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Mon Dec 09, 2002 4:54 pm

I have a '61 deluxe built in '60 -- high hinge, bullet turn signals, etc. My understanding is it should have 5 long spoons and one medium / short on the front passenger cargo door. Can anybody confirm this? Is there a medium and a short spoon latch or are these the same thing? Any help would be great -- most buses of this age are vapor in upstate NY -- land of salted roads!

Thanks, DB

Mon Dec 09, 2002 4:59 pm

you are correct about your busses latches. there are short spoons on 64 to 67 busses. the short latches will have little knobs on them to aid in opening and closing them. the medium you need will just the same as long spoons just a little smaller.

Mon Dec 09, 2002 5:03 pm

rizzag...

Thanks for the clarity... now all I have to do is find one medium spoon latch. Anybody out there have one for sale??

Thanks, DB

Mon Dec 09, 2002 6:03 pm

i have a 60 bus with med. length spoons on the forward-most windows, long spoons on the middle and rear. where are you in upstate NY?

Mon Dec 09, 2002 6:16 pm

Actually, I can clear this all up. Once again, not everything posted here is exactly the way it really is...
If your pre'62 Bus had two popouts, it would have short spoons on both windows. All 6 popout Buses, pre '62, would have 5 long and 1 short on the front cargo door so that, when opened, your front door won't hit the popout window. The only latches that are referred to as "spoons" are the pre '62 style latches. The "short" or "medium" spoons are one in the same and are actually "short spoons". The term "spoon latch" was adopted to the long "spoon" latches since they resemble a spoon the way the tip turns out at the end. All '63-'67 latches are the same and do not have a nickname that I have ever heard.

Mon Dec 09, 2002 7:45 pm

I just realized that Don Brown was the guy who started this thread. Don, did you get that Deluxe from George Schmidt in Pasadena? If so, that cargo floor that you got with the Bus came from me in San Diego, CA. Kind of crazy how many people in how many places can contribute to one Bus in such a far away place! Good luck, you got a good Bus.

Mon Dec 09, 2002 8:14 pm

interesting detail on the one short spoon for the cargo door. that explains why my bus has short spoons on the forward cargo doors, it being a factory double door standard.

Tue Dec 10, 2002 3:18 pm

To Earlyman & Bucobtsti,
Thanks for the feedback and clarity on the small spoon situation. I have picked up five nos big spoons -- so I am happy -- just need to find that one small spoon latch. Yes, the bus I purchased came from George, and I had been looking for a long time for an early walk-thru - it is a nice bus! I live in Rochester, NY. Regarding the floor section that must have been a major pain to fillet in one piece. Thanks once more guys!

Cheers, DB

Tue Dec 10, 2002 4:43 pm

Hi Don- Actually, cutting that floor out was as easy as it gets. A good Milwaukee Sawzall and some fresh blades and you can win just about any war with metal.

Tue Dec 10, 2002 5:01 pm

Hi Bucobtsti,
I never thought of removing the bus and then you have a floor. :-) I didn't have the same luxury in taking out the remaining floor -- had to keep the bus in one piece. I am looking for some dry (rust free) heater tubes -- the ones that sit under the walk thru section and before the cargo floor. After I removed the little blanket wraps, I discovered they were all rusty. The heater pipe under the cargo floor is vapor -- I was thinking of using an exhaust pipe, unless I could get a good tube clip. Since you seem to be handy with that Sawzall maybe you might have some of these pieces, or knows somebody who does? As always, any help is greatly appreciated, and I don't by metal parts or cars from the East Coast -- its just a good rule to follow! I'm hoping next summer the bus will be back on the road.

Thanks, DB

Tue Dec 10, 2002 5:11 pm

Don- Sorry, but I haven't cut up a Bus in years. Years ago though, it was a common site in my garage. I am fairly certain that you can find nice repro heater tube sections out there. Alan Schofield supposedly has some nice pieces and I've heard pretty good stuff about Wolfsburb Wests panels as well.

Wed Dec 11, 2002 7:09 am

don'tcha just love the samba. don, look there's the spoon you're looking for.http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/index.php?photo+200212102021439677

Sun Dec 29, 2002 10:41 am

db,
metwiz fabs these and is out east by you i think. he's got heater tubes and guys in my club swear by him. here's a link http://metalwizard.bizland.com/parts/PDC_00411x1.jpg i'm tearing out my belly pans and replacing the rusted parts soon myself. if you do replace please post some pics if you can so i can see how others handle this repair, i'll likely be doing it too.
-mark

Sun Dec 29, 2002 10:53 am

Don-

Weren't you burnt by Brian Hill- Cook or whatever his id is now?

Please forward me all info that you have on your dealings w/ him- incld. copies of payments. I am in the process of nailing his ass to the wall.

as for Kelly of Metwiz- he is a really easy guy to work w/ keep in mind that it is only him so it may take a while. i got some pretty fair pricing from him for my panel rust repair and even offered some nice payment options-

let me know about the scam