Welcome to the journey of restoring the rear end of my 1973 Volkswagen Westfalia Bus. In this blog post, I’ll take you through the process of reviving the rear corners, battery tray, and rear valence, showcasing through pictures of the challenges and triumphs along the way.
The Initial Challenge: It all began with the unmistakable signs of rust taking over the rear of the bus. The corners, battery tray, and rear valence were suffering, but I was determined to bring this iconic vehicle back to life.
Preparation and Tools: Before diving in, I gathered the necessary tools and materials. Sandpaper, rust converter, and welding equipment. Safety gear on, I was ready to begin.
Rust Removal: The first step was tackling the rust. Sanding down the affected areas and applying a rust converter helped halt the corrosion. Welding was essential in repairing the more damaged sections, ensuring the structural integrity of the rear.
Battery Tray Replacement: The battery tray had seen better days. It was completely rusted through, necessitating a full replacement. A new tray was welded into place, and it looked as good as new.
Rear Valence Restoration: The rear valence was next on the list. After thorough rust removal and welding, it was time for some panel manipulation as the panel I purchased was less than perfect and needed some work to fit. Since the piece is flat with straight bends, if I had to do it over again, I would purchase the correct gauge sheet metal and bend it myself or have some bend it for me.
The Final Touch: With the rust defeated and the repairs completed, it was time to apply a fresh coat primer just to seal it until I can finish. The rear of my ’73 Bus was reborn and ready to hit the road once again.
Restoring the rear of my 1973 VW Bus was a labor of love, filled with challenges and rewards. It’s a testament to the enduring charm of vintage VWs and the satisfaction of bringing them back to life. I hope this blog post inspires fellow VW enthusiasts to take on their own restoration projects, one panel at a time.
Stay tuned for more updates on my VW Bus restoration journey, and thank you for joining me in preserving my legacy bus.
Below is a link to a photo gallery created for the rust repair completed on the rear of the bus.
I was looking on some tips for rust repair for my 1973 Westy and I found your site. I look forward to reading about your adventures.
I was just looking for some tips, I am replacing the sliding door track in my 1973 westy the floor is out and the sills were rotten so its pretty much ready to go in im just confused about the inner sill, is that part really necessary I have it but it seems like itl be hard to get both pieces to fit?
Andrew:
I havent replaced mine yet but hope to soon. Pics when I do.
Thank you so much for these pics! I have to repair the rear valance due to a collision – the pics show exactly what I must do. You have saved me a lot of time and frustration! 🙂
Elin:
Glad they are of help. I would highly recommend having someone create the valence panel using the correct gauge metal. The one I ordered was thinner than original and didn’t fit perfectly – a very common problem with aftermarket sheetmetal. All of the bends and cuts could be done very easily with a sheetmetal brake and wouldn’t take very long to make. Good Luck!