59 Deluxe Microbus Samba

[hitlers revenge]

Nice!

[ST Man]

I also removed the engine and the fuel tank this weekend. The fuel tank had so much crap in it I dont know how I was driving the car like that. I cleaned the fuel filter twice a month but now its time to have the tank cleaned. There is a place in Pretoria named something like villeria that cleans and refurbs fuel tanks, if you have the number please post.
I will not try to save fuel gauge its gone....far gone
All the stuff where fuel tank was is not rust its the remains of the last rats nest.

[ST Man]

I also stripped out the front suspension and steering rack. Here I need some advice please.
I want to rebuild the steering box, who can do it or give advice.
The front suspension needs a complete rebuild as well. Where do I start what is the spares list needed? I want to powder coat it all. I dont know what al the bleeding nipples does etc. Please give advice. I ahve done few cars before so not completely inexperienced but new at VW.

[retrovan]

only think about powder coating if you going to do the FULL strip and rework.

The reason is that every thing needs to be removed for the clean and baking in a oven at 220deg.C

So if a seal or bearing or rubber stays on, it will get burnt to

The best advice I can give you, is to take a lot of photo's as you strip, of before and after, because by the time it comes back, and you get all your new parts, you would have forgotten how it went together.

A lot of parts look the same but are slightly different, so easy to mix up.

Try to keep the sections separated, like back axle in one box, front axle in one box.....all helps when it has to go together again.

Good luck, but thats what makes it fun...

Herman

[ST Man]

Hi to all

I have done a few jobs since last post.
I mixed one liter of each olour so that I can see what it will look like. White is L62 Ivory and red is L53 Sealing wax red. I will paint this on car just to check and be sure of colour.

Other jobs completed
Stripped all window frames and send in for powder coating. I wanted to poder coat all the frames to protect them over long term. I will still paint correct colour over the top.
Wheels also send for powder coating
All pedal parts and engine covers etc send in for powder coating.
Seats send in for recovering an receied back.
Fuel tank send in to get cleaned and covered on inside. This was expensive (R2500) but i think its worth te money. They cut open tank at bottom sand blast it clean. The tank is then sealed with some ...epoxy , rubber or what ever and tank is repainted. I will still paint tank Seal wax red like car.
Started to fit new samba trim. I want to test fit them before paint so I dont scratch car after paint.
Wolfsburg West order arrived with new roof lining, sunroof cover and parts and some suspension parts. Sunroof outside will be white again.
Chrome pieces arrived from uk with missing jailbar and silver trim that goes on engine vents on left and right side
Steering rack stripped and new seal found. Steering rak also send in for powder coating. Seals for shafts etc found and will asseble as soon as it arrives from powder coating.
Sunroof being assembled, started with front latch
Rusted areas opened up to see extent of rust
MAJOR effort went into cleaning up old rubberizer underneath car to look at condition all looks good. Very little rust in oter areas. I also bought a sand blaster to clean up hard to reach places.
Plated all the bolts that will be reused zink yellow.

I still need to find parts for front suspension.
Waiting for 4 orders stuck at post office with all my loose parts. One of the oredr has now been in post office for a month, they are striking again....
Waiting for new shipment of panels and parts from Jacques. I have received some panels from hism and the quality is good and the prices fair.

Note: Good powder coating company found. NPA Powder Coating in Dykor str, Silverton, Pretoria. Pricnig is reasonable and they dont take long. They longest I have waited for one of three batches was one week.
Gearbox and reduction boxxes taken in for rebuild
Villeria radiator in Pretoria did fuel tank

[ST Man]

Some details on seats

[ST Man]

Some detail pics of the work done

[Pine]

That looks SO GOOD!

[flatfourfan]

NPA are good guys, they did the blasting and powdercoating on my old bus rims. When I wasn't happy because there was some sand left in the grooves, they stripped it back and did it again.

[ST Man]

Over the long weekend my wife had to work so we stayed home and I worked on the bus. Friday I spend most of the day on removing the engine lid, rear hatch and strip keeping the rear of sunroof in place. All the screws were stripped so on some I used a flame heated them up and turned them out the other I had to drill out and then rethread them. I took the whole day.
Today I tested out my new sand blaster after a disastrous start last week. Last week it just did not work so I quit and gathered some info. My sand was fine sand but there were some big chucks in it. I sifted the sand with my wife cooking sift and I now works perfect.
I cleaned up the whole front end and painted new undercoat.Also did a few odd jobs but that’s the bulk of it.

[Retro13]

Nice work Leon, you're making excellent progress.
Does the Mrs know you used her sieve?

[hitlers revenge]

@ Retro13

She probably know now as the sifter has moved from the kitchen to garage storage.



"What enters the garage stays in the garage"

[Retro13]

Possession is 9/10s of the law...

[Kafer74]

I love what you are doing with the bus. The seats look excellent...who did them for you?

[ST Man]

The Mrs actually looked for it to give to me......but i made a visit to Spar this afternoon for the sake of peace.
Theseats was done in Marabastad Pretoria Mohammed. He is close to fruit market on left side of road. PM me for his number.
After waiting in the line for two hours in post office I got another small parcel today. Still waiting for three more parcels from the most useless Post office on earth..