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Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:44 am

I just wanted to share my recently find in Santa Cruz mountains (sorry santa cruz folks). Two years ago, I found the bus. The owner was a hard head and I was moving to New Mexico so we could not strike a deal.

Last fall, I moved back to Sacramento and my brother moved to Santa cruz himself. I told him to check the place out and get to know the owner. After almost one year of nagging, talk, etc. My brother was able to strike the deal for me. I owe him big time. I went and pulled it out of the forest where it sat since 89.

Based on searching on this site, I guess its an EZ american camper??

Here are the pictures.

Thats where it sat for years.

This bus remind me of Brian Piercy's rat attack bus. Its filled up with rat shit, etc. The pic was taken after I removed most of it. We will see how much of interior is salvageable.

On paved road, waiting for tow truck.

Some more cool pics.

Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:46 am

Man, nice score right in my backyard! I don't know how you guys do it (locate and score old buses) especially in the Santa Cruz mountains, it is tough to see someone's property because of all of the trees and vegetation. Is the other split window on the property still available?

Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:55 am

deadwesty wrote:

Well isn't that just purdy.. I wouldn't even wash it 8)

Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:03 pm

nice find that thing is cool

Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:20 pm

I can smell the interior from here!

Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:55 pm

You're brave for rescuing that. I'm impressed. Congratulations!

As for the interior....

Sun Jul 29, 2012 1:23 pm

well what better way to continue the rat look........inside and out :o

Sun Jul 29, 2012 2:21 pm

Nice find; but how about the other bus or busses that were there. There could be some multiple saves here.

Sun Jul 29, 2012 4:10 pm

Great find !! I have a 63 EZ I bought in 1969... Second owner.. Mine is a non-walk through... Mine was first bought from Niello VW in Sacramento.. Ended up in Long Beach where I bought it for $1,100.. Good Luck with yours.. What are your plans for your new find ?? Congrats.,,, Bob King, 63 EZ, Long Beach, Ca....

Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:13 pm

Spitty1974 wrote: Man, nice score right in my backyard! I don't know how you guys do it (locate and score old buses) especially in the Santa Cruz mountains, it is tough to see someone's property because of all of the trees and vegetation. Is the other split window on the property still available?

I agree, its very hard to find them over there. Back then, the owner left his red ghia right by the road. My thumb rule is that once a person own one vw, they are bound to own at least ONE more.

I was driving a 56 panel then and I asked the owner if he got any bus like this. He accidently said "I got two of them". I said accidently cuz afterwards, he gave me a hard time and showed me only bay windows on his property for a while.

Few days later I called him again and he finally said "OK, I will show you those two- only if you get here in 30 mins!". Rest of it is history. :D

The other split bus is spoken for, of course.

Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:17 pm

bugcollections wrote: Nice find; but how about the other bus or busses that were there. There could be some multiple saves here.

We are working on it. Like I said, the owner is a hard head, rat pack, etc. It will be a slow process over time. There are a couple of nice bay windows and bugs.

Honestly, I was kind of surprised when my brother told me that we got the 63.

Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:21 pm

rking6 wrote: Great find !! I have a 63 EZ I bought in 1969... Second owner.. Mine is a non-walk through... Mine was first bought from Niello VW in Sacramento.. Ended up in Long Beach where I bought it for $1,100.. Good Luck with yours.. What are your plans for your new find ?? Congrats.,,, Bob King, 63 EZ, Long Beach, Ca....

Thanks! So my bus is an EZ for sure then?

My first step is to get it running and drivable. Which should be in a couple of weeks. Then I will focus on all minor rust repairs and fix up the interior. If you have any interior extras, please let me know!

I will keep the OG paint and keep it stock. It will need very little blending.

Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:42 pm

Nice work. I know of at least 6 or more buses in Colorado that are "returning to earth" and the owners will not sell.
Some Ive been trying to buy for over 15 years.

Its hard to watch them die and not be able to bring em back.

Have fun w that one, I love it !

Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:10 pm

Awesome find!! you seem to have knack for artistic pictures. they look really cool.

Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:26 am

nice. did you get the rack with the bus too??

Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:35 am

Great looking bus (once the interior is torn out and detoxified)!

Why do I get the feeling that this property might have been seen on Hoarders?

Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:17 pm

I think it's the same Big Basin hoarder property. If anyone can get the other split they need to do it soon the County is moving to clean out that guy and his property.

I think your bus is a Caravelle camper. I have a 63/64 panel camper that had the same type of table legs and set up as yours does. Caravelle, and EZ were camper/rv companies that converted VWs probably similar stuff used by both companies but when I researched mine it was pointed more towards Caravelle. Nice find and glad you got it out of there & on the road.

Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:06 pm

SCZ9-1-1 wrote: I think it's the same Big Basin hoarder property. If anyone can get the other split they need to do it soon the County is moving to clean out that guy and his property.

I think your bus is a Caravelle camper. I have a 63/64 panel camper that had the same type of table legs and set up as yours does. Caravelle, and EZ were camper/rv companies that converted VWs probably similar stuff used by both companies but when I researched mine it was pointed more towards Caravelle. Nice find and glad you got it out of there & on the road.

U got it correct. I was told the same thing about the city coming after the owner. I dont blame the city, the property is filthy! An embarrassment to the Big Basin park.

As I said above, the other split bus is SPOKEN FOR. We will come back and pull it out soon. I just hope city isnt coming today! :shock:

As for rest of vw's, we will try our best and save as many as we can before the city come.

Caravelle? Ok, I will need to do some more research on it. I saw a couple of EZ and they seemed very similar to mine.

Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:07 pm

Thanks for all the comments, guys.

Today I did a bit on the bus, washed it with soap, vaccuum most of the shit out. Uncovered the front seats.

The seat is nice all over, the only tears is what u see in the pictures. How would you guys suggest me to clean it up?? Same time soften the fabric? Its almost brittle now, but not too bad.

Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:36 pm

Here is an update with the camper.

I torn the interior apart and deep clean whole bus with a disinfection chemicals. The camper interior stuff was in a much better condition than I dared hope for. As of now, I will reuse all camper stuff with some work.

As for mechanically, I went thur basically everything. I replaceed them with the new stuff. Tie rods, spindles, brake stuff, drag link, cables, etc etc.... Also installed transmission and motor in.

The wiring seemed to be ok, on my first try the idiot lights came on right away. The starter turns on first try and fired the motor. Whew! But the head lights, signal light will need work to make it street legal. Not bad!

Here is the pics.

The bulky tire holder goes!

The tank is really clean inside and outside. Cleaned out.

Other pics.