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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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 Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 1:18 am Post subject: '59 Baja Ragtop Back To Semi Stock Build Thread |
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Alright Guys and gals, little less than a month ago i aquired 2 1959 Beetles and a 1962 Karmann Ghia for a Wopping $100. Sounds Like fun right? Well both 59's have matching numbers and yada yada. The baja'd one, as the title implies, has a factory ragtop, so i figure it'll be the first to be fixed up. the order of buisness goes as rust and floor/heater pannel..etc to make it structurally sound before attempting to add the front and rear clips back to it. (no small task). I wish I had taken pics upon first seeing the lil rust demons. Both were filled to the brim with scrap metal to be taken to the scrap yard, and lord the rat crap.... some places a whole foot deep. and the floors.... forget about it. I've been getting after it though, and its missing some progression pics, but there's enough to show what''s been done so far. Grab some Pop corn and a timer, while i embark on my first comprehensive restoration.
Body Off of frame
Rear Pic
Side and rear glass
Chassis after Pan and engine removal
Engine stripped to longblock
Engine assembly
Transaxle
Transmission mount plate is broken here. Will need welding
Front end
Got her up on saw horses to see the underside
A Bunch of interior pics/ rust locations
Hey Look, a door pannel!!!
Rear pic
Started stripping paint just to see how much crap on the car was just crud vs rust
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1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 1:25 am Post subject: |
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I would also like to mention that the chassis has very little rust( WhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaT) and that i already have my new floor to put in. ( pics will come soon). Also the engine that came in it is a 36 hp stamped 59 on the case....but it is set up solid. tried about everything to get the heads off, even made a tool. probably gonna have to apply brute force and...dddestroy them  The block still had plently of oil in the bottom end, with no imulsification, so i might get by with a top end rebuild (wont know till the heads are off)
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1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Joel
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2006
Posts: 11099
Location: NSW Australia
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 3:24 am Post subject: |
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You may find the front trans mount has been hacked to fit that later model trans.
The original split case trans used a different front mount.
Been a very long time since I worked on anything that early but I'm sure you had to weld in a different mount to take the later transmissions.
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle |
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grandpa pete
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2008
Posts: 6426
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:29 am Post subject: |
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 That will buff right out
Welcome and have fun..... Nothing like a challenge to use up all that spare time and money that you didn't know how to get rid of
I learned a bunch of neat fix up tricks just reading build threads as I worked on mine
Do you have the correct Bently repair book ?
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63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery |
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drscope
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 15273
Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:39 am Post subject: |
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Just curious, do you have good paper for that car?
_________________
Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch! |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| drscope wrote: |
| Just curious, do you have good paper for that car? |
No, Gonna have to go the bonded title route, but i know the owner of the land. When he bought the land in the late 70's they were sitting there. Pretty sure i wont have problems with stolen/ lost claims. A shame really for it to sit so long. Oh and i have the splitcase trans around here somewhere. It's gotten shuffled around( for some reason it was still with the car)
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| grandpa pete wrote: |
That will buff right out
Welcome and have fun..... Nothing like a challenge to use up all that spare time and money that you didn't know how to get rid of
I learned a bunch of neat fix up tricks just reading build threads as I worked on mine
Do you have the correct Bently repair book ? |
Ive got pretty much one of everything except a "bently" Muir idiot book, haynes,chilton...half a dozen others
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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rlmartinez
Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2005
Posts: 233
Location: Whittier, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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Good luck with your project. Price was great and with some work you will end up with a nice numbers matching car.
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54 Bug
56 convertible |
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wcfvw69 
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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That sir, is an ambitious project you've got going there! It's certainly very repairable with the right amount of time, skills, $ and ambition.
My only STRONG recommendation is to buy the best quality replacement panels you can get! What would be even better is to buy some replacement, donor panels to replace those heater channels, package shelf and other pieces.
There are still lots of early parts bugs out there that people are will to cut panels off of. Nothing fits like the original parts.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 8:30 am Post subject: |
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| wcfvw69 wrote: |
That sir, is an ambitious project you've got going there! It's certainly very repairable with the right amount of time, skills, $ and ambition.
My only STRONG recommendation is to buy the best quality replacement panels you can get! What would be even better is to buy some replacement, donor panels to replace those heater channels, package shelf and other pieces.
There are still lots of early parts bugs out there that people are will to cut panels off of. Nothing fits like the original parts. |
Original metal for the package shelf is high priority, as well as a few others, but most of this car will be done with new metal. (sorry to all the purist fascists who may get offended by this endeavor) Heater channels and bottom door pillar pieces will not be original metal cutting up old channels and putting em in another beetle doesn't make a lick of sense in my mind( i realize quality is somewhat of an issue). For those here for moral support, i thank you, and i shall get some more pics of progress later today
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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drscope
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 15273
Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:53 am Post subject: |
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YIKES no title! I think I would stop working on this until I had good paper in hand!
Without good paper for sure the car isn't yours and you may not be able to enjoy it when it's done! Don't wait to cross that bridge when you get there. You may find out the bridge washed away!
Different states are more difficult then others, but you really should make sure you are covered before pouring more time, effort and money into this thing.
Title issues have caused me grief in the past so this advice is coming from someone who went through all sorts of hell trying to get paper. In my case I bought a car that I just had to have. (a 50 split window) The seller didn't have the title the day I paid him but promised to supply it latter.
Long story short, it turned out the car didn't belong to him. It belonged to his father and when i finally got a hold of his father after two years, he wanted HIS car back! In the end, it took 4 years and much time and money before it turned out OK and I got good paper. But for every happy ending there are also many horror stories.
So protect yourself and work on the paperwork issues first so you can enjoy the rest of the project.
_________________
Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch! |
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 10:29 am Post subject: |
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| Bret2094 wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
That sir, is an ambitious project you've got going there! It's certainly very repairable with the right amount of time, skills, $ and ambition.
My only STRONG recommendation is to buy the best quality replacement panels you can get! What would be even better is to buy some replacement, donor panels to replace those heater channels, package shelf and other pieces.
There are still lots of early parts bugs out there that people are will to cut panels off of. Nothing fits like the original parts. |
Original metal for the package shelf is high priority, as well as a few others, but most of this car will be done with new metal. (sorry to all the purist fascists who may get offended by this endeavor) Heater channels and bottom door pillar pieces will not be original metal cutting up old channels and putting em in another beetle doesn't make a lick of sense in my mind( i realize quality is somewhat of an issue). For those here for moral support, i thank you, and i shall get some more pics of progress later today |
It has nothing to do with a purist aspect. I was simply letting you know and learn from me and others that finding the best metal you can get will save you loads of time and frustration fitting cheap, crappy and poor fitting panels w/metal that is much thinner than original.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| wcfvw69 wrote: |
| Bret2094 wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
That sir, is an ambitious project you've got going there! It's certainly very repairable with the right amount of time, skills, $ and ambition.
My only STRONG recommendation is to buy the best quality replacement panels you can get! What would be even better is to buy some replacement, donor panels to replace those heater channels, package shelf and other pieces.
There are still lots of early parts bugs out there that people are will to cut panels off of. Nothing fits like the original parts. |
Original metal for the package shelf is high priority, as well as a few others, but most of this car will be done with new metal. (sorry to all the purist fascists who may get offended by this endeavor) Heater channels and bottom door pillar pieces will not be original metal cutting up old channels and putting em in another beetle doesn't make a lick of sense in my mind( i realize quality is somewhat of an issue). For those here for moral support, i thank you, and i shall get some more pics of progress later today |
It has nothing to do with a purist aspect. I was simply letting you know and learn from me and others that finding the best metal you can get will save you loads of time and frustration fitting cheap, crappy and poor fitting panels w/metal that is much thinner than original. |
I'm not calling you out, just making a blanket statement to dissuade others from hating on my future non original modifications. As far as the need for papers, I have a bill of sale, and i will not be making many more big purchases for this car ( I'm a college student who works on beetles during the summer and winter break) I've got very little time left this summer, so I will be focusing on the documentation starting two weeks from now
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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Quick question, shouldn't the lifter and pushrod on 36 hp come out when you pull on em? Some are out, but the rest are still in, more specifically the right side of the engine refuses to give em up!
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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drscope
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 15273
Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Yep they should come out. There is a steel plate deal inside the case that locates them. Maybe things in there got rusty and just don't want to let go.
if they are really stuck you should be able to work around that. Just leave them in place. After you get the heads and cylinders off, split the case and you will be able to deal with them pretty easy at that point.
_________________
Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch! |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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the heads are off (toast by the way) I managed to get 4 of em out no problem, but there's a whole side that's still aflicted. sprayed some penetrating oil inside the cylinders and where the lifters go in, gonna give them a good yanking later tomorrow morning. I really want to get them out, so i dont have to worry about bending them
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Today's Updates
Funky nasty locked up Cylinders with the heads off
Cleaned out all the junk outta the defrost tube area...
Found a wrist watch, part of a 12 gauge shot shell and a hub tool
Bunch of pics with the car being stripped
Window out
Shit...Found some bondo
Roof
Good Day's work
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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Not buying em anytime soon, but what year front and rear clips would be the same as stock for my 59? Just 58-59 or 58-61...etc? figure i'll go ahead and be on the prowl for some vintage metal
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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vwsonmybrain
Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2007
Posts: 702
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:41 am Post subject: |
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| 56-60 front and rear clips, though the 60 model year rear apron would require some adjustments to the engine seal retainer location, as that year had a one year only front transaxle mount that put the engine at a slightly different angle to the rest. |
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Bret2094
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 665
Location: Linden, Texas or College Station Texas
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks. Haha the last couple days i didn't get pics, but all of the rust was treated with phosphoric acid and let sit overnight.(interior wire brushed first) I did that twice and cleaned the metal before shooting primer. Didn't have my paint mix quite right , so the primer on one side got some streaking. bahhhhhhh. Didn't shoot my trunk or engine bay, since they need blasting. I'll get pics up tomorrow
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)
1977 Westfalia Camper
1972 Plymouth Duster
Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A) |
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