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Fri Nov 01, 2013 12:14 pm

Thanks - Im starting to get into it now .
Holy Shit this thing is bad :-0

Fri Nov 01, 2013 12:47 pm

Started to get back into this since I moved to a bigger workshop and everything has room again .

The biggest and scariest bit for me has to be the long panel - so I started to try and investigate it a bit .

First up , I managed to get a new section at a reasonable price

Having the new bit I decided to have a closer look at the side - What I noticed was that the windows were are different sizes on the bus and the side was actually longer than my replacement - a few frantic phone calls followed , resulting in me getting the wire wheel in the grinder to take a better look

This is part of what I found - There is a weld running down both sections between the windows - Nice welding though !!

Where the semaphore should be

Top of the B post
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The length is also different

You might be able to see here the rivets used to hold the corner to the window section :-0
A later section would appear to have been used as there is no horizontal support

Also the weld below that joint

I will have to remove the inner section of the old bus to get this sheet metal with the horse shoe pressing

What would appear to have happened is that the vehicle has had a heavy clump on the long side at a fairly high point - This has meant that the long side - its vertical supports and the window section has had to be changed . Amazingly the chassis and I beams etc are completely undamaged .

I thought id better check the roof at this stage

This appears to be the original and the little dents you can see above the first and second window are from clamps when the window sections were welded in - I have also found where the window sections were welded ( i use the term loosely ) to the gutter rail on the inside .

Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:31 pm

A little update .

I started by putting it on axel stands - Major result as it has always stooped down on the front OS - having removed the wheels and put it on stands , it now sits correctly .
So problem is with the torsion leaves in the front .

once on stands I started at the rear - Old lights out - exposing the original light holes at the rear

Paint on the rear NS corner removed - To put the record straight there is no way I could have returned to OG paint - Not enough of it left im afraid

The rear corner is in amazing condition when you consider the rest of the body

The previous owner wins the prize for the most holes used to mount an indicator :-0

Rear light mount is very good

I wont be having the usual debate as to where the reflectors go on a barndoor

Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:58 am

A little more .
Cleaning up after floor removal - the pile of rust is 6 inches high

Genuine floor for a 53 anyone

Bulkhead showing a fair amount of original paint after all the additional layers were removed

Starting to get the panel back to bare metal

Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:40 am

hi! great job! :) do you know if all barndoors with the air vent where ambulances? i just bought a 54 barn door.. the seller does not know much about this car..it will take some time until i have it back home.. i ordered the Volkswagen certificate.. here are some pictures:

Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:12 am

hagi wrote: hi! great job! :) do you know if all barndoors with the air vent where ambulances? i just bought a 54 barn door.. the seller does not know much about this car..it will take some time until i have it back home.. i ordered the Volkswagen certificate.. here are some pictures

Your bus is not an ambulance. Note the difference in shelf height behind rear seat to the pictures above. Still a very interesting bus with the rare opening hatch option/roof vent. Please post more when it's in your possession.

Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:17 am

bubblehead wrote:
Please post more when it's in your possession.
… ok, i will.. thanks! :D

Sun Jan 12, 2014 8:18 pm

Hagi, I think it's a Taxi

Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:23 pm

Hagi , your air vent is much further back on the roof than mine - I believe the roof vent could be ordered at the factory - Im sure someone in the UK has an early bus with a vent that is not an ambulance .