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Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:05 am

Doesn't sound as hip as BDM but I thought for all the differences encompassed in 58's, we should have a thread of our own too :D

So let's hear about your 58 here.

PS congrats Jeremy, you belong here too I see!

To start it off here's my Euro 23 POS.

Doesnt look much like that any more though. Progress????

Sun Oct 31, 2004 4:42 am

Ya mon, beige gray 1958.

Sun Oct 31, 2004 6:31 am

i would have left it original.

Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:27 am

Sorry Uzi but it was too far gone in a few key places. Well on the way out I reckon. Dont worry it'll be a full resto though.

Sun Oct 31, 2004 12:10 pm

I have owned so damn many '58s, I almost don't know where to start.

so far my formerly owned '58s:
'58 doubledoor walk through panel - cut up (very rusty)
'58 doubledoor walk through panel - sold to Jeff (volksaddict)
'58 kombi - sold to Don (vwcru) who sold it to Rich (oldbuses)
'58 singlecab - sold to Jeff (volksaddict)
'58 microbus - cut up (wrecked, rusty, crappy)
'58 westfalia - sold to Jon (hazetguy) who sold it to Simon (rustinghulk)

and my current '58s:
'58 kombi - my storage unit
'58 walk through microbus - future project, original paint
'58 westfalia - driver, original paint

at one time, I wanted to get one of every model of '58 in nice original paint with little to no rust. alas, that doen't seem to be happening any time soon.

so far my formerly owned '58s:
'58 doubledoor walk through panel - sold to Jeff (volksaddict)

'58 kombi - sold to Don (vwcru) who sold it to Rich (oldbuses)

'58 singlecab - sold to Jeff (volksaddict)

'58 westfalia - sold to Jon (hazetguy) who sold it to Simon (rustinghulk)

and my current '58s:
'58 kombi - my storage unit

'58 walk through microbus - future project, original paint

'58 westfalia - driver, original paint

parked behind my westy in the above picture is my '57 standard which deserves an honorable mention because it has all the late '57 features which makes it indistiguishable from a '58 (flat lid, dollar taillights)

Sun Oct 31, 2004 1:35 pm

58 was a transition year (like just about every other year) so there are some unique '58 features.
on the outside,
"dollar" taillights which should only say "hella K3235" (late '57-'58 ) later "dollar" lenses say hella SRBL17. replacement lenses have numbers around the edges of the lens.
flat decklid for most of the year, lipped decklid for the last couple months
on the inside,
the seats are one year only because they have the early upholstery colors (black, light brown & soft green) but they have the late seat shape with the curved backrests.

'58 was the first year that the walk through option was seen in any real numbers. there are a couple pre '58 walk through buses known, but there are a few dozen '58 walk throughs known to exist. the vast majority of 58 walk through buses are panels. there are a few known standards and a couple rumored deluxes. no known '58 kombi walk throughs. one popped up in the classifieds yesterday, but it turned out to be niether a '58 nor a kombi. it is a '59 walk through standard. the seats on a '58 walk through are slightly different from those in '59-'61 walk throughs.

can anyone think of any other unique '58 features?

Sun Oct 31, 2004 4:18 pm

Wasn't '58 the first year of the smooth airbox, eliminating the grooves by the dome light?

Mon Nov 08, 2004 3:44 pm

I have a 58 euro single cab, anyone know if it should have ribbed door handles or the later type?

Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:13 pm

Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:06 pm

'58 Double Door Panel...Yeah!!! (picts to follow)

Mon Nov 08, 2004 8:45 pm

Here's my 58 15 window deluxe. Complete. built Oct of 57

Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:07 pm

we should start some snooty '58 only bus club.

Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:16 pm

"the snotty-eights"

Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:24 am

this is my 58 euro standard, it has turn signals hacked in it but the
semaphore's are stll there. it has mostly o.g paint, and currently lowerd
but will be rideing at full stance in the future! i have both og bumpers
and all the correct interior panels. the vin # is 355484, and it matches
in both places! as in the vin plate, and on the firewall.. p.s if any one has
a front wiendshield foe a euro bus, (small logo, temperd glass) i would
love to buy it...

it has the origional, german dealer badges, also.
if anyone is interested in tradeing a 58 middle saet, for a later
full lenght middle seat, i would be very happy.

Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:44 am

(Source:The original VW bus from Laurence Meredith)

19-05-1958 :
-The brake light in the hood is changed for two brake lights
-The license lights is made bigger for more light.
23-05-1958 :
-Mounted carburator is 28 PCI
12-06-1958 :
-They changed the fuelpump,this one delivers 16 liters per hour
20-06-1958 :
-The bottom is protected and painted
13-08-1958 :
-They used a modified clutch cable
-They used bolts with plates to secure that they don`t come lose.
29-08-1958 :
-Ribbed bumpers are changed for the slash bumpers
-The crankshaft starter handle is removed
-The hole in the bumper and apron is removed

Are these facts correct??

I have a European september 58 doubledoor panel.(chassisnumber 388763)

Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:39 pm

benjaminfaught wrote: I have a 58 euro single cab, anyone know if it should have ribbed door handles or the later type?

ribbed

Tue Nov 09, 2004 7:54 pm

jerry.t wrote: benjaminfaught wrote: I have a 58 euro single cab, anyone know if it should have ribbed door handles or the later type?

ribbed

Thanks Jerry, did your dad get the new bus going?

Wed Nov 10, 2004 6:33 am

My RHD June 58 samba:

Wed Nov 10, 2004 7:45 am

Here's my '58 Kombi built sometime in late '57 as best as I can tell.

The stamped number behind the front seat doesn't match the the number stamped in the engine compartment. According to the books I've got both numbers fall in the built in '57 but a '58 model year.

I bought it from local tatoo artist that used it as his daily driver.

Amazingly the paint directly under the black primer is doveblue. I keep thinking about trying to take it off but I'm afraid of what I'll find underneath.

A few of the cool things its got:

Crankstart apron w/crank

Correct middle seat (I think, has extra diagonal support in legs)

crooked ass og bumpers

very little rust (front floor and batt tray are perfect, typical dogleg and cargo door rockers have some rust holes but are still structuraly strong)

Just about everything save the paint, tint, wheels and uphosltry seems to be og.

I'm still unsure as to what I want tom do with this bus....

Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:07 am

Heres a question then for Lind

Other than Aussie 23s and the Sth African / Australian deliveries, were "non European spec" RHD busses built?

Scott can you show us a pic of the side and nose?