TheSamba.com :: View topic - '66 Panel Project

Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:24 pm

Hey there everyone. It's been a while since I've been around the Samba, my father and I have simply been enjoying our Volkswagens rather than working on them. Today we picked up a new project.

It's our first split window bus.

It's ugly.

This is how we found it. Sitting in the weeds.

The monstrosity on top was a camper conversion done by the guy we bought it off of back in 1968. He was the second owner. Owned it since he was 17 and claims to have taken it to every national park in the US!!

The seller was nice enough to wrap it to go! (so the rotten wood camper top didn't blow off on the way home!)

Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:32 pm

Back home

We must be the envy of all our neighbors. God damn, that's ugly. :lol:

interior

yumm

We made short work of that:

"HEY! LETS JUST CUT THIS BULKHEAD OUTTA HEAR TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE ICE CHEST!!!"

There's actually some floor left! Not bad for an east coast bus. The previous owner claimed to never have driven it in the winter... so most of the rust is probably from sitting.

I can't believe the original cab divider was still with the bus after all these years

Up next... getting rid of that ugly hat

Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:35 pm

damn! you guys got that bus? My brother and I talked to the owner a few times. Guess that's what I get for sitting on my butt and not buying it. Glad it went to you guys. Hope you fix it up nice. POST PICS! I know that the engine is a type 3? What are the plans for the bus? Can I ask how much you paid?

I should have bought it when I had the chance, but this is how the cards are dealt sometimes. :(

Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:40 pm

Your neighbors are much more tolerant than mine. I don't think I'd get that thing off the tow-dolly before Code Enforcement rode up and hit me with a ticket. :lol:

Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:52 pm

60vwnewengland wrote: damn! you guys got that bus? My brother and I talked to the owner a few times. Guess that's what I get for sitting on my butt and not buying it. Glad it went to you guys. Hope you fix it up nice. POST PICS! I know that the engine is a type 3? What are the plans for the bus? Can I ask how much you paid?

I should have bought it when I had the chance, but this is how the cards are dealt sometimes. :(

The guy did say if he had a nickle for every time someone's asked about it, he wouldn't have to sell it, lol. I guess we caught him on a good day. We ended up getting it for a grand... could have probably offered $800, but the extra 200 helped loosen the sentimental value. Not the deal of the century, but not a bad deal for a decent New England split.
Yup, it's got a type 3 engine... which will definitely be replaced with a proper upright. The plans right now are to restore to stock... that always seems to have a way of evolving though, so I can't say for sure. I'd really like to get it ready for Transporter fest, but that would be quite a feat with just under a month to go :shock:

Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:14 pm

he said $500 when we looked at it, about two months ago. Why didn't I go down to the bank and get $500? Lack of storage, girlfriend, other things. When we last talked to the owner, he didn't seem like in a mood to sell, ever.... :roll:

Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:23 pm

He told my dad he had a $500 dollar offer on it, but didn't want to sell it. We're happy with it, and what we paid for it. It's a good base to start with.

Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:10 pm

Got some new tires for her this morning. The ones we towed it home on were off the '56, and my dad wanted em back!

Here's my dad loosening the rusty sheet metal screws holding the top on

We must have removed over 1,000 sheet metal screws in the past two days.

Nice mess on the floor up front. Parcel shelf completely rusted out.

I couldn't find a key, but I found this :lol:

An inside view of the lovely camper top.

SUCCESS!

AHHH! BEES!!!

Now... what to do about that big gaping hole, lol

Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:15 pm

4Doora wrote: Now... what to do about that big gaping hole, lol

Sliding rag top?

Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:20 pm

stasher1 wrote: 4Doora wrote: Now... what to do about that big gaping hole, lol

Sliding rag top?
That very well may be the solution 8)

Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:09 pm

4Doora wrote: 60vwnewengland wrote: damn! you guys got that bus? My brother and I talked to the owner a few times. Guess that's what I get for sitting on my butt and not buying it. Glad it went to you guys. Hope you fix it up nice. POST PICS! I know that the engine is a type 3? What are the plans for the bus? Can I ask how much you paid?

I should have bought it when I had the chance, but this is how the cards are dealt sometimes. :(

The guy did say if he had a nickle for every time someone's asked about it, he wouldn't have to sell it, lol. I guess we caught him on a good day. We ended up getting it for a grand... could have probably offered $800, but the extra 200 helped loosen the sentimental value. Not the deal of the century, but not a bad deal for a decent New England split.
Yup, it's got a type 3 engine... which will definitely be replaced with a proper upright. The plans right now are to restore to stock... that always seems to have a way of evolving though, so I can't say for sure. I'd really like to get it ready for Transporter fest, but that would be quite a feat with just under a month to go :shock:

i have a 1600dp with a 6v flywheel for sale its a 211 p/n block so it is a bus motor let me know if youre interested

Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:52 am

dropped65 wrote: i have a 1600dp with a 6v flywheel for sale its a 211 p/n block so it is a bus motor let me know if youre interested

Thanks for the offer, but we've surely got enough engine parts lying around to throw an engine together.
The only engine numbers I'm worried about are tolerances, so were probably going to get a new case to start with anywho.

Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:34 pm

I got a little done this afternoon, nothing major

Bumper off, and what was left of the splash pan

I got the glass out, and found some much expected rust in the window frame

What's left of the right side cargo floor

I found what was left of that key on the floor

Looks like the guy used a can opener to cut open the roof... ugh

There's a cut out like this on the other side for an external oil cooler. why there's a matching one on this side, I don't know... symmetry? Oh, also, it used to sport side scoops. Sorry New Jersey, they're long gone :lol:

Here's the hacked up rear decklid, complete with hood pins!

And here's the pile that lies beneath...

At least there's one straight panel on this panel!

Ugly Spare Mount:

Here's a close up of the damage caused by that stupid spare carrier

Victory!

Tue Sep 20, 2011 5:36 pm

You've got to save that key impression on the dash.

Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:06 pm

Everyone loves that key... You'd think it was an image of the virgin mary or something :lol:
btw, Ev uploaded a high-resolution version to the background section if you'd like to download it

Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:11 pm

i see metal work in your future my friend. lol. its a good project bus though. and i would leave the key impression, it gives it character.

Tue Sep 20, 2011 7:09 pm

Cool project.. Looking forward to the progress..!

Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:38 pm

any progress?

Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:24 am

Got the motor out, got all the doors off, and got the floors out!

We're inching our way along, waiting for the day we can order some funky green panels. I'm going to build a dolly/ rotisserie for it, and hopefully get it sandblasted. Right now the '61 bug occupies the garage, so our attention has been diverted back to that (for a little while).

-RJ

Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:41 am

any updates?