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Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:18 pm

I did a search on frame boxing, strengthening and belly pans.
Didnt really have the info i wanted.

Got a SC, no bed floor or treasure chest floor. Bed floor stiffners or runners whatever are there and decent.

Outriggers and rockers are gone, the middle connectors are good, and the long C channels both are good front to back.

This usually good to drive? I plan on making a bed with some 14ga or something and rolling some ribs on it to get close to original looking bed and welding in to help stiffen it up.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:42 pm

I would not drive that. Its not rust that's there. Nothing is there.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:17 pm

I think you're going to want to do more welding than just the bed.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:48 pm

So outriggers and rockers matter?

Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:51 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: So outriggers and rockers matter?

Rockers and outriggers are structural

Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:56 pm

That's no fun

Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:02 pm

Being a truck it has the box tube frame for the bed as extra support
They can be much worse than a bus
I think that is what you are referring to as bed floor stiffeners
Obviously you are planning on welding a floor and some sort of outriggers on because you stated that
So go for it

Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:03 pm

I don't know, perhaps VW had a structural rigidity-delete M-code. Look at your plate for the number "404"

Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:14 pm

ash1965 wrote: Hi all,

After more than 2 years Steve Muller and crew have just got the St George bus running again for a rat day next weekend. It was a privelage to witness. The videos follow:

Part 1

Part 2

Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:47 pm

What's the point of that?

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:20 pm

the real question is where do you want to drive it without all that metal on it?
if it's to the corner store or around the block to do test drives I would go for it
but if you want to drive it around town or on the freeway then I think it would be unsafe

also would have to tale into account how much weight it's missing from the rear with all that metal gone
not sure how much it would affect how it drives but it might change the dynamics of how it was designed to drive(just a thought) :wink:

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:21 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: What's the point of that?
"How much rust is safe??" is the thread title. That would be an example of a drivable bus with too much rust to be considered safe. Notice the roof is literally stitched on.
By the way,since you clearly have concerns that your bus is unfit for service... just fix the bus and put those concerns to rest.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:40 pm

Budget wise, to me, this bus is not fixable.

I bought it for parts, but thought main frame is solid, hence my question.

Seems not a lot of rust repair experts or anyone who has driven one like this?

Thanks for the replies thus far.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:45 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: Budget wise, to me, this bus is not fixable.

I bought it for parts, but thought main frame is solid, hence my question.

Seems not a lot of rust repair experts or anyone who has driven one like this?

Thanks for the replies thus far.

maybe I misread your first post but I thought you want to know if you can drive it like this
and the answer is not recommend

if you are asking about rust repair option then that is different to answer that most would need more detail pics and info then

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:48 pm

That was my question. And the above posts said fix it.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:50 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: Budget wise, to me, this bus is not fixable.

I bought it for parts, but thought main frame is solid, hence my question.

Seems not a lot of rust repair experts or anyone who has driven one like this?

Thanks for the replies thus far.

"Frame" on a bus is a bit of an exaggeration. Frame may carry the load but sheetmetal body is required for shear strength. Frame alone could rack like a folding chair or table pretty easily.
From my couch it looks like you need $2000 in klassicfab to put humpty back together again. Just a wild guess.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:59 pm

Wayyy more than that lol.
What's funny is the bus "frame" other than cross braces and gauge diff, looks a lot like my 51 F1 frame.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:01 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: Wayyy more than that lol.
What's funny is the bus "frame" other than cross braces and gauge diff, looks a lot like my 51 F1 frame.
Have you compared the thickness of the steel? Worlds of difference.

Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:01 pm

vintagespeedwerks wrote: That was my question. And the above posts said fix it.

95% of the people on here will always say "fix it" no matter what it looks like :wink:

but the reality is it will cost a lot to fix it the "right" way and it already sounds like your not up to that

my advice would be if you don't want to spend the money or time to fix it then take what you want off it and sell it to someone who can use it for something

there was a guy in the classifieds a few days ago that was looking for a single cab bed to put on his double cab

Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:16 pm

Oh cool Joe, what year F1 do you have?