A Volkswagen Westfalia Camper Van Blog – VW Bus

Enjoying Lucy for the past couple of days gave me the opportunity to make a detailed list of repairs that need to get done. I have an appointment this Thursday at Glenn's Import & Domestic Parts & Repair in Courtenay, BC. Here are the major issues to be resolved:

• Emergency brake
• Leaky seals on back brakes
• New muffler
• Pass. side headlight burned out
• Gas gauge
• Pass. side seatbelt doesn't lock
• Rear light wiring

The muffler problem wasn't expected, but I have to have it replaced. It works OK, but it's way too low–I have only about a half foot of clearance under the vehicle. This means no Denman Island driveways (too bumpy) and only taking Lucy off of Denman Island when the tide is high, otherwise the angle of the ferry ramp will be too steep and the muffler will scrape against it. Hilarious, yet wildly impractical, so a new muffler it is!

The rear light wiring is funky. When I turn on the hazard lights, I get one orange blinker and one red one on the other side. This is possibly illegal, and definitely not safe.

Secondary issues include:

• Stick shift OK?
• Install headlight "eye lids"
• Make sure all locks are functional
• Install front license plate
• Install tape deck

The stick shift is unique–something to get used to–if you miss first gear, you can wind up in this nether-gear-world where the stick doesn't feel engaged with anything and spins at random, like a shoulder out of its socket.

I found the headlight "eye lids" in a box of parts inside the bus. I hope they fit on Lucy, they look so cute!

The sliding side door is from another bus, so the locks don't match. I'll either have all the locks replaced so one key works, or keep the existing locks and just make sure they all work.

The tape deck slot is just a little too small, but I think the folks at Glenn's can just cut that opening a little bigger to fit the deck. 

The tertiary list is made up of things I want to get for Lucy:

• Spare tire
• Touch-up paint
• New wiper blades
• Locked metal box to be bolted under seat
• Extra keys
• Storage bin/step up for the pooch
• Foam bed for the pooch
• Collapsible table & chairs
• Install speakers
• Protective seat covers, plus beaded seat covers for comfort
• Seat storage covers (storage on back of bucket seats)
• Clock

I might look at getting new seats, especially if I ever do any long distance driving in Lucy, but I think protective covers and bead covers will do for this year. If I can get all these things fixed for this summer, I will be elated!