Randy's new 79 bus

Randy in Maine
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:01 pm

Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Randy in Maine »

is finally home from the paintshop (where it has been since last summer)...

Before....

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After....

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I am mounting some LED brake lights in the 2 holes up there.
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Howie
Posts: 1979
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:30 am

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Howie »

That came out nice! Well worth the wait!
Howie
‎"...the ones in love with the night, they light up like a cigarette." -Jack Kerouac
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Six Volt »

I've met Randy in Maine. He was in Cleveland around the time Chuck got the bay DC. He got a good look at Chuck's DC and was very impressed. Randy is a very knowledgeable guy about bay window buses. He arrives with an extra Type II Temp Sensor taped to his leg. :? :lol:

All I can say is this bus will be "pristine" when he is done. Simply said, Randy in Maine is a perfectionist. :D Can't wait! :D
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Howie
Posts: 1979
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:30 am

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Howie »

What I'm diggin' is the Trick LED brake lights mounted in the popup shell. What a concept! :D That shizz is gonna look GOOD going down the road!
Howie
‎"...the ones in love with the night, they light up like a cigarette." -Jack Kerouac
Randy in Maine
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:01 pm

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Randy in Maine »

Randy is way over rated. :P

I have a lot of work to do on the new bus. Window and door seals, soundproofing, pop top canvas, heated seats, and all sorts of things.

Then I am going to swap in the Raby Camper Speical, the Konis, Berg shifter, GoWesty alloy wheels and the other good things from my old bus to the new bus.

I think it will be a fun project. I will update the thread as it happens.
vwjoey
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 8:50 am

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by vwjoey »

Ok I am interested" what is your plan on heated seats? where do you guys get them, and what kind of vehicle do they come out of? :shock: My wife's Passatt has heated seats and I like them much"
Randy in Maine
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:01 pm

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Randy in Maine »

My heated seats are actually just these little paper thin gizmos that slide right under my stock looking seats (that I just redid in brown camping cloth).

http://www.heatedseatkits.com/heatedsea ... index.html

$200 for the pair. They draw 10 amps each, but I think my 70 amp alternator will be able to power them up. I have not figured out just where I am going to mount the switches though. I am thinking they will either go right on the seat pedestal or on the dash or something.


Today I am going to get started restoring the dash. It is virgin. You are only virgin once they say. I think I will be cleaning the vinyl (detergent and a stiff brush) and then will coat it with SEM flex clear coat in a satin finish. I don't do Armorall. I will be cutting the dash anyway to install the new Dakota Digital gauges anyway and the for new alpine head unit. The good thing about the DD set up is that you can set them to "flash" where something gets interesting and don't have to watch them all of the time. For me that is OT at 220º, the CHT at 400º, and the the OP at 7 psi.

My buddy Phil (Whip618) does the gauges like this and I think I will try do the same. Better than the way I did them on the old bus (I bought the 3 gauge panel from Bus Boys) I will be installing another 3 3/8" VDO tach for where the clock would be and use the Bus Boys gizmo to hold it in there.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... light=dash

They will look something like this from the old bus only better I hope...

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Randy in Maine
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Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:01 pm

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Randy in Maine »

Here is how I soundproofed the "new" bus. I ordered up 160 square feet (80 1' x 2' panels) of Damplifier from Second Skin. It is sort of a thick (~3mm) aluminum foil over a butyl membrane and sticks pretty good on a clean surface.

Here is what I started with....

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It cleaned up pretty good with some "scubbing bubbles" and a good rinse....

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The Damplifier has a paper backer that peels off and sort of looks like this....

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I used full sheets whenever I could and you have to measure sometimes as you install...

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They stick pretty good and then you use a small J roller to get good contact with the surface and roll out the air bubbles. Sometimes you have to slice it with a utility knife to get all of the air out that you can. The foil is sharp and I did manage to cut myself until I smartened up and used some gloves.

Here is sort of what it looked like when I was done. The plan was to cover about all of the inerior painted surfaces that would not show when the interior is re-installed. I went double layers over the engine compartment and under the rear seat. I used the small leftover pieces to do the spare tire well, most of the driver and passenger seats, and around the pedals.

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More a little later....
Randy in Maine
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Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:01 pm

Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by Randy in Maine »

Well here is the final soundproofing layer.

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Also from Second Skin, it is called "Luxury Liner" and is about 3/8" thick. The bottom side is a high density foam and the top surface is some sort of a vinyl/plastic like layer. I bought 10 sheets (4'x2') and will use them all. I ran the new rear speaker "Monster Cable" and the 2 x 10 gauge wire for the heated seats taped to the damplifier layer and covered by the Luxury Liner.

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It gets sprayed with an headliner type adhesive on both sufaces and is sort of like a contact cement. I did not attach it on the flat floors or over the top engine lid. I am not sure just what the floor surface will end up looking like as yet. Bamboo? Carpet?

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I used some black duct tape to hold it all in place while it dried. I may leave it like that. I don't know.

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So all in all I am in this sound deadening thing about $800 including shipping. It was kind of a lot of dough for me, and it all weighs about 100 pounds total. It took a few days to install it but it seems like a pretty decent product if you take the time to install it well. I deleted the 3/8" waferboard under the living room of the bus and will install the new floor on the 1/4" plywood that the carpet was glued on.

I am working on the windows next.
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SlashKirk
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Re: Randy's new 79 bus

Post by SlashKirk »

Good job Randy!

I was thinking of laying down some mat too; is second skin stuff just as good as dynamat but cheaper?
1961 Swivel Seat Kombi
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