LEAKOIL Forum

Sean I would like to add my few cents worth regarding your project....... Looking at the pics and reading comments such as California quality, Modesty, etc ....... YOU should be DAMN PROUD with what you have done........I maybe a newbie here and to Buses, and you guys don't know me, however , I am not in regards to body work and in restoring vehicles..... I had my own shop for many years and did work for several local Dealers as well as totally restored several cars for myself and others....... Everyone must realize that no vehicle is perfect and during the years of vehicles that we are dealing with in this club they did not have the technology of perfect tolerances ( ie.your gap in rear) hell the factory could have been worse... GREAT JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need additional smiles for standing ovation.........

That's a humbling message hosedrag_r, and I very much appreciate your kind comments. I think it's great you've signed up and are contributing. LEAKOIL is only great because folks take the time to get involved and contribute.

I know I beat this like a dead horse, but let's face facts. I really am an amateur, but that's ok. Amateurs are a necessary commodity if a club, especially one involved with VW buses, is to continue on into the future. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I hope this inspires other armature's to step forward. Your kind, sensitive comments make me reference the following...

I've been at this bus since early '08. It's been an adventure. In any event, there are VW folks on this site that have done far more work to far more VW vehicles that I can ever mention to ever even hold a candle to their efforts. The reality is a VW website and a digital camera allows someone like me to 'overdramatize' my miniscule efforts. That's the truth. There are VW guys that have spent decades under buses that have never been chronicled. They get no credit. There were no digital cameras or websites when they were paying their dues. Time is unfair to their efforts, but I wish to credit their efforts for the great club we now have!

Along I come with a few pictures and I suddenly have a thread of interest. Believe me. 90% of the time, I'm a lost soul. The LEAKOIL veterans deserve all the credit. It's those LEAKOIL "vets" that have gotten me through this to date. People like Kirk, Bill W., Kyle, Ken & Reg, Toolbox, Dave C., Josh, Berea Bob, Aaron, Don from N. Canton, Howie, Gregg, Mark, Nick, Chuck, Randy, Dan, Alice, Rick, Keith, Pat, Ron, Dennis and Joe at the bike shop, Dennis and Kelley, (not of the bike shop), Colin (Amskeptic) and Dale at Dale's VW, as well as countless others from LEAKOIL, the samba or the IAC, too numerous to mention who offered opinions and advice that made a difference. God bless you all! (Yes, I know I've missed many others that I will remember tomorrow! )

I'm a long way from being done, so this thing is going to get real busy in the next few weeks. Appreciate all the input! I'll be at it with more pictures tomorrow!

The fact is that you WANTED something done, and figured out the best way to do it Sean. You accomplished it on your own, with Leakoiler's tips and advice, and made it work for YOU. That alone is your Badge of Courage, and you made that bus personally yours. Flaws and pimples and all. We as a club Celebrate you for the effort, and we can't wait to see your NEXT project! Is your wife allowed to hear about your "next project"?

Howie wrote:Is your wife allowed to hear about your "next project"?

Of course she is! It's her kitchen!

Can't wait to see that Bus, Sean. You are an inspiration - I'll wrench on anything, but bodywork??? Run away! Run away!!!

Howie wrote:The fact is that you WANTED something done, and figured out the best way to do it Sean. You accomplished it on your own, with Leakoiler's tips and advice, and made it work for YOU. That alone is your Badge of Courage, and you made that bus personally yours. Flaws and pimples and all. We as a club Celebrate you for the effort, and we can't wait to see your NEXT project! Is your wife allowed to hear about your "next project"?

Thanks Howie, but I've still got a lot to finish on this project.

My "next" project is your battery tray. Get that thing over here!

Don from Canton wrote:

Howie wrote:Is your wife allowed to hear about your "next project"?

Of course she is! It's her kitchen!

Demolition starts Friday.

Six Volt wrote:My "next" project is your battery tray. Get that thing over here!

And that is exactly what I did on Sunday! A HUGE thanks to Sean for the great job he did patching the floor under my battery!!! The only thing holding it in had been a piece of plywood from the PO, and a bracket I had rigged from an old gate hinge. What metal there was left was swiss-cheesed, and thin enough to poke a finger through.
In just a few short hours Sean had a "Kamm's Corners Quality" installation fabricated, welded, sealed, and painted! All I need now is a new battery to go with it! Top photo shows the trial fitting and tacking, and the lower pic is the completed project.
Thank you so much again, Sean!

Don from Canton wrote:Run away! Run away!!!

How did I miss this the first time "Holy...."

Howie wrote:

Six Volt wrote:My "next" project is your battery tray. Get that thing over here!

And that is exactly what I did on Sunday!

Good work guys......now only if I can get Sean to fix that old shovel of mine......

Captkirk wrote:Good work guys......now only if I can get Sean to fix that old shovel of mine.

Uhhhh... that was YOUR shovel we used to make the new battery floor with?

We were back at it today. Kyle was all about the 'automotive electronics'. For those of you that don't know Kyle, he is great at automotive wiring. If you have wiring issues in your VW, give Kyle a call. He is very reasonable and a great guy to hang out with and just talk about VW's and life.

We got the bus to a point were we were 'cranking' it over, (sounded good!), but no start. Probably something I did with the points, condensor, rotor, or timing. Who knows??? (I'll be back at it tomorrow night.)

Hey Kirk, the fuel tap didn't leak!!!

Sorry, no pics. It was a working holiday. We had a new guy, (Shawn - '57 Oval), show up from North Canton who hung out with us. Really nice guy. Howie and Aaron were invited, but were no shows. Holiday commitments.

The best part of the day was Kyle and I went up to a local watering hole to do our customary de-briefing and we ran into the Bret Michels "Rock of Love" tour bus advance party. Yes, use your imagination.

I'll try to get some some pics up of Kyle's work on the project up tomorrow evening.

A new guy from my neck of the woods? Is he on the forum? 57 Oval! Sweet!!!