Stu's 68 Westy ( The Brown one from Tims For Sale Section!)

After regretting letting the Speedmaster go, i had to find another bus!!

I had looked at a few, which seemed way overpriced and in project form, and then saw past the tatty apearance of the one Tim had on here. I planned to go through to Stamford to have a look the day before i went on holiday, but never made it as my Audi broke down on the way! Tim, has cleaned it all up and was plannig to take it to action on the following day, he sent me some more pics and i decided i wanted it, and didnt want to loose out so a deal was done.

I collected it last weekend and was well pleased with it.

Its a one owner bus and has been serviced to within an inch of its life by the previous owner. Theres a bit of history wiith it and he recons its covered 550,000 miles, all done by himself!!

His current address is on the paperwork and if you type in 14983 tacuba drive in goole maps, and go onto street view, you can still see it sat in the street with the owners bug sat behind it!!

in the week i have had it, i have only really given it a good clean out, found all kinds of random junk in the back, behind the seats etc, made a new long side interior panel as the old one was shot and fitted a stereo. It drives really well, and i am loving actually having some soft suspension!!!!!!

Heres a few pics so far!!





Dylan, giving me a hand!!


Found these bad boys under the seat, Tim are they yours?!?!?!


Cool Plate from its cali days!!


looks like the original spare and its never been on!


Original Westy Floor

Dude please send my specs back, i can't see a damn thing!

really glad this bus went to a good home, can't believe it didn't sell quicker... more fool the people who couldn't see past a bit of faded paint

I cant belive it either, the more time i spend on it, the better it seems, its amazing how a van which has been outside for 41 years and done that many miles and its still so so solid .

Just needs a good tidy up.

will start on the underside soon, a good clean and a coat of paint is all it needs!!!

I am even growing to love the tatty brown paint!!!

To be honest i think i would have been struggling to find a better deal, a reasonalble price with MOT and uk registered too!!

Tim we discussed the doubt of it being a one owner bus when you pointed out the date on the Pink Slip (1986). From what i can make out, this is when he put the bus68 plates on it. I have found a postcard written by the last owners wife (Janet Sjalund) and dropped behind the buddy seat dated 1969, there was also some bits of post(all with the Sjalund name on), a few coins, a necklace, several domino's, a pawn, a joker playing card, a god bless our bus sign, a home keeper magazine from the 80's, a book from the presevation of natural beauty of America society or something dated 1970, a really oldfasioned brochure of some new homes, looking at the colours used and the photographs/fasions, it must be 70's!!

So it does indeed look like its a one owner bus!!

I keep ringing the guy, but due to the time difference when i ring him in the evening, its midday there and there is no one home. Will keep trying!

i am suprised there arnt more dents in the van, as those specs are so fooking strong i cant even see out of them!!

Ah cool, finding all that kind of junk all ads history to a vehicle, i'd like to see those brochures etc. cool also that it is infact a one owner bus. i hope you manage to get through to them!

I was tempted to make that pic of you in the glasses your Avatar earlier but i didn't... looks like you thought the same

Ha Ha, would have made me laugh! Well i didnt have anything else to replace the pic of the Speedmaster with!!

Gonna keep all the crap in the bus, so next time you see me, you can have a look!

Finally got hold of the original owner!!

Seems like a nice old chap was happy to hear from me and glad his bus was gonna be looked after.

I asked if he had any pics of the bus he could email me, all he had digitally was some of it on his drive, in pretty much its current state, but he says he has more which make take a little bit of finding!!

Turns out, he still has a few bits and pieces he meant to send with the bus such as the Original westy stool, the cot for the Cab and a water container (Not too sure what this is for, but apaeantly it came witht he bus from the dealer !)

Just have to find the best way of getting them back to the uk Now.

I now have his email address and he is gonna stay in touch incase he frinds anymore stuff which belongs to the van, so glad i rang now!!

Excellent! If you can get the parts to my shipper somehow i can get them put in a car that's on the way over here...

Cool, thanks Tim.

I'll see what he says on his next email and let you know. if you could give me a shout with the shippers address that would be cool to see how far it is. i am guessing its Longbeach though, right?

Paramount actually now, about 5 miles from Longbeach. actually they never even go to Longbeach as the containers once full are sent on a train and shipped out of Houston docks...

did he get all the stuff together yet?

delete this post........temporary insanity & I can only edit, not delete

CHEERS wrote:

delete this post........temporary insanity & I can only edit, not delete

only if you tell us what you first wrote?

then you'd know just HOW insane I am

Hey guys!! Am still on with this, just been a bit slack on posting!!! nearly have the whole underside, cleaned off and painted white.

Engine and box are out, engine has been stripped, everything cleaned and painted, & the tinware now Powder coated satin Black, the box is painted similar.

Engine bay has a new coat of pearl white.

All new brakes, cables pipes etc etc













Under the front arches was amazing, just careful cleaning with a rag and some thinners!!







I know they arnt really in order but you get the idea!!

Heres how the top side still looks!!



Made it up to scarborough!!

Wow you have been busy, looking very good indeed!

those front arches are amazing, it is definately one of the most solid buses i've worked on.

Yeah, really good, not found any nasties at all!! Apart from where the dents have been pushed out of the back end as per a lot of US busses!

Couldnt belive the front arches came up to a shine!!!!


THe old guy has kept in touch too!! keeps sending me various reciepts, docs as he finds them! he has now located the original buddy seat. i have some friends going over to California in June, so they are going to call by his house to collect everything!! Better late than never!

Just struggling a bit with finding time n spare cash to work on it, but making definate progress!! Hoping to have it back together and on the road in the next few weeks!!! Keep buying little bits and peices, the next big thing is a repaint in Pearl white, but that may have to wait til winter!

Wanna save up to get the best job i can, plus i dont really want it off the road in the summer when i should be enjoying it!!

Anyone got any recomendations for good paint shops?? Nothing worse than a poorly painted bus with wobbly sides!! Rather leave it brown!!

OK today i made some progress!! Went to the volksowrld show at the weekend, and now have the rest of the week off so am atempting to get it back on the road for the weekend!!

Its done nothing but rain today, but managed to get the rear suspension back together, the gearbox and drive shafts back on and all new brake lines etc etc. back plates, and brakes tomorrow and hopefully have it back on its wheels! its had its arse in the air since November!! got a couple hours on my 66 bug too tonight !!

Thanks for the quick conversation earlier Tim, sorry to bother you, you kind of confirmed what i thought, its just nice to hear someone else say the same before you plod on, and then have to take a big step back!!

Am pleased with how clean its all looking. wish i had the means to spray it properly underneath, but i intend on using the bus lots, rather than it being just a toy, so as long as its clean and protected from rust i am happy!!!

After the weekend at Volksworld i suprised myself by not really being into the show i got the bits i needed and just wanted to go to the pub!!. maybe i have seen enough Vws or im just getting old, but i had lots of fun working on the bus today, so that cheered me up!! LOL

Glad you got the spring plates sorted

I had about 15 minutes off my stand all weekend at the show to look around and to be honest i dont think i would have needed much more than that... it's all so done before, well mostly... the Split bug with the wooden interior was a refreshing change and Matt Keene's race car is by far the best built race car i have ever seen, Amazing workmanship and detail!

Maybe i was just wandering round with my eyes closed, i didnt even see your stall!!

Exactly what we said, All been done before. And after 15 years or so of going to shows, maybe getting a little tired! LOL

The spilt, was that the one with the one off bumper bars and V8 logoed moon disks, that was the one thing that got my attention! Thought that had a red leather interior tho, looked like something out of an early english car.

Yeah, Matts oval is something else! I was always a big fan of the first one tho. ( which happened to be outside for sale, i was about 11,990 quid short of the asking price tho unfortunatly!)

Is the rumour true that this is for sale?

Yeah unfortunatly and very reluctantly

I was made redundant, so needs must. Totally gutted. Only just got it all back together.

So gutted, not even interested in getting another when funds allow

Bad news mate!

I guess what puts you off getting another is the fact you probably wont find one as good with all the history...

hopefully it doesn't sell and you find work soon!