TheSamba.com :: View topic - Does anyone know anything about this bus?

Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:17 pm

I'm considering restoring this bus but I'd like to find out a little more about it before I proceed. The bus was taken out of a field in Iowa with another bus; bought by Gary LaVere in California. Anyone know anything about it? Who the original owner was, who else might have owned it, etc. See pics in gallery.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:36 pm

Where at in Iowa?

Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:46 pm

Not sure...that's part of what I'm trying to find out. Do you know if there were VW dealerships in IA in the 50's or did buyers just go to Chicago or some other big city?

Konrad

Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:08 pm

BigBop wrote: Not sure...that's part of what I'm trying to find out. Do you know if there were VW dealerships in IA in the 50's or did buyers just go to Chicago or some other big city?

Konrad

There were several dealerships in Iowa n the 1950's.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:58 pm

Just curious; do you own the bus or are you considering buying it from Gary as those are pictures of his shop??

Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:14 pm

it looks savable, Ive seen MUCH worse, how bad is it underneath?

Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:23 am

Other than it looks like one stolen from a friend of mine in 1974 ...

No

Tue Nov 18, 2008 6:38 am

Right now Gary is working up a quote for me to restore the bus. I'm thinking I'm going to buy this bus from him for restoration, but I want to get as much info about the bus itself from the Samba community before the restore starts. I like to know the history of a bus, it makes the whole restore more interesting.

Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:46 pm

I'd be curious as to the estimate from Gary LaVere's shop on this bus. My '64 bus could use a good restoration. It's not in nearly as bad shape as this bus, so the estimate could represent a very high end amount for my bus's restoration.

Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:50 pm

BigBop wrote: I'm considering restoring this bus but I'd like to find out a little more about it before I proceed. The bus was taken out of a field in Iowa with another bus; bought by Gary LaVere in California. Anyone know anything about it? Who the original owner was, who else might have owned it, etc. See pics in gallery.

wow! did they fill that rocker with toilet paper?
should be a nice project :wink:

Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:39 pm

candyman wrote:

wow! did they fill that rocker with toilet paper?
should be a nice project :wink:[/quote]

Appears to be two ply, :lol: Yes...

Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:47 am

I've discovered it was taken from Ohio, not Iowa. Now that the original location has been narrowed, can anyone provide any information on a possible original owner?

Thu Nov 20, 2008 9:44 am

Got some more info...the bus was originally a California bus, and was sold with a 1963 bus bys a woman in Ohio.