I too have been trying to take the rear axle nuts off of my
'76 Bus.  Are they 42mm or 46mm?

I am having a hell of a time trying to find 42mm (or 46mm)
sockets... any ideas?  I can get non-metric sockets at Sears
that are kind of close (I guess 1 11/16 is pretty close to
42mm, and 1 13/16 is close to 46mm).

As far as getting the rear drums off once you've got the
hub off, I've seen a guy just bang on them a few times with
a rubber hammer and they come loose.

Lastly, I have found sliding door seals for $105.  That's
not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a lot
better than $300!  Try Bus Boys in CA and Wolfsburg West
(also in CA).

-Randy