"BulliBill's" 1959 Double-Cab restoration...

[Big Bill]

Those ceiling cards look great. Are the visors for a 59, the older(card) style or the padded type, I really cant recall? Coming along beautifully, I bet you cant wait to drive it.

[velvetgreen]

looks great Bill- I like you eye for detail. Speaking of detail who made that Antenna? Doesn't look like a Hirschman or anything like that?

[BulliBill]

Howdy!

The antenna was bought from Wolfsburg West, just recently, a new remake of the standard dealership supplied original antenna. Nice quality, and pretty inexpensive as I recall, about $10.

By the way, good news to report! I'm going to assist "ezcamper" and loan him a nice condition used black ambulance fan spacer ring which he will use to mold a reproduction ring for anyone in need of them to replace those cracked, broken or completely missing rings on your ambulance fan switches. So in the near future you can contact him if you need a spacer ring for your ambo switch...

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[BulliBill]

Hi all,

So I recently decided to start making and installing the door and wall panels for this old DC. I bought the entire DC panel kit from Wolfsburg West about 15 years ago and had it stored flat in my basement. These panels have a reputation for warping over time when exposed to moisture and humidity, but were the only thing available 15 years ago when I ordered them. Now Clara and Greg make a nice kit that is not supposed to warp. Oh well, I already own these, and they have that very cool textured "pebbled" look that I love and looks just like original VW commercial panels. I'll go ahead and use them, and if they ever warp in the future, at least I'll have nice templates for the next set.

I plan to roll-on a water-proofing coat of some sort onto the back side of these panels before the final install to hopefully slow down any future problems.

The door panels, kick panels and ceiling panels are already cut to shape with no holes drilled yet for the install. The three panels for the walls/door in the rear passenger compartment have to be cut out of a large sheet of material that WW sent. So I needed to make a templates of the shapes that I needed to cut out. I used large paper sheets from an old pad of artist sketching paper.

I taped several sheets together, and then taped them to each location in the rear passenger compartment and carefully measured, cut and trimmed the templates until these fit correctly. Then I carefully marked all of the "factory-drilled" screw locations on each paper template before removing them from their respective positions. Then the three templates were taped to the large flat "pebbled" sheet.

I like hanging my laundry out to dry on rare vintage VW parts...

Using a heavy-duty utility knife with several sets of fresh, sharp blades I slowly cut out the outer shape of each panel. I used the 36" long metal straight edge for the crisp edge cuts on any long straight edges. The slow and careful cutting process for all three panels took a long time to get right without any mis-cuts or errors! I then set out to locate the hole positions and drilled new holes through the template/wall boards for the mounting screws. I must have done well with my paper templates, because the panels (with very little tweaking) fit nicely in position and the new screw and special washer kit from WW was then used to attach these new panels in place on the interior walls and third door.

Here is a look at the passenger side wall with the third door and it's panel and the wall panel strip installed. The flash makes the grey color look too light, but it actually looks awesome to the eye in normal light.

Here is a look at the driver side wall panel installed. Note that in the interest of future safety (my mantra: if you install it, hopefully you will NEVER have to use it on your or a friends Bus) I installed a brand new easy-to-reach-in-a-hurry fire extinguisher on the bulkhead wall.

Now that I am happy with the trial fit, they will be removed when I coat the backsides of all of the kit prior to the final install. On the remaining front cab and ceiling panels I will just have to locate, mark and drill the mounting holes for the new screws and washers.

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[aa390392]

very nice Bill......Did you get all the slots on the screws @ 12 and 6 o clock?
getting closer and closer...Thomas
_________________
.
getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[BulliBill]

Yeah, I should have taken a close-up photo for you. Yes Tom, the slots in the screw heads are all vertical... maybe I should change them to horizontal, more aerodynamic that way, I could go faster! Have you recovered from the Kelley Park weekend yet?

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[BulliBill]

A few days back I got the NOS Type 2 fuel tap that I bought many years ago installed and the cable adjusted. I wanted an extra plastic fuel filter installed in-line and I located it as seen in the photo right near the fuel tap, far from the engine compartment and all the sparky electrical stuff.

It is easy enough to check by sliding on your back under the Bus to inspect. Plus I like seeing all that pretty grey paint every once in a while.

After getting the grey "pebble-textured" WW wall and door panels into the rear DC passenger compartment, I dropped the rear seat in and here is what it looks like.

I'm gonna spend the day down in the garage working on the DC today...

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[rjonas]

Looking awesome Bill!
What's left...wood slats and a license plate?
We need a "first drive" video pronto!
_________________
1979 Type-2 Westfalia “Sandy”
1973 Type-181 Thing "Velma"
1956 Type-1 Beetle Patina Project “Rosie”

www.azbusclub.org

[velvetgreen]

Bill I hate to be a ball buster but IMHO you should get some better fuel line clamps that don't chew up the fuel line when tightening.

1/4" fuel injection clamps fit pretty well on 8 mm hose. Fuel leaks make me paranoid

[aa390392]

Bill, its looking like your getting closer and closer to the finish line. looks great.
Thomas
_________________
.
getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[BulliBill]

Okay, just messing around with my completed ambulance fan assembly on a workbench and using a 6 volt lantern battery for "juice". I'm assuming that the light bulb with the red lens should be illuminated while the switch is on in speed "1" and "2", correct? With the lantern battery on a workbench, the light bulb does not illuminate. My bulb (when removed out of the "used" switch) tests good. Not sure what's up wit dat?

Also, one motor only spins at switch position "1", and the other motor only spins at position "2". This lantern battery may be old and fairly drained, not sure if that is my issue or not. I thought both fans spun slowly at "1" and then both spin faster at "2", correct?

Thanks for any clarifications and recommendations...

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[glideking]

Bill I noticed you have added about a foot of extra fuel line adding that fuel filter at the fuel tap. I have always kept my fuel line as short and as small as could be. When I am driving along and need to pull up on my tap knob under the seat I want fuel to return to the engine as quickly as possible, before the engine dies completely. Especially when I am in the fast lane!
Kurt
_________________
"The more I get done the less it looks like I did anything"
1959 Single Cab Restoration"Funky Truck"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=
1965 21 Window Restoration Thread (From old photos)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=
1963 Panelvan build "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8351639#8351639

[BulliBill]

Hi Kurt!

Still lovin' your SC thread! Yeah, I wanted to add the aftermarket fuel filter away from the engine compartment and this area is rather easy to slide under and look up and check the condition of the filter from time to time. To set it in there I had to use a loop of fuel line, so yes, it will take another second or three for the fuel to flow through there when the tap is operated when the main tank pick-up tube runs dry. Small price to pay for having extra fuel filtering prior to the fuel pump, not after. I'll let you know how it all works the first time I run out of fuel on "main".

Just about a week ago I was cruising along on the freeway homeward bound from a local car show in my '55 Deluxe Sunroof Beetle when "main" ran dry. Always unexpected and a little startling, I just kicked the tap switch lever on the firewall to the 3 o'clock position and within a second or two the gas was flowing I was motoring along just fine again. Working fuel taps are "cool"!

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[BulliBill]

See the thin metal washer? Two of them go between the ambulance fan knob and the chrome threaded bezel. One of my used switches was missing both of those washers, and "fat chance" that I'd ever find those babies in the hardware store bins.

So I found a thick paper/fiber washer with the same outer diameter as the metal washer, traced the inner diameter of the metal washer onto the fiber washer (see the photo below), and then using a Dremel drill with metal carving bits I carved out the inner material until I was close to the shape of the metal washer. Then I changed bits to a sanding drum and finish-shaped the inner diameter to match the inner diameter of the metal washer. It fit onto the knob perfect, and because of the thickness of the paper/fiber washer it basically replaced the two missing metal washers! Woo Hooo!

In the shot below you can see the polished black ambulance fan knob (without the red lens installed).

I dug through my lens material, found some nice thicker "eisenglas" in red and carefully cut the basic round shape (it is actually slightly oval-shaped)with a very sharp pair of scissors. Then I started to carefully shape the almost round shape smaller to fit into the hole in the knob with a Dremel drill with a sanding wheel set at the lowest speed. Whoooaaaa! Cuts the plastic lens too fast!!! So I broke out a set of fine files and carefully filed the edges down until the red lens dropped in perfectly. Then I used plastic model glue very sparingly all the way around the recessed lip and quickly wiped most of it back out and then set the lens down into place in the hole. Taaa Daaaaa!

Looks great, and I'm glad I went with the black knob to match all the other black knobs in the front cab area!

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[DONGKG]

Nice touch on the fuel tap. But, I had problems before on my beetle when we installed a fuel filter hidden underneath the gas tank. When the filter was filled with rusts and dirts, the fuel could not pass through it. Hence, the carb was always out gas. Until we checked the this hidden fuel filter and it was clogged with dirts and rusts. I guest it should be checked periodically or if the carb of your engine doesn't get enough gas, then the fuel filter is one of the culprits.

BTW, your Double Cab is one of the best I have seen! Cool one!
_________________
'67 KG Cabrio (Mickey) ;
'66 Type 3 (Sharky 2)
'72 Type 2 Homey
'67 Splitty Bus
'65 beetle;'69 Country Buggy; '44 Kubelwagen (replica) TOOB MEMBER #20

[BulliBill]

A few pages back, I had talked briefly about the adventure of the drive from the S.F. Bay Area to bring this old DC back to it's new home near St. Louis, MO. I had written about this adventure in the DC in one of my Transporter Talk articles in my Hot VWs column (April of 2009 issue I think). So I recently found it and thought I'd add it here for your amusement:


"Can you guess what happened?"

by Bill Bowman, for the "Transporter Talk" column in Hot VWs magazine

It’s no surprise that when groups of Transporter enthusiasts get together to hang out, whether it be in a friends garage, at an event or around a campfire, the conversation eventually evolves into restoration efforts, bench racing or driving adventures in our buses. And quite often we are told stories that involve various mis-adventures about mechanical malfunctions and symptoms that befell the storyteller during their journey and eventually how they interpreted the symptoms and then addressed it. I always find these stories particularly interesting and I enjoy listening to them. While the story is being told I’m usually trying to figure out what went wrong and how I would have dealt with the trouble. Sometimes I get it right and often my guess is wrong, but I always store the symptoms and solutions in my head to recall someday when they happen to me or another Type 2 owner. So I thought that this month I’d relay one of my own driving adventures and if you enjoy this kind of thing, you can try to figure out what was happening to me.

Back in May of 1993 I had been looking to add a decent Double-Cab Pick-up to my budding collection. As it turned out Jon Peters, a good friend who lives out in Mountain View CA, owned a weathered one in his collection that for many years wasn’t available. One night while visiting him I mentioned that I was keeping an eye out for a Double-Cab, and he suddenly suggested his! The next thing I knew, I was the new owner!

As background, this late April of 1959 Double-Cab had been parked and wrapped up in tarps under a completely enclosed carport in Jon’s sideyard for several years. It came to me with a rare Brazilian-made low profile “tilt” covering the rear bed area. As for mechanicals, it had a 1641 cc motor with a doghouse oil cooler, a pair of dual Weber 40 IDF carburetors, electric fuel pump and regulator, alternator, later model “Rhino” tunnel-style transmission with “big nut” rear axles, reduction boxes and those bigger brakes. It had 15 inch bus rims/tires on the rear and 14 inch bus rims/tires on the front axle which is the original 1959 axle with the original earlier/smaller front brakes.

Since I live in the Midwest, I made arrangements to have a local Bay Area enthusiast/mechanic named Brian Smith prepare this bus for my long drive from San Jose, CA back to St. Charles, MO. Brian went through the engine and changed all fluids, tuned the engine (new points, condenser, valve adjustment, rebuild the dual Weber carburetors, cleaned spark plugs, etc.). He flushed the brake fluid and adjusted the brakes. When I flew to San Jose in June to take delivery and drive home, Brian reported strong engine compression and good overall condition, and that everything was ready for the journey. To get acquainted with this new bus, I drove it around the Bay area for a couple of days and bought a few emergency parts and supplies and loaded my luggage, sleeping bag and tool bag into the back seat area.

I set out from San Jose on June 27th, 1993 and first drove the Double Cab north through San Francisco and crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge at 4 pm and then turned east around the top of the S.F. Bay and headed through Sacramento and on past Lake Tahoe at night to Reno. The Double Cab ran smooth and steady. I overnighted east of Reno in Winnemucca, Nevada in a restaurant parking lot. That first night I slept on the back seat and continued the next morning across Nevada to Salt Lake City. I pulled off of Interstate 80 that night with no mechanical issues and stayed in a hotel in Green River, Wyoming. The next day I drove across Wyoming and across the Continental Divide and then headed into Greeley, CO to stay for a full day with my in-laws arriving late in the afternoon. The bus was still running fine and I almost did an oil change, but decided to wait.

Two days later I set out eastward on Interstate 70 across the flatlands of eastern Colorado. An hour or two into the drive the bus would occasionally sputter or hesitate and then continue on normally for a while. I start to worry as I continued to experience this intermittent sputtering and as time went on it occurred a little more frequently. This recurring symptom felt as if someone was cutting off either fuel or electrical power to the motor for a split second and then turning it back on again, causing the bus to suddenly buck. No speed or rpm seemed immune. While I tried to figure out the intermittent problem I was also trying to stay ahead of a huge on-coming thunderstorm. I stopped several times to check the carbs and fuel flow, the points (a little burnt), and the timing (fine). Stressed and tired, I decided to drive onward as long as the bus continued to run. So I drove throughout the night suffering with the intermittent “stumbling” problems across CO, KS, and finally across MO. After almost 16 hours of non-stop and stressful driving from Greeley, CO to St. Charles, MO, I finally parked the troubled bus in my driveway, turned the key off, and just walked away from it for a while. I spent about $135 in gas back then and averaged about 24 mpg from SJC to STL.

So, have you figured out what caused my symptoms? I sure couldn’t until about a week later when I finally sat down to try to fix it. While checking everything I discovered that the newly installed condenser on the backside of the distributor had come loose during the trip and was intermittently loosing it’s “ground” against the distributor body. I tightened it - problem solved! Did you guess that? Well, store that little tidbit of info away in your memory banks and hopefully you’ll never need to use that knowledge.


I hope that fills you in on that little adventure with my new-to-me DC and the initial long drive home!

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[BulliBill]

So I recently bought two brand new 6 volt Group 19L batteries, one for my '55 Deluxe Sunroof Beetle and one for this Double-Cab. Then I broke out the wiper motor and associated parts. I had previously disassembled the wiper motor and cleaned out all of the old hardened grease from the gear assembly area, repacked fresh grease in there, then reassembled it all. I bolted the motor back onto the grey support bracket, and with new WW seals, attached the assembly to the body mount under the dashboard. Then I turned my attention to the shafts. Many years ago, back in 1997 I think, I bought a pair of NOS wiper shafts/bearings and a pair of NOS metal "bearing seals" to protect the outer ends of the wiper shaft/bearing" to seal out moisture, all from the dark and dusty shelves of the VW obsolete Parts Department in the VW Siftung Automuseum in Wolfsburg, Germany. It's about time these old NOS parts saw the light of day!

Check out those un-marred shafts as they loose their NOS status...

Here is the installed wiper shaft/bearing assembly on the Dove Blue paint job.

This next photo is of the "about-to-be-former-NOS" metal bearing cover with it's NOS waxy inner seal, about to be installed onto the end of the bearing.

And the next photo is of everything all installed as it was from the factory. I re-greased the ball-sockets on each end of both of the connection rods that attach the motor to each wiper shaft and then installed the connection rods to the wiper motor and shafts.

Once I hook up power and install the wiper bases and blades, I'll be ready to deal with any storm in my path, well... as well as any vintage 6 volt wiper system can!

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[Stocknazi]

I don't know why VW stopped using those wiper caps.

Thanks for posting about the wax sealing ring. I knew there was a seal that was used, but I thought it was plastic or felt. It's almost always decentigrated.

I have single speed 6 volt wipers as well; buy some Rain-X.
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."

Thomas Jefferson

[Braukuche]

Looking great as usual Bill.
Not only do those WW panels warp, they also shrink like a cheap T shirt. I would cut my losses and install the Clare ones, better to do the job once than twice.
_________________
Go Reds! Smash state!

Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now

[npbusguy]