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jtwaller Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:57 am

Ok Samba family, please help me identify the year model of this bus. Also, would you be so kind to tell me what a good price in your opinion would be?
The Good:
Solid rockers
Solid pans even battery tray
Good passenger door (not seen)
OG paint

The Bad:
Nose is gone, possibly dash
No interior
No title
No engine

Thanks for your time!



TexasVintageVdubs Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:18 pm

1965

jtwaller Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:21 pm

TexasVintageVdubs wrote: 1965
How do you tell? I thought 30 stood for deluxe and 4 stood for 1964? Am I wrong by the VIN? Really trying to understand decoding the VIN.

elliemai Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:27 pm

The top two numbers are a date code. 30th of April. Starting in 65. The third digit in the vin indicated year. But on the mcode plate the first 2 digits of the vin are omitted. So 5 is the first digit on the group of numbers on the bottom right of the tag.

jtwaller Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:14 pm

Thank you very much for the lesson. Good news is ..... I bought it! I feel like Christmas morning 20+ years ago! I'm looking forward to saving this original survivor and joining the Type 2 family. Now I have to convince my wife that I need to keep my bug!

&Dan Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:21 pm

Yay!

I think I saw your Bus in a Samba classified ad some time back.
A field in TX, Devine, if I recall correctly, with one or two other Buses. Glad you got it! My '65 welcomes you.

jtwaller Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:32 pm

Wow. Wish I had a copy of the post. Plan on (over) documenting the the build. Very dry west Texas bus. If anyone knows of a color match donor nose, I'm looking. Seats etc. where are your favorite websites for good panels repop seats etc. is the middle seat for this model short or long? Does it have a flip back?

&Dan Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:35 pm

For panels it doesn't get better than Gerson. You can buy them through Splitpile here on the Samba. His outfit is Bustoration.

Just don't buy Klokkerholm for God's sake.

You can go here and enter your M-plate data and all will be told:

http://vw-mplate.com/

hitest Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:42 pm

Good news! The cost of your sea blue restoration just went down $1000. I see you've got a "241" model bus- therefore long middle seat vs. short. I didn't take the time to decode your "Ms" but it sure looks like you have a full compliment of popouts too.

Frankin Bus Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:58 pm

http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN

jtwaller Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:12 pm

&Dan wrote: For panels it doesn't get better than Gerson. You can buy them through Splitpile here on the Samba. His outfit is Bustoration.

Just don't buy Klokkerholm for God's sake.

You can go here and enter your M-plate data and all will be told:

http://vw-mplate.com/
Thank you very much for the decoder. Going to be hard to focus on life until she's home. So excited!

&Dan Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:35 pm

jtwaller wrote: Going to be hard to focus on life until she's home. So excited!

Oh, it's going to harder to focus on life after she's home.

jtwaller Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:15 pm

Well, I am officially a bus owner! I am so excited! My first goal is to make it a roller. I want a freeway flyer bug swing axle tranny and am looking at kits to finish it out. Opinions on this are welcome. Also is it better to have Air Kewled to build drop spindles or Bus Boys adjustable front beam? I will be running aftermarket wheels so 4" narrowed? Thank you in advanced for your time and knowledge!

jtwaller Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:30 pm

Pictures!

I almost lost it seeing the bus rock back and forth as he picked it up with the fork lift!

Clean engine compartment. Only 2 quarter sized wholes on the battery tray.

It was used as a dumpster.

Winning #1 neighbor award!

Finished late the first day.

Walk-thru. Some green paint on benches under white paint?

Very solid, very little rust!

This and where the floor pan meets the walk-thru is the only rust. The under carriage is all solid! Haven't been able to lift it up enough to shoot a good picture, but I've inspected everything.

jtwaller Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:40 pm

After cleaning all the trash, I found a handful of change and a ton of old pull tab beer tabs. The po said it has sat there for as long as he can remember. (Wasn't a VW guy) the license plate reads 1975, and none of the change was newer then 1975! At this point, I believe she's sat since '75. She was delivered to the Houston/San Antonio area after being built August 30th, 1965 and ran for about 10 years before an accident parked her for 38 years. I think she's slept for long enough!

BDSBSS23 Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:49 pm

Very nice. Do you plan to replace the whole front with a donor clip? Just seems like nose is wrecked with dash and pillars etc..

jtwaller Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:55 pm

Yes whole front will be replaced from front floor forward. I will find someone to try a match original paint and make the interior mint. The dash is what worries me know because I haven't yet found an aftermarket replacement. Is there one or should I start looking for a donor?

BDSBSS23 Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:11 pm

Look for donors. They are the best way to fix up what you have. You live in Texas, I'm sure there will be plenty of dry donors to use.

Loren Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:52 pm

Just for fun you might try pulling the nose out. I would take it to a body shop with a frame rack and see what they can pull out. You might be suprised at the results and if nothing else pulling out the damage now will help pull things back into shape so if/when you replace the nose the remaining pieces will be closer to where they should be.

jtwaller Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:23 pm

Thanks for the advise!



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