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Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:35 am

iubhounds, I love how she is coming along, cool that you have the last year 1960 for the semaphores. Totally agree on the aluminum tape it's amazing. Can I assume the PO installed the bullet blinkers?
iubhounds wrote:

Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:59 am

Thank LAGrunthaner ... more plans still on the list. I can only assume the PO or previous PO's installed the bullet blinkers as they were there when I bought it. Registered as a 1960 with a build date of September 24, 1959.

LAGrunthaner wrote: iubhounds, I love how she is coming along, cool that you have the last year 1960 for the semaphores. Totally agree on the aluminum tape it's amazing. Can I assume the PO installed the bullet blinkers?
iubhounds wrote:

Sun Dec 27, 2020 2:29 pm

I turned the 60 DD around in my driveway so the back of it was facing my garage. I wanted to take off the plate the seller let me use, which I found out belonged to a 64 Impala based on what was written on the back of it. I taped on my temporary paper plate from Arizona's MVD. Looking at the gas lid they had sprayed primer over the chrome lock assembly. I wanted to clean it off to get to the 60 year old chrome and refirbish the mechanism.

Without too much trouble the mechanism came apart okay ... but user error at the end cost me. I went a little too far screwing it back together and broke off the screw that is built into the center piece of the lock mechanism.

I will look for a used one for sale here on Samba and last resort buy a new one and just use that center piece after I scuff it up a little to take the shine off. It was positined wrong so I put it back where it should be, pointing downward.

I know when I started the 64 DD up, I wanted to take off or a drive so bad but all I could imagine was leaving a trail of gear fluid behind me and possibly end up with no brakes.

Sun Dec 27, 2020 2:44 pm

iubhounds wrote: Thank LAGrunthaner ... more plans still on the list. I can only assume the PO or previous PO's installed the bullet blinkers as they were there when I bought it. Registered as a 1960 with a build date of September 24, 1959.

Was it originally shipped to a European destination? A US-spec splitty would have indicators if it was built in 1959. What's the VIN number that is stamped in the engine bay?

Sun Dec 27, 2020 3:16 pm

It was a North American export (UA).

Who.Me? wrote: iubhounds wrote: Thank LAGrunthaner ... more plans still on the list. I can only assume the PO or previous PO's installed the bullet blinkers as they were there when I bought it. Registered as a 1960 with a build date of September 24, 1959.

Was it originally shipped to a European destination? A US-spec splitty would have indicators if it was built in 1959. What's the VIN number that is stamped in the engine bay?

Sun Dec 27, 2020 6:37 pm

certainly looks like a German spec bus.

i looked in your gallery. looks like you have a swingaxle rear end with disc brakes:

Mon Dec 28, 2020 3:56 am

iubhounds wrote: It was a North American export (UA).

It could be that a previous owner really liked the semaphore look, but grafting them in takes some effort so it's worth taking the time to check that everthing is legit so you don't have problems in the future.

Does the VIN on the plate match the VIN/chassis number stamped on the engine metalwork?

There should also be a body number stamped on the bulkhead behind the front seat on the passenger side. It shouldn't match the VIN, but given the age; I'd expect it to be within a few thousand of the VIN/chassis number, but not tens or hundreds of thousands different.

Mon Dec 28, 2020 8:28 am

Looking at the edges of the semaphore cutout, they look original to the bus. No signs of a DYI job. Currently the left one works and I thought the right one worked when I left on the trip home, but that is not the case now. I am still researching if the bullet turn signals in front and the red lights in back should work at the same time as the semaphores.

As you will see from the photos any engine numbers in the engine bay or behind the passenger seat were painted over or possibly sanded over. No hint of even part of a number is visable anywhere.

The way the M-Code plate is not flush with the bulkhead tells it has been removed in the past. Is it the real one? Hard to say. The VIN on the plate has been titled for the past 3 owners counting myself. The seller told me the guy he bought this from had it for 14 years, but who knows what the VIN was the prior 40+ years if it is not the original.

They sanded all the outside and inside before etch primer yet they left the two window vent frames original. There you see some nice dark green over some salmon over the original dove blue. In photos sent by the seller before I bought it, I could see the rear was painted salmon color.

Here is the code from the plate:

24 09 9
360 175
UA 215 Blue 513***

Should I move this discussion to a different category instead of the current one?

Who.Me? wrote: iubhounds wrote: It was a North American export (UA).

It could be that a previous owner really liked the semaphore look, but grafting them in takes some effort so it's worth taking the time to check that everthing is legit so you don't have problems in the future.

Does the VIN on the plate match the VIN/chassis number stamped on the engine metalwork?

There should also be a body number stamped on the bulkhead behind the front seat on the passenger side. It shouldn't match the VIN, but given the age; I'd expect it to be within a few thousand of the VIN/chassis number, but not tens or hundreds of thousands different.

Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:23 pm

Took my engine out this weekend to replace the main seal, and installed new heater cables and connectors while I was at it.

Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:17 pm

Noticed some funkiness at the right rear when I was flushing my brake fluid the other day. I try to flush the system every couple of years as a good preventative maintenance item.

Disassembled today and found a frozen cylinder with a bad seal (see left piston in photo) and the bore looks like it's not worth honing. Cylinders were FTE (German) and installed in 2016. Disappointed that they didn't last that long.

Gonna install new cylinders/shoes and probably spring for new drums as well. And now that I think of it, my MC is 10 years old so I may replace that too (though that means thinking about if I want to do the dual circuit conversion, etc.).

Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:05 pm

iubhounds wrote: Thanks ... No they are the same but he screws are missing that hold the lamp and adjust the beam on the left one ... lines are vertical. The right one has lines going horizontal but the screw is broke off and sanded down to the level of the chrome trim. Both have been added to the "to do" list.

BarryL wrote: Good work.

Are your headlight lenses different from each other?

Yup- bus lens on the passenger side, bug on the driver's. Also they're flipped- the parking bulbs are obscured by the diffusers on the top of the glass.

When tracing the semaphore wiring- they'll likely due to inconvenience be original. Many years ago I owned a US spec '60 convertible with retired semaphores and updated with peanuts on the fenders for visibility. Still a good idea IMO- especially since the bullets have been used.

Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:48 pm

Washed it... for the second and last time this lousy year! :roll:

Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:37 am

hitest wrote: Yup- bus lens on the passenger side, bug on the driver's. Also they're flipped- the parking bulbs are obscured by the diffusers on the top of the glass.

When tracing the semaphore wiring- they'll likely due to inconvenience be original. Many years ago I owned a US spec '60 convertible with retired semaphores and updated with peanuts on the fenders for visibility. Still a good idea IMO- especially since the bullets have been used.

Interesting the word "bug"shows up again on this bus. The panel went to the shop on Tuesday to repair the leaks. They found the source to be the boots up by the transmission and both rear axle seals. While there I had them install the rear bumper and my new quiet muffler. That is where the next problem came. The exhaust that came with the panel for the dual BugPack loud muffler is A BUG exhaust ... so that is also being changed. I had a few things arrive in the mail for it, so they will install small stuff that I ordred.

Thanks for letting me know about the headlights. I will get those switched out and matched, although 99.9% of my VW driving is daytime. Oh, the non working semaphore on the passenger side was an easy fix ... it was not hooked up.

Fri Jan 01, 2021 7:40 am

Who.Me? wrote: iubhounds wrote: It was a North American export (UA).

It could be that a previous owner really liked the semaphore look, but grafting them in takes some effort so it's worth taking the time to check that everthing is legit so you don't have problems in the future.

Does the VIN on the plate match the VIN/chassis number stamped on the engine metalwork?

There should also be a body number stamped on the bulkhead behind the front seat on the passenger side. It shouldn't match the VIN, but given the age; I'd expect it to be within a few thousand of the VIN/chassis number, but not tens or hundreds of thousands different. Shouldn't the body vin for a 60 model year be by the battery box right above the small sheet metal screw that secures the top tin work of the apron?

Fri Jan 01, 2021 7:44 am

Busted-bolt wrote: Who.Me? wrote: iubhounds wrote: It was a North American export (UA).

It could be that a previous owner really liked the semaphore look, but grafting them in takes some effort so it's worth taking the time to check that everthing is legit so you don't have problems in the future.

Does the VIN on the plate match the VIN/chassis number stamped on the engine metalwork?

There should also be a body number stamped on the bulkhead behind the front seat on the passenger side. It shouldn't match the VIN, but given the age; I'd expect it to be within a few thousand of the VIN/chassis number, but not tens or hundreds of thousands different. Shouldn't the body vin for a 60 model year be by the battery box right above the small sheet metal screw that secures the top tin work of the apron?

I will look there when I get my bus back on Monday. I don't recall seeing one though when I was looking in the engine bay. I will use some paint remover to see if I can find the VIN in either place in the engine back and if I can find anything on the bulkhead behind the passenger seat.

Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:37 am

iubhounds wrote: [....
I will look there when I get my bus back on Monday. I don't recall seeing one though when I was looking in the engine bay. I will use some paint remover to see if I can find the VIN in either place in the engine back and if I can find anything on the bulkhead behind the passenger seat.

here is an image showing the location of the vin number for 1960 (showing the later 40 horse)

Fri Jan 01, 2021 3:19 pm

[quote="guatebus"]Noticed some funkiness at the right rear when I was flushing my brake fluid the other day. I try to flush the system every couple of years as a good preventative maintenance item.

Disassembled today and found a frozen cylinder with a bad seal (see left piston in photo) and the bore looks like it's not worth honing. Cylinders were FTE (German) and installed in 2016. Disappointed that they didn't last that long.

Gonna install new cylinders/shoes and probably spring for new drums as well. And now that I think of it, my MC is 10 years old so I may replace that too (though that means thinking about if I want to do the dual circuit conversion, etc.).
I have noticed that when I ran my bus for even a short time with out the pedal splash pan in the rain, the cap on my master cylinder would get soaked with water. And thus I had the same problem with my front wheel cylinder about a year later. The master cylinder cap just has a vent hole so water intrusion is imminent when it is exposed to moisture .Some times in very humid climates water will contaminate the fluid regardless of any measures taken.

Fri Jan 01, 2021 8:05 pm

Thank you!

Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:29 am

I just looked back through this topic "what did you do for your Bus today?" ... all I see is what I did to the bus that day. Making some repairs to a 60 year old bus. I didn't see anywhere I was "crying and blaming the seller" ... but I was posting photos of what I was talking about and were discrepancies. Maybe you are feeling a little self guilt?

You didnt mention my last email to you yesterday when I did accept responsibility and said "a huge lesson learned" and that I would never pay for another bus sight unseen. The money was already in your account by the time I arrived and inspected the panel. You sent me on a 200+ mile trip knowing the the rear axle boots were leaking as well as in the area of the tranmission. What was your comment early in our email discussions after the purchase?? Something to the effect of you were glad you gave me that $2000 decrease at the last moment to "make corrections" ... you just admitted there you sales ad on samba was not accurate.

I am not crying and pouting publically, I am just making other potential Samba buyers aware of your game.

You took no responsibilty when you said you were "puzzled" and "sad this has happened" ... so you can man up Allan Miller. The van is being fixed, the backward windows and upside down headlights have and will be fixed, as well as other few things.

I will not take this to this forum anymore. This is my last comment here on Samba to you. You know where I live, come one down and we can discuss it face to face if you want. I have no problem with that. But like I said yesterday there is nothing to discuss in my email, I am getting the bus fixed and road worthy and that is all that matters.

Oldboxman wrote: Please, let me divest regarding IUBHOUNDS and his derogatory remarks.
I am Oldboxman, the seller of the DD cab to IUBHOUNDS.
I also bought this bus from a seller on Samba.com.
It was described by the previous seller as having great mechanicals.
The last statement the seller personally made was “I pumped the brakes and you have very good pressure”?!..?
Subsequent to the purchase and driving it on the way home, the brakes completely gave out, pedal to the floor, (a master cylinder issue) and I ran over 12 construction cones at the intersection of 24 Ave. and Bell. Yes...this was beyond distressing, very dangerous and catastrophic.
Additionally, I have personally purchased many vehicles sight unseen over the internet. No complaining. I take responsibility.
Question:
Do I cry and pout publicly and blame the sellers for vehicle discrepancies? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I am man enough to take responsibility for my decisions when I purchase vehicles.
This is what you should do Steve Floyd. If you are looking to blame someone for your disappointment, look no further but to your own self.
***You picked up the bus personally and inspected the bus. You were very happy with the value***
This is a great lesson folks and a teaching moment for my grandchildren...TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
Man up Steve Floyd!

Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:39 am

The bumper on my 59 single cab sits a little bit like yours does. I am not sure of the cause since that bumper has been with the sc for many years based on previous owner photos.

AS350driver wrote: I put a new WW rear bumper on my junky 13 window. Also connected the heater cables and got the heat/defrost sleeve on the heater tube unfrozen.

Maybe I put it together wrong, but my new bumper is drooping badly.

The old one rattled incessantly and was falling apart, but at least it sat level.