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Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:28 pm

I've been wanting to start this dicussion for some time and I'm even more eager to get this restoration started, though, it isn't going to start for some time.

First task will be getting the body work completed. I would like to send her down to metwiz, so I'm using this as a vehicle to document the current condition and to post pictures that I can send to him to review. Hopefully, he and I can then discuss where we are and where we can go from here.

Here she is:

Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:37 pm

I think I'll just be replacing the nose and valance completely:

Inner valance:

Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:44 pm

Front Floors:

Cargo Floors:

Cargo Door Bottoms:

Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:53 pm

Passenger Rocker:

Driver Side Rocker:

Well, that's were I'm at right now. Like I said, this is going to be a pretty slow project.

The bus came with a complete single port engine and a complete dual port engine, as well as a dual port longblock. I'll be looking over the engines in the near future and making a decision which one will be getting the rebuild. Right now, I'm leaning single port.

Mon Oct 11, 2010 2:27 pm

Good luck on the project. I love watching buses like this get the extreme makeover. The nose on that thing is especially nasty.... Total "Bogata Look"

Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:01 pm

I bet Gerson gets a woody when he sees a bus like this :D

Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:14 pm

I see at least $3-4K in green metal needed.
Nice riveted rockers. :shock:
Removing the lacquer primer and bondo might help the body evaluation.

Good luck with the project,
Jim

Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:52 pm

You will sell this bus before you restore it. Just my prediction. :wink:

Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:13 pm

jpeters wrote:
Well, that's were I'm at right now. Like I said, this is going to be a pretty slow project.

The bus came with a complete single port engine and a complete dual port engine, as well as a dual port longblock. I'll be looking over the engines in the near future and making a decision which one will be getting the rebuild. Right now, I'm leaning single port.

Sentimentality is the downfall of man. If you are unfortunate enough -as I've been with 90% of the buses that have come my way- to have grown a sentimental attachment to this... this Ohio Beauty, my condolences, this bus is significantly horrible. That you are considering having the work done indicates the true possibility that you're very well heeled, and if that's the case, all the power to you, this industry can use the money, but many of us have cut up better buses.

On a positive note, you could sell the Ohio Beauty to -well, I'm not sure who- and you can keep the engines to use on the bus that you actually WILL get serious with. DO NOT BE SENTIMENTAL ABOUT THIS BUS. Bury your dead, move on.

Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:58 pm

Pull your SO-42 interior, bag and tag each and every bracket, clip, screw.
Compare what you have to the SO-42 interior in the Samba archive.
Did that poptop leak the 20 or so years your bus sat outside? If so, the
laminate is probably shot. If not, preserve the interior away from water and rodents.

By the looks of this bus, the shell is a goner, unless you plan on spending a boatload of greenbacks. Where do you start???

You could find a clean '65-'67 Kombi or Standard and transfer a good interior into it with some fitting, or else part out the shell, sell the good
interior Westy components and drive train and find a useable safe-to-drive Westy.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:05 am

madcitymcflyer wrote: Pull your SO-42 interior, bag and tag each and every bracket, clip, screw.

You could find a clean '65-'67 Kombi or Standard and transfer a good interior into it with some fitting, or else part out the shell, sell the good
interior Westy components and drive train and find a useable safe-to-drive Westy.

This is some good advice.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:19 am

My thoughts as well. That shell is not worth repairing. It needs a new nose, all new floors, frame parts, rockers, doors, doglegs. And look at the gutters. What will be left? If it were a more desirable model, it would be worth it. But that thing is a mess.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:26 am

Devils advocate;

Your frame is pretty decent. I say that because it looks like the po cut the corners off and hacked the outriggers/tophats. The inner rocker looks pretty nice! Usually they are non existent.

I personally would fix the outriggers/top hats. And LEAVE the rockers etc alone. Then fix the drivers side floor a little bit and drive it. Get it running/driving/stopping and then drive it till it's no more. The nose is horrible, but, eeeh, it's ok. Same with the rockers etc. It looks really bad but it's not that terrible. Spray with some anti-rust and rollllll it. That bus could easily be around another 10 years.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:49 am

x3 on no sentimantality - to get that bus back to a drveable state will be muy greenbacks. a quick look tells me that the bottom 6"-12" of the bus inner and outer would need replacing.. we're talking the nose, inner outer valance, inner outer rockets, doglegs blah blah blah and that it not even tackling, tires, mechanical, running gera blah blah blah.

i agree grab every campmobile piece you can get off of it (including drilling out the rivetted front curtain rods) and find a better body to transfer to a better bus@!

Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:38 pm

My '66 Westy was in a very simualar condition when i dragged its rusty carcass home. I am a sentamental kind of guy, i don't beleive I could have finished the bus if I didn't have an emotional attatchment to see it through.
I saw it as an artistic sculpture in sheetmetal.
Anyway it took 10 long years and lots of frustration and cash, but now its finished and i couldn't be more happier.
Good luck....you will need it.[/img]

Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:57 pm

A quick look says outriggers, top hats, jacking points, the outer cargo floors, lower nose inner and out, window beds, some dogleg partss, front floor at least 1/4's, front seat belt point - this is already 100+ hours. Factor in paid time and you get an idea of the end bill for this Bus. Just go in knowing this will hurt.

Also be observant of the roof gutter - there looks to be issues there.

Please say the paperwork is intact and everything matches.

Good luck.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:09 pm

WOW!! That thing is seriously rough.....you'd be better buying my westy project that is almost done with all metal work (minimal to start) and body work on going.
And mine is fully complete and ten times that bus and cheaper in the long run.

PM sent.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:53 pm

I like the idea of just fixing it enough to drive it, and leaving the cosmetic stuff for later. So, outriggers, inner rockers, floors, drive. Restoring this bus completely would simply not be worth it, at least at this point in time.

Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:16 pm

Wow...thanks for all the kind words. I guess this is a glass half empty kind of crowd (with maybe one or two exceptions). I realize it will be a long road ahead.

Media blasting starts on Sunday. 8)

Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:22 pm

Good for you pal!!

That's another bus saved so thank you sir :D