A FINE job and I wager the old VW is purring by now. When I was in the Army I ended up while in my 1st duty station driving a 5-ton 6x6 with a 2500 gallon water tank on the back and a 4 inch Marlow pump pulled by a V-4 Wisconsin motor. It was a spray truck for watering down roads but I ended up hauling water from a hydrant out to where all the reservists and weekend warriors had their summer camp so they could take showers. I even got to fight a brush fire and wet down some tank trails. Then joined the local fire department and they had a 1942 and a 1948 American LaFrance pumper and a 2 1/2 Army truck with a tank on it. Been jamming gears ever since. So THANKS and I hope you lube those bees up with the WD-40 a little. CHEERS!
Hey Bruce, I'm watching from Wisconsin. I worked as a mechanic and now that I'm retired I also pick up old trucks and put them back on the road. I'm currently rebuilding a 1965 Ford F350 with a small dump body. I've got the chassis pretty well road worthy and now I'm repairing body rust getting ready for some fresh paint. Hopefully by July I'll have her ready to go. Thanks for the videos! It's nice to see you're respect for these old girls!😊
105 degrees Fahrenheit and 90+% humidity. Weather good for snakes, wasps, working on old trucks and drinking beer to heal the pain of the snake and wasp bites! 🤩🤩🐍🐍🕷🕷 🛻🚚🍺🍺
Bruce, I love the methodical approach you take by checking everything prior to starting the engines that sat idle for years. This way there is no disappointment or damage. Steve at Steve's place down under is a good friend. We communicate often and tells me you guys talked over 2 hours. I appreciate your calm demeanor and your explanation of what you are doing. Love to see a video of you guys together. I always give you a like. I'm 68 and you remind me of my grandfather. He was a good man and a great grandfather. Be good. Jim from Connecticut
Hi Bruce . When I was 10 (1960) a song was getting played every day in the Los Angeles Ca. area that myself and the other kids loved and sang along to . I'm sure you know it . "Tie me kangaroo down" was a big hit . Cheers and take care , Neil
Hi Bruce, were you a fitter in the past? You’re a clever lad, just watching you hand choke reminded me of me as a young fella trying to tune my old HR Holden 😂
I love your work and attention to detail. I used to work for a small business restoring old VW buses, bugs and MG's etc, here in South Africa. My mentor would smack me upside the head if i missed a bolt or forgot to clean a thread😂 skills you don't see in the new era of the motor industry. Amazing to see the care and thought you put into your work. Thanks for the good content!
This is one of my new favorite channels. Really appreciate the historical knowledge on all these old trucks combined with the mechanical know how and bringing them back to life! I currently do motorcycle restoration and this is fascinating to me.
Yes, I too was hoping to see it spray water. Your demeanor, knowledge, actions remind me much of watching my father work on equipment while growing up on the family farm. Another very enjoyable video, thx for sharing.
Bruce and camera man, thank you so much for sharing these videos. It takes me back to hanging in the shed with my grandad working on old farm equipment on the north coast of NSW. Probably what lead me to become a mechanic my self. Your Aussie ingenuity and humour makes you a national treasure. Cheers!
100% correct about bees and wasps smelling the sweat. Ive spent long hours prospecting in the bush and they will seek you out and become very persistant at having a drink.
Hey Bruce. For brushing inside battery clamps, I buy a plumbers brush for cleaning inside copper fittings, cut the handle off, and chuck it up in my battery drill. Works very well.
If there's one thing I've learned in my lifetime of resurrecting old gas engines that have sat for many years, the carb is ALWAYS knackered and must be cleaned. I hope to see this fascinating water pump pump water!
Queensland Rail used to use VW motors for portable air compressors. Two of the cylinders had modified cylinder heads incorporating inlet and discharge valves for air.
Hi mate great video again. Thanks for the shoutout. It really means a lot. I have one of these pumps at my place but without the engine. Not sure where I got it. Anyway mate all the best and talk soon
VW industrial engines were available with magnetic ignition and an ejector that sucked up water to the pump to fill up the pump housing at start-up using the pressure in the exhaust pipe. As usual, you do a nice and serious job.
Mr Bruce, your workmanship and patient approach reminds me of how my Grandpa used to get things done. I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy watching your videos. I do hope that the hot weather subsides.
Gday Bruce, it’s almost there and I hope you get that carby sorted, I was speaking to Steve the other day on the phone, he’s a top bloke with plenty of toys to last a lifetime mate, top job, cheers
Australian wasps are the size of UK birds! Thanks again Bruce for another entertaining video. Sadly mechanics of this caliber are becoming few and far between and being replaced with single make fitters. My father is this generation of mechanic where it was the norm to repair or improvise instead of simply replace parts.
Just be glad the wasps ain’t the size of TX or African mosquitoes. There was a crazy song “😮How to catch an African Skeeter alive” which can be found on YT. (I graduated rom Mesquite, TX High School, aka the “Mesquite Skeeters.). It’s a ROFL!
I know exactly what you’re talking about with the right tools 🛠️ i was a mechanic for 26 years and I definitely know the swivel socket stuff gets u out of trouble and like you say take your time and be patient
G'day Bruce you are the sort of mechanic I aspire to be and the type of person I want to learn from. My career may still be relatively young, but I see myself being like this some day
Man that is one of the best engines for a project bug, I heard that the old industrial vw power plants are like the old ford straight six drive from Brisbane to WA and back happily… great video great find
great job Bruce its blokes like you that get/ keep this old stuff goin again❤❤❤❤ im in NSW and out west still see those W.P signs NEVER knew what they ment so thanx for the info
If you ever work with Bruce for a week, you are level up easily worth of 25 years. His tips and explanation worth it all. Only a A MASTER mechanic wears a Gold watch while doing his work.
Not sure if you were a firie but your info was bang on. Hello from NSW, good to see fire trucks havent changed as our current fleet at the NSWRFS is identical in function.
You are a legend, I’m a mechanic but been out of the game too long, you should be a teacher but I guess that’s what you are mate, leaning a shitload from you bruce. Keep up your amazing work!!!
By the way Bruce, I'm using ATF to prevent the piston seizure, when I trying to start an old motor 😉 since long time ( An old army mechanic told me that ).
It’s taken me so many years to find exactly what this is on RU-vid, an old Aussie who’s worked the land all his life and it’s the generation that’s getting lost
😉It seems you have picked on a Unit that was well maintained, Bruce. Your tips regards oil on the internals with plugs in and with the plugs out was exceptional none the less.
Bruce, could it be that the idle jet has an electric solenoid? They added those to stop the engine from "dieseling". Great video, and keep them coming.
G'day Bruce. Working on boat engines trying to get plugs out and in I found using a piece of 3/8 fuel hose about 6-7 " long worked a treat. It was like a long flexi socket and they don't drop out of the socket either. Probably wouldn't hurt to look at the points too..
Well done mate. Got the 1200 fired up and it sounds good 👍 If the jets are ok it might have an automatic choke which sits behind a little triangle with 3 screws. Under the cover is the spring choke which is like a large spring from inside a watch. They become temperamental for sitting for so long in the one position. Might be worth a little inspection if that when your checking the jets 😉
Got it so very close! might be able to get that main jet freed up soaking in fresh gas. Hand over the carb is a good way to force clean some of the jets, pulls small debris right through
a real volkswagen beetle. There you have some good things from Germany. major service, clean all filters, fluids, battery, new spray/suction hoses and it will last another 40 years, nice to see German stuff in Australia, greetings from the Netherlands
Some signs are also marked as HWP meaning it'll be useable for Heli's too ie; Helicopter Water Point, depending on the dam and the tree coverage, some dams are only accessible by long line Heli's. My dam is both but would advise not to use it with a fire unit as the scrub around it is highly volatile and thus leaving it for the Heli's (short and long lines). Edit: Forgot to mention, our 'Bush Fire Brigade' now called Rural Fire Service was founded with an old bedford fire truck but the centre was all tank and only had hand rails to hang off either side. Pretty cool seeing another states version!
Hi Bruce, if you can find it in Australia, you should try PB Blaster spray. It works wonders breaking down rust and getting bolts loose. I use it and it has always worked for me better than WD40.
G'day Bruce l was familiar with those pumps when l worked at Forrestry in the ACT They were mounted on the back of an Isuzu The engines would run hot after a long period and the fuel would vaporise in the fuel pump The solution was to keep a water bag handy to cool the little pump down !!
With that fergy haul out tractor try tap the injector pump the rack may be stuck, and check the stop leaver that may be still pulled out or stuck off. Like your channel.
I have ( in the USA) a Sullair rotary screw air compressor with the 1200 VW motor. Be aware that if the belt between the governor and engine breaks, the engine will go to full throttle so adding an electronic over speed controller would be a good idea.
Many great tips Bruce and your easy going manner make it a pleasure watching your videos, I will be checking out Steve's place down under site as well. Looking fwd tothe carb rebuild video if that's in your plan!
Never stop mate and I would love to meet you someday. I have a 1hdt factory turbo diesel lawnmower haha landcruiser. Sorry I’m not putting the old girl down but the truck 🛻 things you do are you knowledge is out of this world 🌎 ❤ it.
Great video Bruce ! I have been waiting for this one . Really unique set up with the VW engine . You should be able to get that engine right without too much more work . I already watch Steves place and Pete-mate . Enjoy watching all three of you blokes . Take care mate , get some rest between videos . Scott 🌵
Great content! ALWAYS great to come across another Aussie youtuber! I've been doing this for 18 years now (& somehow, still retain a tiny bit of santy!) ;)
I worked on vw motors for a few years, and most interesting were an old 36 hp driving a compressor for an ice skating rink. Another was a liquid argon truck that used a 40 hp to drive the pump for the Argon.
Looks like a British Army military spec Bedford too. You were very lucky to get the original manuals with the vehicle too, wonder they weren't chucked out years ago. A lot of work in getting that pump going, you have more patience than I have Bruce, great video, I learnt a couple of things and picked up some tips from you too. I bet you could feel a XXXX coming on!
I’m near redland bay so if you need anything or close to the area I’ll be there to meet you bruce. Never know unless you put yourself or myself out there.
Them nettle engine have alloy heads and are normally fitted with a bosh plug that’s stainless steel and 90% of the time they pull the threads out of the plug holes. When putting new plugs in it best using another brand of plug that’s not stainless steel but of the same type. They also suffer from cracked plug holes and leak compression, the 1200cc be engine was a good engine I had one in a beetle it gave very little trouble the carburettor choke assembly use to rattle to bits from time to time tho.
Love your videos, I'm fairly certain that VW made motors for stationary or industrial use much like Ford did with the Model T engine. Assuming they were similar to the engines for automobiles that pump engine should be 1500cc or 1600cc. The 1200cc has a different intake attachment at the cylinder head.