Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 00:43:26 -0400
Reply-To: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Subject: FS: '70 Single Cab
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Well this one, REALLY, REALLY, pains me. As I've never even had the thing
out and had wanted one for SOOO long.
'70 Single cab, this truck is fairly solid, more solid in fact than any of
the 5-6 I've looked at out of Hemmings or at Manasas in the last 5 years in
this area (Mid-Atlantic) It is better than the stuff asking $2500-$3000
around here to give a picture. I'm going to be utterly specific here, but
I'm often overcritical, I'm telling you exactly where there are holes and
what would need to be replaced to make it 100% as solid metal wise as it
left the factory.
right side is the worst, to be perfect needs an outer rocker a string of
dime sized holes (but both inner parts are perfectly solid), patch for
forward of rear wheelwell (hard to tell actual damage here, PO liked to spot
weld big patches over small holes), A tool box hatch (hell they are only
$150 you couldn't mess with it for that, this one looks perfect from the
outside, but again really needs replaced) both inner and outer front bottom
dogleg "step" panels (again some PO work, looks good isn't, but isn't likely
too bad underneath), front outer section of front floor on both sides
(actually again only maybe an 8" string of 1/4" sized holes along back edges
observed from underneath, but PO and that spot welder liked to put down big
pieces), finally the rear of front wheelwell panel, but only for about one
dime sized hole. Most of this work would require not nearly the amount of
metal I specify, if you are good at small patching it would be fine with
some work in places. Battery tray is about 50% gone but only in center,
still supports a battery, rust had not reached the edges, both rear corners
are 100% and do not need more than normal prep work, dents, etc.
Ok drivers side, rockers perfectly solid end to end, tool box hatch door is
perfect, only a dime size hole in the rear of the front wheelwell and the
inner and outer front "step" panels.
Gates are there, they again have PO repair panels and it is hard to graps
their actual condition on the lower edges, but probably need some work.
Bed is 100% no holes solid, I sandblasted every inch in order to "stabilize"
it for winter storage outdoors. I removed all the old rivets from the wood
strips, filled all those holes with seam sealer, brush rustoleum primed it
then shot 3 coats of black PPG alkyd enamel. I fully intended to, and next
owner should, blast it off again before real topcoating, I just sort of
wanted to get off the surface rust and see if it was actually solid beneath
the 3-4 coats of paint. It was, no holes, some surface marking from rust a
lot of dings, a few bad ones, but solid, a good heavy polyester primer
surfacer after some dolly work will make it smooth and straight enough.
Floor underneath in tool box and below gas tank. Surface rust from water
running in from holes from wood strips. But again only light-fair surface
rust, totally solid and no holes (most I've seen in this area are gone down
here, this is just fine.)
Windshield surround has typical rust, and is not as bad as most, does leak
now, I would remove and sandblast, epoxy prime, etc but summer has run out.
Windshield has a nick right in drivers field of view, not bad but none pass
in a WV inspection if they noticed it, is not particularly fogged for its
age.
Drivers door looks good has a lot of PO work, passenger side OK. I've a set
of much nicer doors they go with the van.
OK again that is everything in an overly critical manner.
Mechanicals.
Installed a 1600 sp I had from my long lost '70 camper. I did not build
this engine, a local shop did 6+ years ago, they had an OK rep. It had
gathered under 10,000 miles in the camper before the camper died then I
poured Marvel down it and dry stored it. I rebuilt a 30 PICT 2 carb and
have procured the correct air filter but do not have the stuff for the
preheat (the PO left the thermostat out of the bus and its vanes, I have no
spares to install all my 1600 stuff is long gone). Seems to idle OK run
strong enough, I've taken it to about 45mph around the neigborhood in all
gears but have not yet transferred the title so no high speed experience. I
will probably pull and repack the CV's and will sort from my 10 or so used
spares for the best available set.
Front axle is solid and only light surface rust, "drag?" link replaced, PO
did all the brakes, I've not yet looked at them, they feel solid, I'll pull
the drums for a look and replace the fluid.
Heater tube is gone, exchangers are fair, tube is replaced with stove pipe,
I doubt there is much heat but haven't really tried.
My major efforts have been electrical, the fuse block was cracking up
leading the PO to fish for a bunch of random faults and do a bunch of Mr.
Wizard work. It was terifying. I do nice electrical work, dad does as well
he's done it for 30 years and did a good deal at the back end, the whole
system is now alive, well, and pretty straightly organized except for the
wipers only funtioning on one speed and not auto returning, have not yet
looked into what that means. I replaced the block with one from a later
style bay with the later style relays.
Interior, seats and door panels present, not the best but there, headliner
ripped, kick panels gone, dash needs blasted and painted and is cut here and
there but I could arrange a nicer spare. I will replace the terrifying bias
ply tires with 4 well worn but still runnable radials I have from an '85
(probably a realistic 5000 miles in them, they can get you home but two are
right about at wear indicators) Needs a rear bumper, I have one arranged in
DC I was supposed to get this weekend, and hope to next weekend but it is
off a regular van and won't have the correct splash shields.
So this is basically a pretty solid truck for the area, for anyone comparing
the one recently advertised from a www junkyard site in Nebraska maybe?,
this one is undoubtedly twice as solid. He wanted $2500.
This is a good project to become a nice shiney daily driver if you do the
metal work and paint it. It would be a wonderful parts runner. As it is,
it looks fine and has no real exposed holes, like I said PPO actually was a
whiz with some sort of little spot welder. I have a picture on my old www,
if it still works, that is how the truck still looks, but looks better than
it is.
http://www.mindspring.com/~vwbus/vwbus.htm
Now to be perfectly honest my investment, $750 for the truck, $400 to
retrieve it from St. Louis to WV, say $300 worth of engine (who the hell
knows, probably cost me $600 for the rebuild in '9?), and maybe $100 in odds
and ends for the electrical and whatnot.
I'm asking $2000 for dreamers who like to dicker or $1500 straight out, non
negotiable to a good home, which is where I want it to end up. I know, I'd
overdo it if I keep it and I have to concentrate on an uncertain future,
less vehicles, and a single project. All of my buses and vans are going.
It nearly kills me to let this one go as I'm sure I won't see another for
the price this solid come my way.
In Clarksburg WV, 3-4 hours from DC, Baltimore, Pittsburg.
The truck can probably interstate run, I don't know realistically how far or
how reliably. I do stupid things, at this point I'd drive it back home up
to 500 miles or more as long as I had a good follow car, a good many tools,
and a good couple of days. I towed it here but at the time, no real engine
and no electricals to speak of.
John
janderson@iolinc.net
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