San Diego 1963 Double Cab "Gustav"

Lee Hedges

Today was the final game of the World Cup 2014 in Brazil and it's also the day that I bought our new 1963 Double Cab project from the ads here. It's not our first Transporter, as we restored a Turquoise 1964 Deluxe Hardtop in 1990 and a Pearl White 1963 Double Cab in 1997. After owning 20+ vintage VWs over the past 30 years, the Double Cab was the only one I regretted selling. At the time we were buying our first home and we needed the cash for the down payment. So now 18 years later we've found a new 1963 Double Cab project to enjoy.

MY BACKGROUND: I've owned almost every model of vintage VW over the past 30 years, from Buses to Beetles, Notchbacks to KG's, and since 2000 have specialized in Type 34 Karmann Ghias. Currently we have three in our collection: Ruby Red 1962 Cabriolet, Cherry Red & Black 1965 RHD Electric Sunroof, & Lotus White 1968 Electric Sunroof with Automatic transmission. I prefer my cars to be bone stock drivers that I'm not afraid to drive 1000 miles. The Ruby 1962 was restored in 2000. The Cherry Red 1965 has been undergoing a frame-off restoration since 2004. And the Lotus White 1968 was bought last year for my 50th birthday present.

THE SEARCH: I'd decided to search for a 1963 DCab earlier this summer. I'd watched the ad listings and saw prices going nutty for rusty incomplete trucks or $50K+ for clean drivers. I wanted a stock truck that needed to be restored but not one that had been hit or was rusted beyond hope. My buddy Jon from the Big Island was just as excited (as a 1966 Kombi owner), sending me email links to DCabs for sale. We'd discussed the 1963 DCab with "offers" from Missouri but I wasn't keen on a bidding war that likely would get into the $20K's, so I dismissed it. I just knew that if I was patient that the right 1963 DCab would surface.

FINDING IT: My buddy Jon calls me during the scoreless World Cup final game to tell me that the price changed from "offers" to "$12,500". I immediately contacted the seller and told him I'd take it. Ten minutes later I'd sent the deposit via PayPal. We'll complete the transaction this week and get it transported to San Diego in a month. Amazing how fast these things work!

Here's the Pearl White 1963 DCab I restored in 1997 and sold it in 2000.

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

Pics of the new 1963 DCab will be in the next post.

zuggbug · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:29 pm Post subject:

Congrats
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SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy

Lee Hedges · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject:

Here are the first photos of our new 1963 DCab, bought today in Missouri off a Samba ad. Engine, engine lid, & rear panel are included but not shown. Restored 15" stock slotted rims, cargo seats & frame, and mostly complete. I'm hoping to discover more of its history by contacting previous owners. Originally Turquoise, it'll be restored to Pearl White as a stock family driver. As we name all our beloved VWs, we chose "Gustav", named after our grandfather from Stuttgart Germany.

BulliBill · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:50 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the Double-Cab Club Lee! Congratulations! Long time, no hear. I'm still in Missouri and I'm just finishing up the restoration of a '59 DC that I've owned since 1993 or so. Jon Peters used to own it.

Have fun with your new toy!

Bill
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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!

Lee Hedges · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:53 pm Post subject:

Hey Bill! I've been enjoying your 1959 DCab restoration very much. You've taken it to a museum-quality level and thankfully have fully-documented your work to help the rest of us. I'm sure I'll be asking a ton of questions from the senior DC owners here.

notchboy · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:33 pm Post subject:

No kidding/ That 63 was the only VW I was bummed that you sold. If you would of kept it longer - I bet Id of owned a bus a lot sooner Wink

Cant wait to see it.
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Earlybugs · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 9:13 pm Post subject:

Hey lee looking forward to seeing your progress on the DC. Not sure if you remember me but im the one that did the tune up on your daughters bug before you drove from salem to san diago

Lee Hedges · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 9:41 pm Post subject:

Of course Derek, how could I forget! I flew into Portland, met Allison's Sea Blue 1964 Beetle at your shop, and you worked HARD to make it roadworthy to get me 1100 miles home. And it did, without a single issue. Thank you!

Here's the pics at your shop & a current photo of Allison's Beetle "Ellie".

Lee Hedges · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:40 pm Post subject:

I received photos of the MCode plate with VIN # that matches the current title (always a good thing). Learned that this October 1962 truck was originally fitted with optional tarp & bows in the bed, so it was likely a commercial vehicle. It was shipped into the port of San Francisco. Original color was Turquoise L380, but it will be stripped & painted Pearl White once I’m done with it.

OPTIONS:
• M362: North American export model with M20 (MPH speedometer), M24 (sealed beam head lamps & red tail light lenses), M25 (US-spec bumpers & pop-out windows), M90 (safety glass windshield), M176 (truck bumper guards)
• M195: Adjustable bench seat backrest (until 1963)
• M207: Tarp and bows

Interior front cab was a pleasure to finally see! Original sun visors & mirror as well as the gray panel boards in the roof. Painted fresh-air panel screws do not look like they've been removed before. Exactly what I was hoping to see.

Hansolo99 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:53 pm Post subject:

Does it come with that cool rack? If you don't need it I sure could use it on mine.............

Just a thought.

Lee Hedges · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:57 pm Post subject:

Nope, that rack stays with the previous owner! But if it was included then you'd be the first one I'd call to take it away.

Hansolo99 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:23 pm Post subject:

Lee Hedges · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:23 am Post subject:

Since this is an October 1962 truck the VIN plate isn't fitted to the fresh-air vent. It's supposed to be riveted to the rear engine compartment wall. So I asked the seller to take pics of it for me. He discovered a previous owner had installed a thick piece of styrofoam on the vertical panel wall, and when he pulled it away he found the VIN plate was missing. Bummer!

The VIN stamping on the engine sheetmetal is matching the MCode plate but it's a bit rusty. And the clear title number matches the MCode plate & engine sheetmetal stamping (or at least the first four digits of it 1007). Looks like it was rusted-out due to battery acid spillage.

]

RobzKombi · Samba Member Joined: July 15, 2003 Posts: 2137

Congratulations on your "new" DC, looks like it's going to be a fun project.

I'm thinking after I'm done with my Kombi I'm going to start looking for another DC (early bullets) . Yeah I know, I need to start saving up some $$ now. Anyhow good luck with your DC!

Lee Hedges · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:19 pm Post subject:

Looking into the VIN plate issue a bit more it appears that I have a couple of options to solve the problem:
1) buy a blank repro plate from Poland for $100
2) buy an original T2 plate and have my VIN # stamped into it
3) use an original T34 plate from my spares & have my # stamped into it

The VIN plate is so far back into the engine compartment behind the engine that there's little chance of the DMV VIN verification worker actually climbing into the engine bay with a flashlight to inspect the VIN plate when the original unmodified original-paint MCode plate is easily accessible behind the front seat.

Hansolo99 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:33 pm Post subject:

I can tell you from experience they did climb in with a flashlight when they did mine-three different buses-three different people. I would go with route:

2) buy an original T2 plate and have my VIN # stamped into it.

RobzKombi · Samba Member Joined: July 15, 2003 Posts: 2137

Braukuche · Samba Member Joined: September 03, 2004 Posts: 10998

pyrOman · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 6:46 am Post subject:

Lee Hedges · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:24 am Post subject:

OK, I bought an original Type II VIN plate from a buddy here in San Diego and plan to flatten the existing VIN numbers on it and restamp it with the truck VIN numbers. It's the best solution I could come up with at this time. Hopefully the DMV or AAA inspector will not be too critical of the VIN plate hidden behind the engine and will confirm it matches the title & MCode numbers.

The seller removed the hideous rack, installed the original 15" wheels, and rolled the truck out into the sunlight for some fresh better-quality photos. Looks like the worst rust is in the front floorpans & surrounding metal. Gates look OK despite the surface rust. I'm happier each time I get new photos of the details. It's nice when an immediate purchase decision turns out to be a good one after you've seen the VW up close.


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San Diego 1963 Double Cab "Gustav"
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