both on there. But it will come down once the engine goes back in and I put the spare on the rear bar. So I think I will have to crank the back suspension up a little down the track.
The flares cover the tyres perfectly. And I would be comfortable going out to a 12.5" wide tyre (currently 11.5"). I just need to crawl under it and see what the clearance is like to the springplate.
Next up I put one of the 30s on the front. And jacked the opposite back corner up to compress it.
As you can see clearance is an issue when compressed. I can trim the section of guard off that it is currently hitting on. But It also hits the back on the inner guard when compressed and turned. The front jacking point may have to go. Will have to do a little more playing and decide.
But, overall I am happy with the stance and the wheel offsets are great. The fronts aren't even going to need flares as they are under the front guards as is. Hoping to get some more done shortly.
Thanks for looking.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:28 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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Got a quick little bit done on the bus this afternoon.
The old driver's door was really getting crusty around the edges. Fortunately when I purchased the bus it came with a solid late model door as a spare.
I swapped the glass and regulator out of the old door into the new one to replace the inoperative one. I also swapped the door handle so the lock matches the keys.
I just have to get a new door rubber as the old one fell to pieces when I tried to remove it from the yellow door.
Thanks for looking, more soon.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 2:41 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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This afternoon I did some further measuring and working out to trim the rear guards out the rest of the way.
Here is where I was up to previously, a bit of a rough cut just to get the wheels on there.
It's hard to tell in the picture but the inner guard curves down a lot as it comes to the outside of the body. What we want to do is cut the curved piece out and extend the inner guard straight out to give maximum room for the wheel on up travel. I was also a little concerned about the dodgy seatbelt bolts hanging down so much. But it turns out the tyre is no where near them under compression, I will still be tidying them up down the track though.
I made a cardboard template of the profile of the inner guard. I transferred this onto the outside of the car and trimmed it out. I cut slightly below the line so I can sneak up on it with a flapper disc on the grinder and keep it neat.
I also removed this bottom section at the back of the inner guard. It basically attaches to the bottom of the battery tray and hangs straight down. I trimmed it off for now and am still decided whether to leave it off for good or build a new new that sits back further out of the way. It will stop some of the crud getting thrown into the back corner of the body under the taillights.
Next up I removed the bumpstop snubber and put a wheel on. Compressed it up with a bit of extra mass hanging off the back in the form of my old man. The trailing arm was about 50mm off the bump stop and I have 50mm clearance between the guard and the top of the tyre. The snubber rubber is 90mm high and I am planning to trim one knob off the bottom of it to give a little more up travel. But the clearances should still be all good.
Back on the wheels. And I trimmed out the other side the same.
One other thing that I will have to address on the left side is the sliding door. Currently it just hits the wheel, but once the flare goes on it will crash straight into it. So I have to trim the kickout arm and add some tube to it to hold the door out further at the back and clear the flare. I will wait until I put the flare on so I can measure how much I need to add. In the meantime I need to remember not to open the sliding door fully.
More soon.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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Houdini came equipped with dealer fitted aricon. But unfortunately it just doesn't give me enough head room. Me head tends to rest against it while I drive, or hit into it on bumps. So I made the decision to pull it out for the time being and decide if i want to mod it and refit or fit an under dash setup later.
This is at my friend's place just after we finished off the engine and he was running and tuning it. He rebuilt most of it and I basically showed up one weekend and cleaned the gunk off the tinware and other bits so we could paint and fit them.
Home again all safe in my shed.
While I was at the Gold Coast I picked up some cheap 33x12.5x15s for the back. They are a little worn and don't match, but for $50 each I couldn't complain. Going to see what the gearing is like and then make up my mind what size I want from there, and buy some new ones when I have money.
I fitted them up and rolled them down the hill to the house so I could give everything a good clean. The inner guards and underside of the chassis and engine bay needed a good degreasing. You can see in the next picture I uncovered some gleaming white factory paint under the guards.
I think it looks like a bit of a wacky racer with the bigs on the back and nose down attitude. I have borrowed a 4 inch lifted beam to try out and see if I like. Then I am going to make my own.
A friend said it looks lie a steamroller from behind with the big wheels, I like this
The 33s are pretty close to the spring plate caps. They clear for now but I might have to do some trimming when I get new tyres that have more tread.
It was time to tow it back to the shed and start work on filling the big gaps in the inner guards. I started on the left side. I took the wheel off the opposite side and let it down and then jacked it right up to lean the bus over to let me do the overhead welding a little more easily.
I started at the top with the small flat section that I left behind. I basically just trimmed stuff to suit, made sure it was square and them made strips up to go in there. You know the drill.
For the back corner I trimmed the bottom to match the new guard line and the carried it down to the seam where the two panels meet on the inside. Turned out pretty good and I am happy with the look. Then I made a patch for it.
On the front it is pretty much the same. But I did it in two pieces, one straight one and then the little curved piece for the bottom.
One other thing the I might do it cut the bottom knob off the rear snubbers to give me a little more up travel. But that will depend on what shocks I end up with. I have been told that Patrol shocks compress almost the same as a bus shock but give an extra 50mm of extension, more research is required. I dropped the bottom bolt out of the shock and it has no more travel in it with the spring plate on the lower stop.
Then it was time to move on to the other side.
Make the plates.
Tack them in.
Found a heap of bog in front of the right guard, extended all the way to the next panel. I ended up buffing a heap of it off back to bare metal. No rust, but the panel is pretty rippled out of shape. This will get fixed later, I just want to get this driving for now.
Trimmed the back corner the same as the other side.
And all finished off and painted. Then I through the wheels back on and got it level.
Today I am hoping to the the engine in. The flares fitted up and the sliding door arm extended. Then I can start running the engine in
Thanks for reading, 4 inch beam lift and offroad action coming in the near future.
Smiley |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:01 am Post subject: Re: Houdini the Baja Bus |
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I got the flares all mounted up. They cover the wheels and tyres perfectly.
And as predicted the door goes no where near clearing them. It does for a little right at the start. But the further you go back the worse it gets.
So I removed the door mech so I could lengthen the arm. Found a few cracks in the door around where it all bolts in! Lucky I am planning to change this door in the future with a stock windowed door.
I sat the door on a milk crate and some lumps of wood so I could set the clearance to the flare and measure the distance to lengthen the arm. Turns out to be 100mm. So got some tube and added some in the middle.
The arm works pretty good on opening. But tends to kick the wheel sideways and jam when trying to slide the door closed. This is being causes by my bus's lack of the little plastic block that holds the wheel straight on the runner. It is half broken, and I have to source a new one. Another issue that I found is the arms stays in the locked out position because there is no stop for it where the longer arms should hit. So I have pulled a second stop unit out of another bus and am planning to fit it up too. Will put some more pictures of it as it progresses, there are a few things I don't like and may yet change some more things before it is done.
I cut the fuel injected airbox mount off the inside of the engine bay. Then started cleaning it up a bit while the battery was out and ended up giving it a quick spray with some paint.
A little bit of work after this and the engine was fitted back up. It starts but runs like a bag of dicks. I have since realised that I forgot to hook the booster line up so it has a massive vac leak. Will rectify in the morning and hopefully go for my first drive in a big bus!!
That back has come down some with the addition of the engine, and I have lost some of the guard clearance. It still sits a bit higher than the front. The rear torsions are sagged and I am planning to wind them up a bit once I work out what is going on up the front. I have a 4 inch beam to fit, so i will see where the back needs to be once that happens.
Thanks for reading.
Smiley |
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ORANGECRUSHer Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2006 Posts: 2744 Location: West Coast (Michigan's)
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