Another onion - peeling and "building" my 59 Kombi

Atlantic

I posted a few days ago in the bus find sticky and someone here encouraged me to post a build-thread. Well, this is more a "let's get it rolling and looking good quickly"-thread.

You are all invited to comment and give suggestions!

After I got it like this (previous owner had it since the early 60s):
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

I took a day at Tim's shop to closer inspect and got a close look at the M-Plate:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Pretty standard US (Los Angeles) delivery in GREY, but I thought 374 is cool ("North American equipment Includes 6 popouts" - I wonder what else is part of the "equipment"!?):
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Well, the interior is something else. But hey, someone put a lot of love in it and I will honer this for at least a little while and not remove it. Do you like brass?:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The engine is a 36 that runs beautifully:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

But now, what got me really excited was having it on the hoist:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

... and these are some sample shots of what I deeply appreciate:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

that undercoating must have helped a lot! Flakes off in sections now and shows nothing but solid steel with a little surface patina.

Yesterday then the bus ended like this:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

I found some personal notes and poetry in the bus - this will be my bate for the previous owner to get those old pics out! (I spoke with him and he said he had some pics somewhere).

- There are 3 bondo areas and in the front moisture has gotten behind the filler. There is a hole and some rust. The bottom of the nose seems great though.
- The GREY is there - under about 8 layers of paint and primers. . I like the color - it seems to have a somewhat greenish tinge, very cool.

Today, I took the tires of the 15" wheels (2 crow-feet) and then just started peeling the Onion at my house. No surprises:

Bondo in the south-East corner, in the nose, and in the bottom of the cargo doors (strangely though the doors are solid at the bottom - I am assuming they just bondo-ed dents and scratches .... maybe I will need to remove the beautiful wood inside to have a look) and some minor areas:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Sweet! Much more peeling to do though.

So far my shopping list has brake cylinders (one is leaking), all the rubber for windows and doors, speedo cable.

south_island_surf · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:24 pm Post subject:

Cool thread, congrats on finding such a solid '59!

Keep the updates and pics coming!
_________________
Art

My '65 single cab project:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=491474

zuhaelter_82 · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:02 pm Post subject:

Holy crap... Is that an Alfa Romeo Giulia TI super?
_________________
59 Single Cab, 64 Type II, A3 GLX, A4 GLS, B5 GLS

j.pickens · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:58 pm Post subject:

You gotta post up that rear bumper in the industrial bumper thread!
_________________
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX and BBXII Long Distance Award Winner

ricekooker · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:34 am Post subject:

Solid bus! Grey kombis are sweet. Congrats!

velvetgreen · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:38 pm Post subject:

looks like L345 under all that other paint. my 60' is also L345- cool colour

Atlantic · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject:

I just had a little time to spend on the bus today. I was curious why there was bondo on the doors and the rear corner. And here is what I found:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

... I guess there was a time when they even bondo-ed the littlest scratches.

The rear corner was a little more serious:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

... but I thought it wasn't too bad - all the steel is there. Some of the old filler though is pretty tough - reminds me of dental fillings.

I talked to the PO again and he told me that he had no accident with the bus and got it when it was blue and it already had the custom rear bumper.

Tomorrow I'll try to get the bondo off and continue the peeling ...

Thank you for all the comments so far!

zuhaelter_82 · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:28 pm Post subject:

Oh man

You saw my sadness via private message. I feel you on the bondo!
_________________
59 Single Cab, 64 Type II, A3 GLX, A4 GLS, B5 GLS

Atlantic · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:54 pm Post subject:

Okay - today then I addressed the 2 bondo-areas:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

... overall the metal/ structural integrity is there - that was good to see.

HOWEVER, when I sanded more on the upper areas, I realized that it was more like 10 layers and not 8. Under the grey is more black and then grey again. The sanding is not working - too aggressive and will take off uneven areas. That original paint comes off too easy - maybe it is not original!? Paint stripper doesn't go as deep (maybe I need to try harder).

So, my mind wanders ... what should I do with this bus? I could respray the straight good areas and leave the rough metal areas AS IS with clear!?

What do you think? Is it worth it to further dig for gold (orig. paint) or should I have fun (respray and keep an honest bus with some exposed metal areas)?

BTW - a paint stripper wheel is a lot of fun and very tempting!

kanniff · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:12 pm Post subject:

I am, as most know, a huge advocate of OG paint.

But on this one.. Paint that bitch.
_________________
1958 PGSG Standard

Dave24 · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:13 pm Post subject:

Paint is in order, IMO.

YOUBUGME2 · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject:

I have to agree its time to pull out the coloring guns.
_________________
Jonathan
Romans 6:13
WTB 67 beetle rear seat belts.
59 Euro ragtop build with my dad
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=493553&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
65 dlx Slow build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=391061

Atlantic · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:01 pm Post subject:

Yeah - that's what i am leaning towards now.

But how about primer/paint feathered down into the bad areas and leave those bad areas clear-coated steel ? That would be something else and satisfy the "bad" in me.

duhbrr · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject:

my vote
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=421762&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
_________________
1967 L518 Type 1

Atlantic · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:22 pm Post subject:

duhbrr · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:29 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a plan, can't wait to see the results.
_________________
1967 L518 Type 1

Old Skool Daddy · Samba Member Joined: December 11, 2007 Posts: 41

Man I really dig on that whole schooner themed interior. Looks like a little sail boat inside. Never seen that before.
_________________
64 Standard

Sell my bus? Would Han Solo sell the Millenium Falcon?

joe56vw

RPGreg2600 · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:46 pm Post subject:

Strip it down to metal and paint it! Try some paint stripper. Paint the whole thing.

durfeec · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:36 am Post subject:

if you dont want to get the body perfect, then throw some flattener in your clear and faketina it. or just leave it dull. but painting the whole thing is a must.

might as well strip the interior and seal up that cargo floor again.
_________________
1960 Bus Panel/Camper

>Help >Donate >Buy Shirts >Register >Log in	See all Samba banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

Another onion - peeling and "building" my 59 Kombi
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Next

	Forum Index -> Split Bus	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Next
Page 1 of 10