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'56 PGSG Wolfsburg project - here we go!
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ovalhobo
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Joined: January 25, 2010
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Location: Prince George, BC, Canada
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:45 pm    Post subject: '56 PGSG Wolfsburg project - here we go! Reply with quote

I've decided to start a thread to chart my progress as I restore my '56 PGSG Wolfsburg bus. The plan is to restore it with correct parts - no shiny paint, and no upgrades to the suspension, engine or trans. Stock, stock, stock, using as many '56 parts as I can get my hands on.

A little history on the bus. I saved this last Thursday from a fellow who was going to chop the roof and build a V8 drag racer out of it. I paid a whopping $300 for it and hauled her home! I really had no idea WHAT it was, although I knew it was older than my '59, and not a barn door. I had never heard of Palm green sand green until my inbox on Samba started filling up with info and requests to buy it from me!

The number is 1756** (thanks to the samba member who told me where to find the correct number!), so it is a Wolfsburg model. (It has the tubular trans cradle, the rubber gas flap seal, etc).


The condition is fabulous. Only huge rust issues are in the rocker under the cargo doors and in parts of the cargo floor. The underside - crossmembers and frame, are virtually rust free. The underside was undercoated, and when I chipped some of it away, the original paint is still there.

I am missing a few things. I need a trans, an engine, and some interior bits, and other things that I need to look for. Otherwise, the glass is all original, and other than the front two windows, in perfect condition, and the seat is in great shape too. Floor in the cab is solid, with minor surface rust.

I am fairly new to busses (OK, I do have the '59 bus that you see in the pics, and several beetles, including a '57 oval). I'll need to ask LOTS of questions from you guys to get this thing right!!(Hope that's cool!)

Here are a few pics to get this thing started. (I cleaned it - twice - to get the gunk off and gave it a gentle hand polish to see what I've got).

Phase two - spring plates and a trans to make her a roller! Stay tuned...

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1956 pgsg bus
1954 oval
1955 oval
1960 beetle
1965 Canadian standard beetle
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Bills85Westy
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am looking forward to watching this one.

Congratulations on a nice find!
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type2vw
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

beautiful bus. thanks for keeping her stock & '56! good luck & have fun with it.
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RHD Notch
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking forward to seeing this one come together...Nice!
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Lind wrote:
I am at the point where I hardly want to own anything that isn't original paint.
campingbox wrote:
I have some other projects I'd like to finish first and I want to drive this bus while I'm working on those to help stay motivated.
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Braukuche
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look forward to following this thread. I saved a '58 pg/sg which was in worse shape than yours. Definitely worth the effort. Hopefully you will go with 36hp setup, also consider the Okrasa knock off Wolfsburg West sells. I have it in my wife's '60 Bug and it hauls ass.
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Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
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1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
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Major Woody
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh wow. Glad you are keeping it stock.
Does need a repaint. Bookmarked!
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ovalhobo
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Joined: January 25, 2010
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Location: Prince George, BC, Canada
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Braukuche wrote:
Look forward to following this thread. I saved a '58 pg/sg which was in worse shape than yours. Definitely worth the effort. Hopefully you will go with 36hp setup, also consider the Okrasa knock off Wolfsburg West sells. I have it in my wife's '60 Bug and it hauls ass.


Yes, I'll be going with the 36hp engine - a '56 one if I can find one. The bus will mostly cruise around town, and I'll take it to a few shows each year.
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1965 Canadian standard beetle
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ovalhobo
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Major Woody wrote:
Oh wow. Glad you are keeping it stock.
Does need a repaint. Bookmarked!


No, no repaint, other than what has to be. I'll fix those three ugly spots on the drivers side and try my best to make it match, but I'm not painting the entire panel. I'm not aiming for perfect, just really original.
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1965 Canadian standard beetle
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zuggbug
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great find - i will be follwoing this build.
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2Pack
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome bus. Props to you for not painting it. I'll be watching your build progress.
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RidinRusty
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great bus
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scvw
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm loving this thread.
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D-train
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome find an color combo!!!
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ovalhobo
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I polished up the dash tonight. The crud and rust stains came off without much trouble to reveal a beautiful, shiny looking dash. I didn't spend that much time at it either. This weekend I plan to clean up the rest of the cab. My kids love sitting in there and pretending they're driving, so it needs to be clean! My six year old has named it "John" as her '59 bus is named "Yoki." Hope she doesn't break up the beetles! (although working on two busses will force me to give my beetles a bit of a rest!)

Here's the interior as I got it
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Here's after I gave it a bit of a cleaning
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The floor is rusty but solid. Think I'll tackle this on the weekend.
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1956 pgsg bus
1954 oval
1955 oval
1960 beetle
1965 Canadian standard beetle
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volkswouter
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice bus!
Cool to see your pinstripe is in a really nice shape.
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Riff Raff
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, the pinstripe is tits!
I'd be interested to know what other Wolfsburg features this animal sports as it's got to be real late in production.

BTW _ I'll get springplates on the Hound this weekend.
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ovalhobo
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riff Raff wrote:
Yeah, the pinstripe is tits!
I'd be interested to know what other Wolfsburg features this animal sports as it's got to be real late in production.

BTW _ I'll get springplates on the Hound this weekend.


Well, thanks to your link, I now have some idea what to look for. I'll take some pics tonight of some of the Wolfsburg features and post them up.
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1956 pgsg bus
1954 oval
1955 oval
1960 beetle
1965 Canadian standard beetle
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ovalhobo
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cleaned up the engine compartment. I had to pull the bumper off to get the engine lid open. I'll need to weld up some ugly cuts someone hacked into the bumper (looks like for exhaust?) and have someone straighten that sucker out.

Here are some pics of the engine compartment. It looks super! - almost zero rust and 99% of the original paint still looks perfect. Any black scum you see is the crud I've been removing in there - not rust. Really tough to get it off!

Even the battery tray looks awesome - just some serface rust.



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Here's the tray on the driver's side. Perfect shape - still lots of crap to scrub off.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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1956 pgsg bus
1954 oval
1955 oval
1960 beetle
1965 Canadian standard beetle
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ovalhobo
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh yes. I did some welding in the foot well this weekend. Pic coming soon!
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1954 oval
1955 oval
1960 beetle
1965 Canadian standard beetle
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earlywesty
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am jealous! What an awesome bus, great to see another Canadian bus found. Thanks for preserving it as much as possible and congrats on the find. Look forward to the updates.
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