Canine Copilot wanted

Thought this was a cute picture.
I don't use the word cute very often.

Tucker, likes aircooled VW's.
As do I.

VW Bus stuff for Valentines Day!

Check it. My Girlfriend got these Valentine's presents for me.
Very Cool indeed.

Here's a couple more pictures.

Very Cool, VW Bus Candy.
It's tin foil wrapped chocolate and it's pretty tasty.

I enjoy VW Bus related stuff, and for Valentines Day- this was perfect.

I haven't seen stuff like VW Bus Chocolates before. 

The card and the VW Bus bag is nifty too. Very nice.

Very Good. OOPS, I forgot a picture of the bag.

Cool? Yes, yes it is.. 

BUS- The Blue Goose gets a pair of gently used shoes!

I used the Samba classifieds to pick up some rims and tires from
a cool cat named Eladio in Hampton, Va.
5 rims and tires, hubcaps and beauty rings off another 77 bus.
Also picked up two new doors and bumpers.
Here's some pictures.
















The tread is good.
My old tires were dry rotted and I
needed to get some good tires. I'll get new ones
later. Budget constraints....









The hubcaps are in good condition.
Here's a tip-
To shine hubcaps- use toothpaste with a bunch of
paper towels.
Apply just like metal polish- rub in small tight circles.
Let the toothpaste dry. Rinse, repeat.
Final buff with a soft terry cloth towel.



If you have cheap chrome hubcaps-
apply car wax for protection - or -
You can buy Clear non yellowing marine spray paint.
Goes on clear, like water. Dries and provides a protective clear coat.

I used toothpaste and clear paint on
both the hubcaps and beauty rings.
The beauty rings aren't perfect, but they
add to the character of a 30 year old bus.
Shiny chrome is good chrome...







I sanded and painted the rims.
I used the Hyster low gloss paint as primer.
I followed up with Rustoleum some gloss black.
I applied the Gloss black when the Hyster was still tacky. I let the paint dry and then applied
a second coat of gloss paint.
They look snazzy.






Here's a before and after of the rims.
A big difference- I was going to go silver on the rims.
I went with black and I think it was a good choice.















Out with old and in with the "new."













Very nice. Chrome and Black
Good combo.










Here's a new tire and rim versus and old tire and rim.











The bus is starting to look better.
There's something in this picture
that the bus hasn't seen in a long time- a shiny reflection.
White and red look good so far.
I think when I install the bumpers, I'll go red.
The white bumpers will be too much.

So far so good as the bus is concerned.
I'll be doing more coats of paint on the outside and
painting the inside soon.
I'll also be installing the doors.
I'll also be doing a ton of other stuff.
More to come.

Bus People are unique..

I took the day off from work yesterday.
I went over to sand on the Bus. Still sanding.
Actually I enjoy sanding. I think of it as a book title- Zen, and the art of Bus sanding.
Sanding is mindless work, requires physical activity- but really requires very little brain power.
You sand to remove old material.. in order to apply new material.
You concentrate on sanding and everything else falls away- a Zen like state is obtained and in the end, you are one step closer. To driving your bus.
Back to Bus people- I was going to sand on the bus- but decided to wash and vacuum my car.
It was Amy's idea and it was a good one. ( She was going to do her van and my car was in the line of fire anyway.) I was starting to vacuum and Amy's neighbor came over and handed me a 1969 VW Bus owners manual.

He told me about his bus and when he sold it in the 70's. He thought I might like the manual. He was right. It's VW treasure. He's had that manual since 1969.









I was born in 1970.
Bus people are unique-to hold on to that manual for 37 years is something most people don't do. I've had my car since 2002 and I can't find mine.
I really enjoy the manual, its in good shape and it
helps me to figure out what- does what.































Here's the fuse box and light bulb requirements.
Both of these are large and may be Really helpful..
These pictures are large- you can click on them and the larger size might be useful.
Even if your model year is different, they are common aspects between all the buses.



This one is larger.

I got a project...

The project- restore and make daily driver ready a 1977 VW Bus.
Ive owned many VW bugs- my favorite is the SuperBeetle. (I've had 3)
I've owned one bus- a 1967 Deluxe- which I restored in San Diego and drove across the country to North Carolina after I left the Navy. I sold it to a dude from Tennessee, mainly because we needed the money- sad day...
After I moved back to Virginia Beach, Va. I bought another 71 SuperBeetle and restored it. I drove it for a while and then with a new job, I needed a new car- so I sold it to a Preacher man. Fast forward 4 years and a divorce later- I decided after talking to my daughters- (who were my copilots on our cross country trip) last Sat, to think about getting a project.
I started kicking around the idea of having a Bay window bus. I haven't had one yet.
I'm not one to believe in signs- but the VW gods showed me some, I'll lay them out for you-
1. Talked about a bus- and low and behold, a nice bay window- California style, pulls up beside us. (My daughter's are still mad at me for selling mine.) Sign?
2. I figured on Sunday I would check Craig's List- 16 pages into it - I find a 77 Bay Window. Minor sign.
I called and he still had it. Sign?
3. I started checking out VW links on the Net. The samba.com is bad ass. I found I still know what I'm talking about. Not really a sign.
4. My brother in law Scott said I could work on it at his house. If I got one. - Excellent.
I look forward to tinkering on it with him. I would like to be able to something like this with my brother Will. His wife Amy said I have to let her put a Dead head Sticker on it. Filthy Hippy!! (not really) Fair trade..
5. The owner Mark and I decided today- is the day to meet. Scott and I took a ride.
On the way over- A beautiful green and tan bay window( 1970-2?) passed by us on the highway. Sign? Possibly.
6. We were talking about his new dog- a Great Dane. Nice pure breed, free range, farm breeder puppy. Blue Merlin Great Dane, I think...
7. We meet Mark- good guy, fire fighter. Good conversation. His intention (as is mine) is to see it back on the road. Nice bus. Looks solid, has a nice "feel," to it. Most all the hardware is there. The engine needs some tinkering. I can do that. It's needs paint- somebody else can do that.
Does need a second row seat- I can get that. I'm going to insulate and sound proof it. I'll also redo the interior.
8. Mark has 2 great danes. Sign..
9. The bus has dead head stickers on it. Sign..
10. The bus has a name- (named by a child- good luck)
11. He lets me pay half now, to hold it. He makes me promise to drive it and not part it out. (I would never part out a bus)
12. Today's high temp- 77 degrees - same year as the bus. Sign?
13. The Name of the Bus? The Blue Goose.
14. At my brother in laws house- and writing down the signs- a huge flock of loudly honking geese flew over his house.
Interesting.
Click the Blue Goose logo picture on the right for some pictures...