Another 1976 Westy!
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:20 am
Well this post is long past due. I found Leakoil from somebody's post on the Samba and got in touch with Chuck to help me with some of my issues, and now I'm finally getting around to posting. I'm Ian, and I bought my 1976 Westfalia last summer. First time buying a vehicle sight-unseen and driving it home, halfway across the country. My girlfriend Allie and I flew down to Austin and drove it home. Here's a link to that story and pictures from the adventure, as well as our next trip to Vermont, where we started having problems: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... highlight=
On our trip to Vermont last fall we started having issues. When we finally limped it back home, we knew it was time to start making the necessary repairs. I created another post over on the Samba for some help with the problems I was having, and that's where somebody recommended I get in touch with this guy "Chuck from LOAKOIL." I gave him a call and he came down a few days later to take a look. Turns out I'm missing a bunch of parts thanks to the previous owner removing the fuel injection in favor of a carb, and then a TX shop cobbling a FI kit together to re-install it, without all of the original pieces. But it got us home from Austin. I guess that's what happens when you buy somebody else's project. Chuck said "get that engine pulled and we'll start making it right" so that's what I did. After a couple trips down to Akron to bring me parts and knowledge, Chuck noticed that the keyway on the crankshaft was all blown out and put back together with Loctite, so I packed up all of my freshly sandblasted and painted parts and took them up to his shop. The gas-tank has now been cleaned out and reinstalled, with a new fuel-filler neck and rubber hose. We re-cushioned and re-upholstered the front seats, and cleaned up and greased the swivel base on the passenger seat. Here are some recent photos:
On our trip to Vermont last fall we started having issues. When we finally limped it back home, we knew it was time to start making the necessary repairs. I created another post over on the Samba for some help with the problems I was having, and that's where somebody recommended I get in touch with this guy "Chuck from LOAKOIL." I gave him a call and he came down a few days later to take a look. Turns out I'm missing a bunch of parts thanks to the previous owner removing the fuel injection in favor of a carb, and then a TX shop cobbling a FI kit together to re-install it, without all of the original pieces. But it got us home from Austin. I guess that's what happens when you buy somebody else's project. Chuck said "get that engine pulled and we'll start making it right" so that's what I did. After a couple trips down to Akron to bring me parts and knowledge, Chuck noticed that the keyway on the crankshaft was all blown out and put back together with Loctite, so I packed up all of my freshly sandblasted and painted parts and took them up to his shop. The gas-tank has now been cleaned out and reinstalled, with a new fuel-filler neck and rubber hose. We re-cushioned and re-upholstered the front seats, and cleaned up and greased the swivel base on the passenger seat. Here are some recent photos:
Buses and mopeds are a natural progression 
Good luck!
