'60 Sunroof Swivelseat Kombi

[j.pickens]

Finally have the bus in my posession, so I thought I'd start a thread on the bus.

'60 Sunroof Swivelseat Kombi.

I found it for sale in New Jersey by someone who had no idea what was special about the bus. Just a random bus for sale in New Jersey someone told me about, or maybe on theSamba, I forget, it was about 6 years ago.

It was about 50 miles from me, "down the Shore", so I talked the wife into going for a drive. Made arrangements to meet the owner at the bus, but his plans changed, so he said it was OK to look at the bus in the yard, and call him.

Got down there, and it was parked on the grass, obviously for a LONG time.
As I closer, I noticed "Sunroof", "Non Deluxe", and "SWIVELSEAT PARTITIONS!!", and finally, no headline clips, so "Kombi".

Here's what it looked like:

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Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[j.pickens]

Well, the owner wanted $2500.
It was really, really rusty, lots of bondolgy on the rockers and front floor, lots of rusty, crusty damage to outriggers, floor, belly pans, perforated roof along the rain gutters, etc.

The front m-code plate was missing, the rear factory plate was gone, and I couldn't find the VIN on the chassis, too rusty.

So, I was pretty sure it was a genuine sunroof swivelseat kombi. Who would have faked the funk way back when, and then let it go to pot all these years? And who would have installed belly pans, when they really only became available as repros in recent years?

I thought, well, really neat bus, I'll give the guy a call. I asked him if he had the original driver's seat for the bus, and let him in on the fact that it was a special seat. He said he didn't have it, and still was firm at the $2500 price.

So, really bad shape, no seat, no m-code, no VIN, no title (I think), no way to verify the coolness...I passed on buying the bus.




A few months before I discovered the Sunroof Swivelkombi, I bought a regular swivelseat kombi from Connecticut, which is a bit rough, but not as bad as the one at Josh's:

Two years later I bought "Johnny's old swivelseat" from California, which is my main bus for driving:

After buying that bus, the original one on the rotissiere went on back burner status.

Years pass, I hear that someone has purchased the Sunroof Swivelkombi bus, and gotten it up to Rusthaven in Northern PA for Josh Hibbler to repair. Though at the time I hadn't met Josh, I had heard he did good work, and was happy to hear it was getting restored.

Years pass, Josh and I are introduced to each other at a show, and I get to talking to him. I ask if he as this bus, and he says yeah, but its kinda on the back burner because the guy is only doing work as funds become available.

Years pass, and I hear that the owner of the bus died in an accident on his farm. When I next meet Josh at a show, I let him know that if he or the family wants to sell the bus, to give me a call.

Next, an ad comes up on theSamba two years ago for a Swivelseat seat in Oregon. I figure, maybe I should get this seat just in case I ever get ahold of the Sunroof Swivelkombi. The ad is for the uber-rare folding back swivelseat, which was only made between '62 and '63 I believe.

The ad says "offers". I make an offer, and add on $100 for shipping, I don't hear back. Campingbox Greg happens to be traveling up the coast, and visits his friend, who was selling the seat. He asks his friend about whether he sold the seat, and the friend says "I only got one serious offer, some guy from New Jersey". Greg says "Oh, that must be John Pickens, you should sell it to him!". The friend is baffled about how Greg knew this, but it does the trick and I get the seat.

Years pass (we're up to last year) and Josh finally has worked out things with the family, I let him know that not only am I interested still, but that I have a seat for the bus.

To make a long story longer still, we make a deal for the bus, which still needs lots of work, but the major frame and roof work is done, and the VIN has been found under the rust.

I send to the Siftug Automuseum for the birth certificate:

They get mcode 199 wrong, as VW recycled the 199 swivelseat mcode after they stopped making them, but it confirms that the bus is what I think it is.
_________________
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[j.pickens]

To continue the saga, Josh spends the next year finishing the work on the bus and getting it in paint. Yesterday, I went and picked it up. Hard to believe its the same bus:

Some shiny bits:

Josh preserved the original "Blau" in the headlight bucket:

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Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[zozo]

Wow!

Just.......WOW!

That is one sexy bitch.

[zuggbug]

Holy cow John......that bus is beautiful. Josh did a great job.
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SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy

[Lou V.]

Aswome, Outstanding work.
Thanks for sharing the story.

[Braukuche]

I would be impressed if it were a double door, but just a sunroof swivel seat kombi...how special is that??

OK, WAY special. Super cool bus, congratulations!
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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

[Dave24]

Unbelievably cool bus. I'm glad it ended up in YOUR hands. . I now have a new all time favorite... THIS bus!.

[bubblehead]

Wow John! The bus looks amazing. You are the swivel seat king!

[busdaddy]

Busdaddy is extremely jealous, that's one awesome bus, congratulations!
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[Campy]

It is so great that it got saved.
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Don't worry; be happy. (Baba)

[gatorwyatt]

That is one hell of a bus! Good to see it getting treated like this John...keep up the updates !
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www.blastserv.com

wanted:
RHD Barndoor floor mat..reproduction is fine

[Kelly]

awesome story, topic "watched"
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It's not how wide your hatch is, it's what you do with it.

Eriba Puck Sticky

[TinCanFab]

Plenty of us are touching ourselves over this one. Cool story and epic bus!
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Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood

They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092

[kombisutra]

[EverettB]

[swivel'n]

awesome bus, the bodywork and paint turned out great. That is a cool story with an even cooler bus.
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1969 og paint Squareback
1968 automatic sunroof notchback
1959 Swivel seat kombi

[j.pickens]

There are exactly three parts attached to the bus other than the doors.
The accelerator pedal, the choke cable, and the fuel reserve cable.
Now its up to me to do the reassembly.

Gotta put me together a front beam first.
The transaxle is out for refurb. Should have it in a few weeks.
_________________
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[Touch Nicks Thing]

Looks amazing J.! I'm sure to stoked to have something to tinker with all winter!

[vw7266]

very cool to see that painted...Props to Hibbler for doing such a great job!