TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:41 pm

The body has been sealed...very important to do this immediately after stripping the bus to bare metal. To ensure moisture does not cause bubbles in the final paint work.

Next up minimal welding and grinding, then minor bodywork.

Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:01 am

Awesome work Doug!
I knew they made you your own action figure for a reason!

Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:51 am

Perfection!

Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:49 pm

Douglas Denlinger wrote:

Prostrip finished the 55 23 window, so the bus is heading back to the shop. It's a great feeling to take delivery of a bus where there were no hidden surprises, uncovered after removing the old primer. Tomorrow, we'll etch prime the bus and all the parts.

Doug there were no surprises because of all the NOS sheet metal I used. I wanted to save as much original sheet metal as I could that is why I left the long panel alone. I know it was lumpy (not as lumpy as your picture) but I wanted to keep it since there was no rust in the original rocker on that side.

I only used one of the NOS rear corners but I had to buy both to get the one. I only used 3 pieces of repro metal on this bus, inner cargo rocker, one top hat and the piece under the bulk head that the heater tube runs through. You long panel makes 4 total.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:55 pm

Douglas Denlinger wrote: ducatis wrote: Wow what a bus

How many earlier post Barndoor deluxes are out there?

Keep the news/pictures of her build coming

I believe this is the 2nd or 3rd oldest known to exist, post barndoor production samba, definitely the best in terms of how kind mother nature/previous owners have treated the bus.

This is the 3rd oldest known, the TV repair deluxe that was in a junk yard years back was the oldest, then Matt Devine's was number 2. But neither of those buses had factory safaris and 6 pop outs.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:58 pm

Douglas Denlinger wrote:

Has anyone ever seen these on another, bus? What's the function?

My thought.....mounting points for the assembly line...since this is a March of 1955 the bus more than likely shared the production line with the final barndoors.

Doug the previous owner put that in I was going to remove those once we got the bus on a rotisserie. He also has some crazy stuff around the nose cone mount for a bug trany that we already fixed.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:11 pm

We used a bunch of metal from this bus. In 2000 no one want this 56 kombi for $600 except me for parts. Today it would have been saved. The parts went to two deluxes and I still have the main cargo floor from it.

The NOS front and rear floors were a little later style so I made my body man cut up the 56 Kombi sections and weld them into the NOS floor to make them correct. Things like the front NOS floor did not have the donuts that go around the brake pedal and clutch pedal. The NOS front floor had the later shift locations so we basically just used each outside half with the original floor in the middle. Also the NOS cargo floor had different seat mounts so that all got cut out. On the NOS short panel it did not have the Wolfsburg only gas door opening so we cut that out of the original bus and welded it into the NOS short panel.

My body man thought I was nuts cutting up all the NOS sheet metal.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:30 pm

On the rear floor the way the ribs end into the back of the bus is different on Wolfsburg buses, also the cargo door side floor lip is fatter. All that go cut off original buses and added to the NOS cargo floor to be correct.

100s of hours of metal work were done before Doug got this bus, I was super picky about the work that was done. The body man called me "Big Dealer" because I would make a big deal out of everything. I made him do body work inside the tool storage area.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:11 pm

This work looks stellar! Looks like original german metal for the most part was used? Any fit issues between wolfsburg and non wolfsburg metal? I have never laid eyes on that rear bracket on any of my 55s. I look forward to watching this one.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:56 pm

Thanks Matt......the extra brackets are soon to be removed. :lol:

Matt deserves much credit and kudos for getting the bus this far.....most people give up at the parts gathering stage. Matt put a great deal of effort and money to make sure this bus was done right the first time. I'm honored to be handed the responsibility to see the project through to completion. Our goal spring Octo 2013 :!:

Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:34 am

Douglas Denlinger wrote: Thanks Matt......the extra brackets are soon to be removed. :lol:

Matt deserves much credit and kudos for getting the bus this far.....most people give up at the parts gathering stage. Matt put a great deal of effort and money to make sure this bus was done right the first time. I'm honored to be handed the responsibility to see the project through to completion. Our goal spring Octo 2013 :!:

I just have to chime in here that I really am enjoying watching this one come together... Sad about the bad blasting job warping stuff . I was really careful when I did my 56/ 23 some years ago and avoided that issue by doing the blasting myself ... (NEVER AGAIN!) and I can fully understand how most people never get beyond the parts collecting stage ... someday I will have to bring mine out of the closet to a show... and yes good job on saving the wolfsburg gas door opening! Now the issue is finding the weird wolfsburg gas door seal for it... I have one for my 56 but never installed it for fear it would crack.

Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:36 am

Hoping for an update on this one :!:
How is the work progressing?

Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:50 pm

What a great thread :D

How nice to see an early deluxe being treated so well - the attention to detail is what will make this bus stand out from the crowd.......:D

Please keep the updates coming :D

Phil. :D

(I'm starting to wish I had gone for an earlier deluxe now :roll: )

Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:43 pm

Thought I would post an update, not much going on other than sanding
but the Bus is in primer now and the paint has been decided on and purchased. Hopefully there will be more progress soon.

Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:00 pm

Looking great.....can't wait to see it in paint

Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:24 am

Some pics of the NOS 36 Horse going together.

Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:33 am

goatheady wrote: Some pics of the NOS 36 Horse going together.

Looks nice, but what diz are you using?

Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:05 am

Happy 58th Birthday! Born on this day back in 1955 and hopefully to be
reborn soon as Trevor & Kevin are busy finishing up the body & paint and
then the reassembly can start. The 55 Nos engine is now complete, all the
motor work was done by Frenchy Dehoux and I can't thank him enough for
his efforts and attention to detail. Here are some pics to show it off.

Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:12 am

Beautiful! That is going to look great in the bus.

Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:31 am

Looking better and better, buddy!