TheSamba.com :: View topic - 56 wolfsburg deluxe project (3/26 final pictures )

Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:11 am

Over the years allot of folks have been after me to get going on this dam cool bus project and turn it into something ... well it is finally happening in a big way...
I am doing 95% of the work myself ...About the only things I shy away from are the seat upholstery, and headliner install,the transmission rebuild and the actual spraying on of the paint after the prep work is done.
I started the welding about three years ago and stopped at the point where the body needed to be blasted clean . then it sat in my shop for a few years...
So I took everyone's advice and sold my 67 21 window about a year and a half ago,I plowed most of the money into this project ...
Since then , had the OG trans rebuilt, restored the front beam, and 36hp motor, powder coated gobs of small and not so small black parts, bought correct 15" bias ply tires from Coker tire, sent the restored seat frames to Lenny @WCC and had him do the seat upholstery and panels to OG spec (yes I am very pleased with them!!) etc ...I then waited for dry warm weather to get into the metal work... I also prepped and painted the little things and when I had spare time painted the bumpers, window frames , rims,etc
This spring I went east and dug up some ultra valuable antique insulators to sell to further pay for this project... sold them to some happy geek collectors and wamo... Off to work I go !!
I Sand basted away all the rust from the underside and the nooks and crannies last week . It took me the better part of three ten hour days and was one of the yuckiest jobs I have ever done... Immediately after blowing off the sand I sprayed on a good coat of sealer on the underside .
Starting this week I am doing the welding...
>>>>check back frequently as I will be adding pictures as this project progresses<<<

Spot Welders are such fun toys!!! ...Attaching a floor patch to the new inner rocker

ickey wheel well rot!

Fixed! Patch made from some scrap sheet metal ends then spotted and welded in to place

Believe it or not the big 100 year old insulator in this photo sold for more then the rear bumper would sell for complete... One hobby feeds the other!

A days work done...

There are more pictures in this series that were just posted to the gallery... enjoy!
I will be posting more pics in the coming days as I progress with this project . I hope to begin paint prep work in about two weeks and spray it in the next four to five.
Plans for tomorrow are to repair the left dog leg rot and finish the right rocker welding and repair the heat tube and install the belly pans.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:28 am

you have a bus that most people can only dream of owning. glad to see you taking the time to get it out on the road. good luck with the project!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:32 am

Loving the progress pics, keep it up!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:43 am

looking great! Once you get this done you'll have long forgotten the 21 :o

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:24 am

>Believe it or not the big 100 year old insulator in this photo sold for more then the rear bumper would sell for complete...

Shocking!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:10 am

not to hijack but how do you come up on one of those insulators?

mike, good to see your are going forward on your 56...i will be right behind you hopefully if business picks up!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:34 am

gatorwyatt wrote: not to hijack but how do you come up on one of those insulators?

mike, good to see your are going forward on your 56...i will be right behind you hopefully if business picks up!

I find insulators by dooing ALOT of historical research and then dooing grunt work digging dumps, hunting old line routs etc. The one in the photo was reconstructed from about 35 shattered parts and still has considerable value. It was taken out of service around 1920 and discarded in a dump... That is in part why I have been making cross country trips in my 66 Westy the last two years.
Here is a link to a historic 1906 photo of the line
http://www.insulators.info/pictures/?id=203831997.

I must say it is amazing how many old buses are still to be found in old junk yards across Nebraska, Kansas etc. I saw some nice ones in my travels...Did not see any deluxes or barndoors ,but nice clean 59-61 combi's and panels abound... many with good parts and VERY savable bodys.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:08 am

I actually meet you in Spokane when i was at a garage sale and you were at an insulator party next door.I was stoked on your oval.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:06 pm

Mike, next time I'm up your way I'd like to take a look at your progress.

Chris

Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:59 pm

Radical. That spot welder is dynormous. Someday I'll let all the pictures load on my chintzy dial-up. I love that bus and those bumpers are art.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:05 pm

I feel rather silly, but what is an insulator?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:09 pm

an insulator is a non conductive material

that mushroom insulator is used on high voltage power lines im wiling to bet it came off of a transmission line id like to know some more info on it i have a small collection myself i also build power lines im a member of ibew and on my way to becomeing a journeyman lineman

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:16 pm

Haha, I was actually just doing a little research and found what they were just after you posted. I was about to edit my post to say so, but why bother now?

I wasn't even thinking about electrical insulators. I kept finding them in relation to glass bottles and such, so for a short while I thought the surely had something to do with alcohol; an antique keg of sorts. Especially when Grim Reaper referred to an "Insulator Party."

Haha, needless to say electrical insulators hadn't even crossed my mind.

Thanks, though!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:36 pm

Looking good. Just curious, what type of sandblaster are you using?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:01 pm

Wow good work Mike! I remember seeing this Bus way back when i got the Meatwagen from you. After seeing what you did with the 21 I know this one going to be absolutely Beautiful. BTW hows the Oval ?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:50 pm

squareback_fiend wrote: an insulator is a non conductive material

that mushroom insulator is used on high voltage power lines im wiling to bet it came off of a transmission line id like to know some more info on it i have a small collection myself i also build power lines im a member of ibew and on my way to becomeing a journeyman lineman

Antique insulators used on the first pioneering lines built 1895-1908 are highly sought after collector pieces .I know many lineman who save them both small and large
My prize specimen is from the Adams#1 Niagara Falls- Buffalo ,NY Line from 1896. This was the first three phase line built by Westinghouse with the "Tesla System" that is the basis of the entire modern electrical grid of today. It is the same type that is in the Smithsonian on display.
here is a historic picture of the one in the above photo with my bumpers as it looked in service 100 years ago

http://www.insulators.info/pictures/?id=203831997

My Friend Glen Mcadam who is also on the samba is really into both insulators and VW's as well .... they are hobbies that go together well as a bus can really come in handy on insulator hunts in remote areas... for camping out and getting into the back country.
Good luck reaching journeyman lineman ! it is a hell of a good job these days!!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:53 pm

jeremyrockjock wrote: Looking good. Just curious, what type of sandblaster are you using?

It was a big rented thing that holds about 200 pounds of sand. I also rented an Ingersall Rand 100 compressor to run it... not fun work if you do not like getting dirty!!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:06 pm

wow thats realy cool the only ones i have are from lines ive recked out from working in southern california and all over arizona mostly 4kv and some from a telegraph line that runs along the i10 do you have any wooden cutout boxes

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:51 pm

An insulator party, eh? Those must be crazy!!!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:56 pm

Culito wrote: An insulator party, eh? Those must be crazy!!!

haha, when I thought they were old fashioned kegs of some sort I wasn't all that surprised by the idea.