Category: VW

This post is about 3 weeks in the making.  I bought three original Hehr jalousie camper windows a few weeks ago, and planned to do a complete restoration.  A couple hundred bucks and more than a few hours of blood, sweat, and aluminum polishing later, I’ve got some great looking camper windows for the bus!

This post will be a little long, but I’m going to walk through the steps I’ve taken to get these windows looking good – this is the first real resto project that I’ve undertaken; it took a lot longer than I thought, but overall I’m very happy with the results. I’ve got two of the three done, and plan on selling the extra window to recoup at least some of the costs. I used this Samba post as my primary research, and I definitely appreciate all of the people who have attempted this crazy project on their busses!

Step 1) Start taking the window assembly apart by removing the outer frame screws.  My windows came off a 1967 camper in Pennsylvania, the frames are complete, and in decent shape, but all of the screws and rivets are old, rusty, and crusty – they need replaced.

Step 2) Pull out the fuzzy weatherstripping, and the rubber exterior seals.  You can buy these replacement kits from Wolfsburg West for $25 – looking back, I probably should have just gotten them, but instead opted to find my own cheaper replacements, and reuse the original hard rubber seals.

Step 3) Pry off interior spacer frame. This thing is stuck to the exterior frame with rubbery grey sealant.  I put the window aside and cleaned this frame first ( I didn’t do that for the first window, and it was somewhat demoralizing to get all of the pieces of the window cleaned only to realize this stupid frame is still sitting there all caked in crud).  I will replace the grey sealant with modern silicone caulk.

Step 4) Remove one side of the window frame – carefully pull out the glass.  This is by far easier than trying to pry the glass out from the back with the frame still together. I had a couple screws that were rusted tight and stripped out.  I saturated with my illegal-for-individual-use Kroil penetrating oil, and then eventually needed to grind in a slot for a flat-head screwdriver before I was able to get them out.

Step 5) Disassemble rest of window frame; I did one window at a time so I could remember how to put everything back together.

Step 6) Drill out old rusty rivets.  I struggled for a bit to get a good system for this. My method: drill off the end of the semi-tubular rivet; with the end gone, punch the old rivet out of the hole using an old square drill bit.  I put a paper-towel cushioned socket under the rivet to avoid smooshing or warping the soft aluminum pieces.  This project was frustrating because the slightest error or excessive force would result in an immediate and irreversible scuff mark or dimple in the metal!

Step 7) Clean window frame pieces.  My method: wipe with wet paper towel to get started, scrub vigorously with 00 fine steel wool with a glob of Brasso aluminum polish, use a stainless steel dremel wire brush for any stubborn spots, another pass with Brasso steel wool, and then a final pass with a clean steel wool pad.  I also used the nylon polishing wheel and felt buffing wheel attachments for the small holder pieces. The first window took me a week, the second window 2 days, I’m hoping the third goes even better.

Step 8) Replace rivets:  This was particularly challenging. I got replacement rivets from Hansen Rivet in California.  I used the Samba post mentioned above to purchase the right stuff; got 100 semi tubular rivets, and the “rivet clincher” tool that I needed to fold over the tubular part of the rivet.  I ended up buying a bench vise to use as a suitable spot to hammer against.  I also convinced Noelle to hold the pieces while I slammed away at the clincher with my hammer – I made a few mistakes with some scuff marks and split rivet heads, but after doing 24 rivets so far, we are getting really good!

Step 9) Reassemble 3/4 of the window frame – I left one side open to slide in the new glass

Step 10) Put in the new rubber glass holders (I used clear sticky cabinet door stoppers from Hobby Lobby).  Insert the jalousie glass pieces into each frame section.

Step 11) Attach the final frame piece, attach the window mechanism and breath a sigh of relief!

Old window:

New window:

This project was difficult, tedious, and had way too much opportunity for error!  Having said that, the windows look awesome, and it feels good to be restoring this stuff from the ground up.  I spent more on this project than anything else so far: $170 for the windows, $115 for the new glass, $54 for the rivets and tool (includes shipping), another $50 or so on screws, cleaning supplies, etc.  I’m not counting the cost of the bench vise or dremel tool – that’s just overhead, and I’ll use them on other projects.  I also haven’t applied new silicone sealant to the frame, but will do that when it comes time to install in the bus.

Whew! That was a long post for a long project (and I still have one more window to go!)

Haha that title; I crack myself up!  I finally drove the bus again this weekend.  The weather has returned to normal i.e. not below zero, so I was able to take the bus out into the neighborhoods to try and improve my driving.

Let’s still call it a work in progress.  I still can’t tell if I am just shifting wrong, or if there is something wrong w/ the mechanicals on this thing.  I’ve gotten to where I can shift into first pretty consistently without causing any significant hesitation or backfiring, but just about every time I shift up to second it has the tendency to bog down and backfire.  It even happens if I let the speed drop a little in second and then try to speed up.  I’m 85% sure its me, but more testing is needed – if anyone lives around me and sees a green and white bus bucking and backfiring down the street…thats me!

I haven’t taken a good bus driving video yet, but I did snap a few pics:

I keep telling myself – the camera makes the rust look worse…right?

Getting these window frames fixed up is creeping up on the priority list:

Oh and the garage resembles a nice cozy rats nest of tools, trash, and VW parts (and a lot that could fit in more than one of those categories – I’m a hoarder, who knew).  When it warms up a little more, I’ll get my spring cleaning on.

My next post will document the exciting trials and tribulations of restoring a set of Hehr camper windows. Stay tuned for more!

It’s desperately cold + lots of snow + an awesome ski trip to Utah + a week of the flu = absolutely no work done on the bus.

I did buy these very restorable Hehr Jalousie camper windows.  I got a great deal on this set of three, and I only need two for the bus.  My plan is to replace all of the rusty screws and rivets, clean up the frames, replace the delaminating glass, and install in the back two side windows.  I’m sure I’ll get all that done someday!

I know that as this project has developed, I’ve started throwing out some technical terms and part names. I don’t usually know what I’m talking about, but I’ve been slowly finding my way around the engine compartment.  I made this diagram for anyone interested so that they can roughly know what goes where on this crazy bus.

The engine code starts w/ AK, indicating that it is originally from a 1974 Super Beetle (I’m thinking it has been rebuilt at some point since).  It is a “1600 Dual Port”, and since I bought this bus in June, I’ve replaced the spark plugs (twice), spark wires, fuel pump (which then stopped working so I put the old one back on), voltage generator, intake manifold, carburetor (originally a 34Pict3, now a new 30Pict3, and air intake cleaner.  I’ve also cleaned a bunch of stuff, and set the distributor timing to 30degrees before TDC w/ a timing gun. I’ve struggled with air leaks, dirty fuel, and crappy aftermarket parts, but now have an engine that fires right up, and runs until I tell it not too!

We took the bus out for its first big road trip!  Well kind of… I got approximately 1.5 miles into a 35 mile trek up north to the VW shop before breaking down… well nothing really broke.. but it didn’t want to shift into second gear, and the traffic was freaking out around me so I gave up pretty quick!

The bus has been running really well, so my plan was to drive it up to a VW shop that specializes in air-cooled restorations.  They are going to put this thing up on a lift so we can see exactly what needs to be repaired/ replaced.  I’m also going to have them do a thorough mechanical check to make sure the brakes, steering, engine is all in general working order (I mean I can stop, turn, and drive now, so I’m hoping for the best).  I took the day off work to drive it the 35 miles north.  Noelle followed me in the car, and we have AAA as backup.  We started out strong, the bus fired right up, I got out on the road and quickly found myself going 30mph in 3rd gear with no problems. Sweet!  The steering felt light and responsive, the engine sounded great, and the ride was smooth.  As I pulled out onto the main road though, I tried to shift back up to second gear, and immediately the engine bogged down.  I quickly pushed the clutch back in and shifted to first – tried to rev the engine and shift again, same result – not good!  I’m now going about 10mph with cars darting around me like crazy.  One lady literally drove into oncoming traffic to get around me – wtf!  I eventually turned into a side road, and parked the bus in a parking lot.  Time for plan B – calling AAA to for a tow.

Turns out the basic AAA membership only gets you 5 miles of towing… so it will actually cost over $100… oh and the lazy tow truck driver isn’t willing to come get me in “rush hour” (its 6:15 in the morning) so the earliest he will be here is … 3.5 hours from now… right… time for plan C – limp the  bus back home, sign up for AAA premium, wait the obligatory 3 days, “breakdown” in the apartment parking lot, and finally get this thing up to the shop.  So thats what we do – turn back out on the main road – again with cars coming out of nowhere and all trying to run me down – its like they can sense weakness, and are going in for the kill!  Thankfully I had Noelle on my side – She wielded that car like a blocking machine – applying liberal amounts of horn, and I’m sure some colorful language.  But seriously, people need to calm down.  I had one car literally speed up as I turned the corner to try to hit me or something – I don’t get it, if I saw some cribbled up vintage bus chugging down the road, I would certainly slow down – but not these crazies – I guess they are in a hurry to get to “work” or wherever their self-absorbed, inconsiderate selves are trying to go.  Anyways, we finally made it back home and could breath some relief!

I spent the some more time test driving the bus around the parking lot.  It’s entirely possible (Noelle might say probable) that I just don’t know how to drive this thing yet.  It seems like as the engine warms up, it gets harder to shift, the engine bogs down and almost dies.  I’m wondering if I am just shifting incorrectly?!  I’ll have to keep practicing… of course after the 2 – 4 inches of additional snow that is coming tomorrow… yay winter…

Check out the salty hellscape that coats the roads around here… salt, water, and metal get along great don’t they?