Das Volks Vintage Volkswagen Gruppe

Fingers crossed Mike!

Just pasting this here so I don't lose the bulb type...
Have to see if the local store has these in stock...

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/sylv ... efZC=11725#

Picking the bus up tonight... Fingers crossed!

Got off to a rough start with my bus this year. The difficult winter left the bus a bit tired, and not as eager as myself to start off the season. It seems like we might be through the woods, so today I got to have some fun detailing. Washed, stripped off the old waxes and waterless cleaners, clay, polish, and waxed. Spent a little extra time on the wheels, which had some stains left over from brake dust on the powder coat.
Then, I finally got around to replacing the two lights in the speedo which had been out for quite a few months now.

Please tell me the new driveway is'nt cracking already.

No. Lol it's just drying unevenly.

She's looking good Mike!

So, I am at a crossroads. I recently picked up a set of late Brazilian OEM VW bus mirrors. These are the mirrors that shipped on the 2013 Final Edition buses and thousands of Kombi's before them. They are genuine VW parts and they fit perfectly. My quandry lies in the cross hares of a marked improvement of visibility and the obvious effect it has on changing the overall vintage aesthetic of a vintage bus. I put the mirrors on Peabody tonight, and plan to drive with them for a few days in "trial" I can easily see why they come with high praise, gone are the small mirrors and I can see significantly more. In addition, the rear view of the bus is clear, unlike the stock 77 "elephant ears" which are very prone to slipping, and vibration. What say you?





Also picked up a C&C sliding door (inside) handle. The original type are an ivory colored plastic and are prone to cracking and breaking off

Roll with them. They look fine. There's plenty of black trim on the bus so they don't stand out as much as you might think. If you don't like them you can always switch them back. Despite what Glenn is going to say about going back.

Put them on the New Beetle... a vintage VW should look VINTAGE.

Next will be a backup camera and turn signals in the mirrors.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Arrow-Panel- ... 1294994795

So Mike when are you going to take out your seats and put in a set of vintage Ring Racing Seats ? And I would hold off on those turn signal mirrors till you can get a heated set.

Just broke down and bought the seat covers for my bus, along with new pads.
Was thinking of ordering the Vanagon seats already done in green plaid from Go Westy, but Tom Thompson convinced me not to. I think he's right.
Plus, Westy owners don't often realize it, but the passenger side seat base is shorter on a Westy than on a standard passenger bus, so as to accommodate the seat swivel.

Is that AKA Tijuana Tom ?

Yup.

Are these seat kits or just material? I think seat covers are pretty easy to do yourself.

Covers and new pads.
I'm sure I could do them myself - but I don't want them looking like I did them myself.

Anyone ever replaced a bus gas pedal before? I ordered a new one, because for years my accelerator pedal has been "tight" - meaning it moves in like 1/4" increments. I am trying to get a smooth pedal action back, and hope that replacing the pedal and the linkage under the bus will bring back that smooth feeling.
But, I haven't taken the pedal out before. I know there is a hinge on the floor, and a pin that holds them together.

ObnoxiousBlue wrote:Anyone ever replaced a bus gas pedal before? I ordered a new one, because for years my accelerator pedal has been "tight" - meaning it moves in like 1/4" increments. I am trying to get a smooth pedal action back, and hope that replacing the pedal and the linkage under the bus will bring back that smooth feeling.
But, I haven't taken the pedal out before. I know there is a hinge on the floor, and a pin that holds them together.

If you're not replacing the floor piece, you just tap out the pin and unhook it and that's all.

I'm thinking you have the same problem as me and that's gonna be replacing that linkage

I almost figure that Rob. I don't plan to replace the floor piece, I'm just hoping it isn't worn to the point of not being able to go back together nice and tight.
I also expect that the issue is in the linkage. But, if I'm dropping $100 into the floor - literally - I don't want to have to take it apart again.

The new pedal:
http://www.piersideparts.net/fastbuspedal.html

The linkage (waiting for the FI model which is due to ship in two weeks)
http://www.buttysbits.com/throttle-kits.html

As for the rest of the bus, the new seats are in - they're great. I need to get the back seat done soon.
Then, moving to the exhaust and will be putting a correct exhaust system back on it. I was able to score the crossover pipe, u pipe, extension, catalytic converter, and a muffler. I still need to pick up a tailpipe. It needs all new hardware, has a crack where the pipe goes into the muffler that can be welded, needs to be blown out - sounds like it's got sand in it - and needs some paint before it goes on.
Then, will move onto the walls and ceiling.

I have disconnected the pedal from the floor and replaced the acc cable but the linkage is still okay. No binding up when depressing the pedal. I gave it a good dose of lube when I was working on it.

Peabody must be styling with the new covers.

What is a running yard? How many do I need to recover a rear bench seat?

A football term? That long fenced off pen that some dog owners have in their back yard?

A Running yard of fabric is 36" taken off the roll lengthwise, but the width is determined by the roll. Per Google and Robin.

Ok, so I need to see how wide the bench is.
I know BD sells it, but if it isnt wide enough it will have to be custom made.
Everyone on TS says they just stapled it onto the bench like it was from the factory.

I bought fabric for the rear bench and made a cover for one and then the other half was stapled. Most upholstery fabric is 54" wide so you would need to measure the width of the seat and then add extra inches to wrap around and under the bench.

Ex; if the bench is 48 inches wide and the depth of the cushion was 4 inches that would be a total of 56 inches (48+4+4+56). then add 4 inch allowance for each side to staple to the bottom of the bench, so you would need 64 inches. that would be 1 3/4 yards. Same thing for the depth of the cushion. If it is 34 inches front to back and 4 inches for the cushion that would be 34+4+4=42 and then add the 4 inch allowance for each side so that is 50 inches, so that would be 1 1/2 yards.

Calculation: top measure of seat, plus depth of cushion times 2 (each side) and then 3-4 inch allowance to staple underneath.
Same applies to width and depth.

Ordered tons of parts today...

New muffler
Tailpipe
CAT delete pipe
Exhaust merge pipe
Muffler straps
New Fast Fab accelerator pedal
Pedal return spring
Pedal hinge pin
Clutch pedal pad
Brake pedal pad
4 running yards plaid material
Front amber reflectors
New light bases
New canvas
New canvas tack strip
New canvas hinge protectors