Hi all, after many years of sitting forlorn in the backyard my daughter Greta and I are finally cracking into it with the aim of getting our low light bay done by christmas. Of course all the brainwashing I have done on my kids has payed off because I dont think they will ever drive anything else 馃檪. Greta tuns 17 in november so she would love the bus to be her first car and even though her friends will have new mazda 2s or something I know who will have the most popular car at her last year of highschool.
This will be a budget rebuild and very much DIY but that is the great thing about old VWs, nice and simple to work on. We already have a rebuilt 1835 ready to slot in so no major expense in one hit.
First up this thread in no way is setting out to de-value anybodies trade because I know that people who do a certain job for a living should take pride in their work and it should not be under valued. Being a domestic/commercial/industial painter for the last 28 years I see it everyday (especially on those reality type shows, the block etc.) But I am out to show that you can do a sweet respray with a few basic tools for under a grand. So if your low on funds and have LOTS of time and want to give it a go then watch this space. All the qualified welders/panel beaters/spray painters can feel free to tell me how shit my work is but the job I do will do the job!
grinderman 路
Starting with paint removal on roof. 125mm grinder with 36 grit disc (carefully) and then 60 grit disc. Finish off with random orbit sander and 80 grit disc.
grinderman 路
About 5 hours later
grinderman 路
a few more......its a big roof. Also my custom gutter cleaning tool
grinderman 路
The spraying is the easy part, a couple of coats of etch primer
h 路
馃憤
nils 路
Ah. . . .. . . . .. . .now i know what i'm in for. My whole roof requires stripping too
Craig Torrens 路
Gotta love the OH&S dust mask and ear muffs being used 馃槀馃槀馃槀
That's going to be the yr12 party bus ! 馃憤
grinderman 路
I certainly used the mask/earmuffs/safety glasses when I use the high speed grinder while taking off the bulk of the paint. This bus has been painted poorly about 4 times so it is time to start fresh. It would be easier if it was only the factory paint to remove. Work has asked me to go west for a few weeks 馃槧 so buttercup will be delayed for a little while but that will give the daughter time to save up for some hi-fill and choose colours. Attacked the c.v. joints/boots tonight so slowly but surely.
Craig Torrens 路
Its great that your daughter is so involved. I hope mine are the same at that age 馃樀
A positive sign was when my 4 yr old daughter told me about the big turbo she wanted for her rainbow coloured Evo LOL
grinderman 路
After an on again/off again resto that was to be finished by now (yeah right) we are tackling it in earnest now. After stripping the car back to bare metal and removing all the glass a fair bit of rust was discovered. Now, I can tackle basic welding of patches but rebuilding complex areas are best left to a friend of mine who has the skills and the sheetmetal factory to make just about anything. The trouble is that his shop is in brisbane which is an hour away but after a bit of logistics we were able to find some space out the back for buttercup and the rust repairs can be done properly.
grinderman 路
cut that out!
grinderman 路
The windscreen lower repair panel and 2 cab floor repair sections were purchased from Das Resto which saved a lot of fab time.
Scottkombi 路
Excellent work and another great bus saved.
While the panel beater is at it - get them to weld in the proper early bay rear tail lights - this is a wide 5 bus so it should have the late splitty style tail lights not the big ugly toombstone lights.
The rest looks quite typical of these old busses - have a look how much Kuchster has taken out and replaced in his lowie!
Cheers,
Scott
grinderman 路
A full day just on the front
grinderman 路
On to the back
grinderman 路
Finally getting rust free
grinderman 路
The bus was taken back to metal months ago but due to circumstances out of our control buttercup had to sleep outside in the weather that included a fair bit of rain over a couple of months.
Unfortunately surface rust had started to appear so my son Andrew came in to sand it all back again (80grit discs on random orbit sander).
A fresh application of etch primer will keep it sealed until all bodywork is done.
Craig Torrens 路
Hard yakka, but worth it 馃憤
grinderman 路
Doglegs were rooted as well.
I only want to do this once and now is the time
grinderman 路
The original taillight holes had been butchered by the last owner when they fitted some universal trailer lights.
I like the original small taillights so I got Laurie to replace the whole damaged area which included some rust on the sides so this way fixed 2 problems at once
grinderman 路
Taillights done and its back home again
Scottkombi 路
Ahhhh much better!
psimitar 路
grinderman wrote:Hi all, after many years of sitting forlorn in the backyard my daughter Greta and I are finally cracking into it with the aim of getting our low light bay done by christmas. Of course all the brainwashing I have done on my kids has payed off because I dont think they will ever drive anything else 馃檪. Greta tuns 17 in november so she would love the bus to be her first car and even though her friends will have new mazda 2s or something I know who will have the most popular car at her last year of highschool.
This will be a budget rebuild and very much DIY but that is the great thing about old VWs, nice and simple to work on. We already have a rebuilt 1835 ready to slot in so no major expense in one hit.
First up this thread in no way is setting out to de-value anybodies trade because I know that people who do a certain job for a living should take pride in their work and it should not be under valued. Being a domestic/commercial/industial painter for the last 28 years I see it everyday (especially on those reality type shows, the block etc.) But I am out to show that you can do a sweet respray with a few basic tools for under a grand. So if your low on funds and have LOTS of time and want to give it a go then watch this space. All the qualified welders/panel beaters/spray painters can feel free to tell me how shit my work is but the job I do will do the job!
Great job dude. Going well 馃檪
And don't feel bad about the tradies. There are some good out there and plenty of bad. I've seen some shocking work from supposed professionals over the years and seen home brewed work turn out better than the pro's so don't feel bad 馃檪
What colours has your daughter choosen?
grinderman 路
Thanks psimitar, I hung around panel shops when I was younger (when you could buy a splitty for $500 馃榿) and learned a few basic skills.
Greta likes the idea of a cream / jade green combo with red interior. We are keeping the jade pretty pale to give it more of a retro feel.
Look out Valla!
psimitar 路
sounds like a good colour combo. Look forward to seeing it 馃檪
grinderman 路
Well because of work and a certain 57 splitty project Greta's bus has had to take a backstep until now. I'm hitting it full steam ahead now and are trying to get it finished by action day which is in 17 days so I am going to be pushing shit up hill 馃槀 Greta says "just paint the bloody thing" and I reply " but you will see every dent or ripple every day when it's finished" so I keep on priming, filling and sanding........but it has to get finished SOON !
grinderman 路
Last of the rust is gone thanks to Laurie
grinderman 路
Greta will have a solid bus when finished, nothing hidden on this one!
grinderman 路
Wet sanding 800 grit and 4 coats of de beer 2 pac had the roof looking sweet (for a hack like me anyway)馃憤
psimitar 路
Very nice 馃檪
lunar_c 路
I hope I have the opportunity to build an air cooled dub with my future kids one day! Great build, thanks for sharing. No faulting your panel work from me..
grinderman 路
Supercheap 'spraybooth' and dirt floor always challenging for optimum paint finish 馃お
grinderman 路
Unbolted the rear sliding door support and found some stress fractures so the mig had to come out.
grinderman 路
We have been busy over the last couple of months so here are some updates
grinderman 路
Stone guard used on lower sections and sound deadener in wheel arches
grinderman 路
Gone this far now have to keep going. Interior floor stripped and primed
grinderman 路
Engine bay painted
grinderman 路
Took it to 'the factory' for painting of the lower section, 5 coats of debeer 2 pac (fiat turquoise)
grinderman 路
If buttercup comes up as good as my last respray I will be happy, it was nice getting some complements at action day in wynnum.
grinderman 路
TMI headliner getting fitted and some D.I.Y. internal trimming
grinderman 路
Greta has chosen a bamboo timber floor for looks and practicality which I layed over a masonite base
grinderman 路
Color sanding and buffing started
modnrod 路
Nice.
It seems half your life gets taken up with getting these things straight doesn't it? 馃お
Looking good. 馃憤
grinderman 路
Yes modnrod so many hours on the sanding boards. It ain't perfect but time is always the enemy.
grinderman 路
Well buttercup has been on the road now for a few months and is about 90% finished so I thought I'd put up a few pics. The quick respray ended up being a major rebuild (which seems to be common) with the paintjob costing about $1100 in materials and that turned out to be one of the cheaper costs in the build. All thats left is mostly mechanical and suspension improvements. Greta absolutely loves driving her bus and the positive comments she gets everytime makes the long build time worth it.
grinderman 路
Last year was a big one with the 57 and the 69 both put on the road. You could count the number of days I had off on one hand 馃お
oldskoolguy 路
Looks really nice, well done.
Good colour scheme too.
Rob.
adlbeetle66 路
Very cool.
Greta is lucky to have a kombi at that age.. I'm younger than that and I only have a beetle! 馃槀
pete wood 路
Champion work there. Great to see so many old cars going BACK on the road. 馃憤
wombatventures 路
Awesome job mate. Great to see good work ending in such a top ride.
You've got one lucky daughter.
shaven 路
mate you have probably heard it a 1000 times... but thats beautiful. congrats on all the hard work, its paid off. the paint job... WOW 馃憤
grinderman 路
Thanks guys, it just shows that if you have enough determination good results can be acheived without trade qualifications or a lot of tools for that matter. A grinder, random orbit sander, $120 3in1 spraygun, speedfile........not much else. Same for mehanical, these machines are so simple a mug like me can give the bus a top end rebuild on the side of the road. I love em !
Bizarre 路
a shed the size of my local football park and a forklift helps as well 馃槀
Seriously love the lowlight
Colour is BEAUTIFUL
grinderman 路
Yes Bizarre, a friend of mine (who owns the splitty) owns a sheetmetal business and he does my fabbing and welding but he hates bodywork so he gets me to do that and I get the rust sorted properly on my projects with no money changing hands. Its a good arrangement. Would love a large workshop in my backyard but single income family and house renovations have put it on the backburner.
1cut808 路
Getting some colour on it must make it start to feel worthwhile!