My 1966 Split Sea Blue Bus

type47fan1 · Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 4:49 pm Post subject:

Finally got around to polishing the passenger side trim and replacing the lower spear. Also got the stubborn step bracket out and had it welded it back up.
Made it out to my son's Football Fundraiser car show today. It was pouring rain so turnout was poor. I let him drive the green car out while I drove the bus.
At the show.

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Polished trim and step back on.

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JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

Spitty1974 · Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 5:32 pm Post subject: Looking Good

Man, you have resurrected your bus in a short period of time. I have been watching your thread and seeing all of the progress you have made. It looks really good compared to what it was when you first picked it up.

It gives me hope for my bus. I should be able to get cracking this summer, as I am off from work.
Spitty

scottvw · Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 8:43 pm Post subject:

It looks great. Amazing what some TLC and elbow grease can get you.

Scott

bus guy · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 4:13 am Post subject:

Looks awesome, you are really doing this bus justice.

utahdog1971 · Samba Member Joined: April 15, 2008 Posts: 45

Very nice. Cool

type47fan1 · Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys.
I finally got around to painting the passenger side wheels so they are all now white instead of two white and two tan.

I also decided since I have not got a letter from the HOA about it being under my porch in the back yard (I have a corner lot so you can see my backyard) to clean up the area so it is easier to work on it. It is much cooler there than in the garage or the driveway.

Had to order the rear window rubber. The PO had all the rubber for this thing but either ordered the wrong rear window rubber or threw a bug one in the box as it was way too short.
Nice to not see 20 cracks in the weatherstrip back there now.

And started on the front windows. The Rust looking finish wound up being some sort of paint, once I started sanding I had white then bare metal so I think they will turn out well.
I ordered new pop outs and hope they are here this week so I can spray both at the same time. Not looking forward to putting in the vent window latches. Heard horror stories about the rivets on those. Also have to find my Paint I had mixed. Had a Quart of PPG Cumulus mixed and can not find it anywhere, joys of being married I guess.
Before

Sanded down. Will epoxy once the pop outs get here.

_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

BenTen · Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:48 pm Post subject:

Looks great, really love this bus for some reason. I sure wish that my vent windows had came apart without the post breaking.... Crying or Very sad

Ben in SC

type47fan1 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 5:21 am Post subject:

The Pop outs got here yesterday and I went ahead and hit them with epoxy. Took a couple of hours to get whatever oil they ship those frames in off to spray them though. I was not able to find the PPG Cumulus I had mixed so I had to go back and buy another quart.
Need to come up with a better way to spray the door frames when I spray the color. Have a few runs that will need to be knocked down prior to final color.
Frames have been used a lot in the past 3 years. We hung my doors, trunk lid, and hood on these when we redid the 914.

Probably be shooting color on Friday or maybe earlier. I have never used this epoxy so not sure how it will sand to knock down the runs. I know PPG is a pain and heard this was not as gummy.
_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

scottvw · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 7:54 am Post subject:

Looks like I am going to have to start working on my windows now. Nice job.

type47fan1 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 4:17 pm Post subject:

Go for it Scott. Although if mine were as nice as yours I would be working on refreshing the interior.

Got home and knocked down the runs on the window frames. Also decided to paint in stages. Trying to paint all the pop outs with the frames was a pain when priming so I just painted the frames and all the parts associated.
Now white.

Now I can let them sit while I spray the pop outs and not rush putting them back together. Plus if for some reason I can not get finished, I can at least roll with the Pop Outs in the bus now.
_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

Spitty1974 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject:

Type47fan1,
What did you use to take the oil off of the window frames? I just bought a new rear valance from Auto Craft and it too was covered in oil. Why do they do this to prevent surface rust? I need to primer the valance as it is brand new unfinished sheet metal. I think I will eventually have my bus fully epoxy primered down the way, so for now I think etch primer should be ok for the valance, what do you think?
Spitty

type47fan1 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 5:10 pm Post subject:

Spitty,

I used PPG wax and grease remover and lacquer thinner. I was suprised the primer stuck as It still felt oily when I thought I was done but dismissed it that it was all over my hands. I kept using new paper towels until I was no longer pulling black on them. Etching primer should work.

I did not spray the Pop outs really due to that as I wanted to make sure the primer was not going to lift. I wet sanded them and they did not peel or gum up so I think I am good.
_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

type47fan1 · Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 3:02 pm Post subject:

And moving right along. Sprayed the Pop outs early this morning and put out the frames to bake in the sun all day. When I got home I put the drivers frame together. No big suprises, the vent gasket was a pain but not as bad as I thought it would be. My drivers door drags a little at the opening and in the past I did not care but I would rather not chip this paint for a while so will look into that.
Everything is now white! Neighbors will be glad to see me put those A frames back in the basement I am sure.

Frame assembled.

And Mounted. Night and Day difference. All new rubber so hopefully it is a little more water proof here.

_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

Jerry · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2007 Posts: 1367

Show off!

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Looking for SO34 parts.

thevwcompound *instagram*

Spitty1974 · Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject:

type47fan1 · Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 6:14 pm Post subject:

Jerry- trying to keep up with you.This was more work than expected. Hopefully the pop outs go smoothly. I knew trying to use the old frames would be an uphill battle.

You can probably just use the Wax And Grease remover. Thinner evaporates quickly so it may not pull all the gunk off. Does not have to be PPG. I use the Summit products as well since it is 2 miles from the house.

On those I just kept feeling a film on them so I used thinner after the Wax and Grease remover.
_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

type47fan1 · Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 12:36 pm Post subject:

Took two solid nights of installing weatherstrip to get the pop outs ready to mount. All in all they turned out very nice and were pretty easy to install. Fought with the outer weatherstrip in the corners but they eventually worked out. Found some Vinyl close enough to what is in it now so I will start replacing interior parts next.
I know the frames are a small detail but it definately looks different now.
Before

And this afternoon.

Vinyl Sample

_________________
JLD
My 60 Mango Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581699
My 66 Westy Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5825134#5825134

Hansolo99 · Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject:

WOW! Looks great, what a difference with the window frames. I REALLY like the way it's coming out and you get to enjoy it while your working on it!!

type47fan1 · Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject:

After talking to a few folks, looks like the White ridged Aero is impossible to find. So I decided to find anything close. I had checked with the supply house that had the blue but they did not have anything close.
As a last ditch effort I went by Hankock fabrics, was going to see if they had anything (even a shower curtain!). As I was about to walk out I noticed some off white material in the scrap pile. It is a sort of basketweave but a little different than what I have seen before. I thought it looked Vintage enough so bought all they had at $4 a yard.
The bad thing is they only had about 3 yards and that was in two sections. I can live with the results so I am going to try and find enough to make all new panels and have both rear seats done in the same material. I will keep the OG panels.
Here it is next to the original.