Our '71 Westy

A move from L.A. to Denver, a marriage, a new house, and now to the bus

camit34 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:52:38 +0000

My wife and I have had a very busy ’08 and things are just now starting to settle down a little…at least enough to get started on the bus…finally!!!

We spent weeks looking for a new house. Found the right one, moved in on November 1st ’08. Then on Sunday December 14th 2008 we did it…we got married. It was a very small and intimate ceremony. We wed on the day we meet in person 1 year to the day at the hotel she stayed at while visiting from L.A.

After buying the house, we spent a ton of time getting the new house up and running but also getting the old house ready to be a rental (and now trying to get it rented…). We still have a few things pulling on us but are at a point were taking sometime here and there to work on the bus will not be a big deal.

Pulled the engine and the BN4 heater, then cleaned out all of the acorns and poop left from the rodents from the time it spent up on the mountain under a tree in Julian CA.

In the garage now

camit34 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:42:02 +0000

I finially got the time to get the garage cleaned out enough to get the bus in. It now sits on wheeled dolly set so I can push her out the way to get to the shelfing on the far side. I will now be able to pull the engine and get things stared on the cutting and welding of the rust.

Stripped the interior & cleaned the mouse poop out

camit34 — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:58:28 +0000

Completely stripped the interior and washed out all the mice turds from the 8 or so years it sat up in the mountains of Julian CA at my uncles house.

a HUGE milestone in my life

camit34 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:48:07 +0000

I asked my girlfriend to marry me last night and she said YES!!!

Another step closer

camit34 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:45:20 +0000

Pulled the old girl out of the backyard yesterday. My fiance pulled with the explorer while I guided her out of the gate. She now sits next to the driveway waiting for my Harley to be finished and get out of the way.

A small set back

camit34 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:29 +0000

My 2000 Explorer decided it was time for the head gaskets to be replaced. Now, mind you, it is only 8 years old and 110,000 miles… No where near time for them to go, oh well. Cleaned out the garage and put new head gaskets in. Getting there but not quite yet.

Gift for the Westy

camit34 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:45:14 +0000

Finally found the Hula Girl I’ve been looking for. It so happens I was in LA visiting my girlfriend who introduced me to some long time friends of hers. She pointed her out to me up on a shelf high above the bar, I proceeded to explain that she was exactly the Hula Girl I had been looking for with the right height, colors and arms (I didn’t want one with the guitar thing). Then John just gave her to me…completely unexpected but very much appreciated. She sits up on top of my night stand with a beautiful picture my girl friends sister, Heide, took out in Chicago and a late 60′s / early 70′s Bay Window Matchbox Bus just waiting for the Westy to be restored…

One step closer

camit34 — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:19:17 +0000

This is where she sits now, along side the garage. One step closer to getting in the garage…

This is it

camit34 — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:03:51 +0000

I bought the bus from my uncle back in ’92. He and my aunt purchased the bus new in Phoenix AZ. They flew to the Germany to pick it up, then spent time traveling around Europe in it. The price included shipping it back to the US. My uncle had the motor rebuilt in the early 80′s but stopped driving it sometime in the mid 80′s. Shortly after I purchased the bus I joined the Air Force and had to put my plans for it on hold. In the summer of 2000 my mother and father trailered the bus out to me here in Aurora from San Diego. It has been in the backyard ever since. This spring will be her coming back to life party and the kids are excited to help out.