RHD 1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:22 am Post subject: RHD 1955 Oval

My story starts with a '69 US Delux Bay window I imported. An original bus needing a bit of welding and mechanics.

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Having imported the bus and got it running I spotted an Advert for a '55 Oval. Which was open to swaps. So a couple emails to a nice chap called Davey and the deal was done. This included delivering the Oval to me in Devon.

The day it arrived.

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

MattBulliBus · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:44 am Post subject:

Hi Rich

RHD oval looks good.
Front seats are in great shape, are they OG?

Cheers

Matt

anty71 · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:19 am Post subject:

Looks great, where are you in the UK?

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:48 am Post subject:

Hey Matt, yes the interior is the original. It's tired but complete! Andy I'm in Devon.
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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:57 am Post subject:

First thing was to give the car a wash, it was covered in sanding dust and other dirt. I had to scrap the glass with a piece of wood to get thru the dirt, it was like concrete!

Also started to clean thru to the paint

Half the car done...

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:01 am Post subject:

Time to turn the car round...

Starting to clean up...

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:07 am Post subject:

Time to move the car to Ian at South West Vw's.

Welding up exhaust pipe cut outs

Bumper mounts

And that was all the body needed!
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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:16 am Post subject:

Time for me to do the brakes, all new flexi hoses, Brahe shoes and cylinders, master cylinder and some of the copper pipes.

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:20 am Post subject:

New starter

And bush

Time for hubs to be painted and skimmed

Nice!

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: RHD 1955 Oval

New petrol tank seal

NOS fuel tap. Not correct for '55 but works for now.

Tank in

Engine out

Temp engine whilst original is rebuilt. Don't hold your breath Wink

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1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval

bigbulli · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: RHD 1955 Oval

A bit of history...

ULO 45 was purchased in 1955 by Captain Douglas Lloyd Atkins (Parachute Regiment) from Autohaus Alfred Liewers, a Volkswagen Dealership in Vienna, Austria.

Captain Atkins ordered the car in RHD, with intentions to bring it back to his home in Barry, Wales. In 1957 the car was exported from Austria to the UK remaining in Captain Atkins ownership until 1963 when he sold the car to Mr Anthony Chandler, also from Barry.

Mr Chandler kept every single piece of paperwork for the car from the day he bought it. From the insurance policies he took out each year to every MOT. The service history is mostly from the local Volkswagen specialist in Cardiff. Present are also all the original service books, instruction manuals, both original keys and original number plates.

Within the history, it is also documented, again with Volkswagen receipts, an engine change. The engine numbers on the documents still match the engine numbers on the engine that came with the car.

The service history shows the car came off the road in 1980 due to an accident to the front of the car, nothing serious, just a bent front bumper and a dent in the lower front valance – I still have original bent front bumper!

The car remained in Mr Chandlers garage from 1980 to 1998 when it was sold and stored in the new owners barn, and that’s where it remained. I obtained the car in 2014. No new keepers are on the logbook, only 3 owners actually ever insured and drove this car, me being the 3rd!