TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Feb 26, 2016 4:56 pm

So I have been waiting to join this particular topic for a while and now is the chance. My wife and I have had our eye on these 2 for quite a while. I approached the owner last summer and he wanted nothing to do with getting rid of them. I went back this fall and he entertained the idea of letting them go. The next visit came and I brought up the idea of a trade since cash was not doing the talking. He asked what I had and I offered up our 1970 bug convertible (I brought pictures); the hook was now set.

The deal is almost closed (signed bills of sale and agreements today) as I will be submitting the title application next week and then off to pick them up.

They have sat for the last 40 years and unfortunately the engines are gone and the rear seats for the bus but there is not any terminal cancer. Luckily in Idaho metal doesn't tend to rust through too quickly. Granted there is surface rust but the bones are great.

It will be a great day when we get them home. The 58 single cab has dove blue underneath so we will try to get the green off and drive it as is once the brakes/wiring/etc. is replaced.

The 1964 will be a slooooow project but well worth it.
Most people around here think I am nuts for getting rid of our convertible (that we put our blood and tears in) for these but my wife and I are tickled and excited.

Fri Feb 26, 2016 5:29 pm

Nice work !!

Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:49 pm

Congrats! If those were behind the barn, I'de like to see whats in the barn.

Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:07 pm

I think you've done great.

Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:13 pm

G-wood Todd wrote: Congrats! If those were behind the barn, I'd like to see whats in the barn.

Haha you are right. I better look next time. There is a pile of vw parts i get in the deal as well-late 50's bug chassis and some other goodies like early 60's engine cases.

Thanks guys. My wife and I are proud to own our first cool old buses.

Fri Feb 26, 2016 9:27 pm

Great trade!

Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:01 pm

Nice! Both of them look pretty good.

On the '64, that missing cargo door panel will be really easy to find.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 2:41 am

U r a lucky man,having such an understanding wife,
If i bring any more cars at home i'll be sleeping in my camper :D

Sat Feb 27, 2016 3:41 am

IFVandal wrote:

What's the arrangement inside the treasure chest? Looks like more than just rails for a simple silde-out box? Is there a tray or false floor at the cab end? It looks like the floor is a few inches higher to the right in the picture. I can also see some sort of inverted T-shaped reinforcement on the back wall between two of the vertical straps. Is that part of the arrangement?

Sorry, lots of questions, I'm just interested to see how others have solved the problem of kit rolling around in there.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 8:27 am

Damn! And I'll be up in the Spokane area next week for a few days visiting. I guess all the Buses in Idaho are gone.

Congratulations on joining the cool crowd by finding "two" old Buses! You'll have a lot of fun playing with those Splitties and bringing them back to life. Cross your fingers that when you open the door to that storage barn, that staring you in the face will be those middle and rear seats (or a Hebmueller or two)!

Keep us up to date on the haul-out and the rest of the deal... We love these stories, most of us have been there before.

Bill Bowman

p.s. Any Bus nuts up in the Post Falls or Coeur D'Alene area?

Sat Feb 27, 2016 8:49 am

theres quite a few in Spoko.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 9:35 am

Who.Me? wrote: IFVandal wrote:

What's the arrangement inside the treasure chest? Looks like more than just rails for a simple silde-out box? Is there a tray or false floor at the cab end? It looks like the floor is a few inches higher to the right in the picture. I can also see some sort of inverted T-shaped reinforcement on the back wall between two of the vertical straps. Is that part of the arrangement?

Sorry, lots of questions, I'm just interested to see how others have solved the problem of kit rolling around in there.

you know I am not too sure. No false floor that I can tell. Again total newbie to anything split window. Only played with bugs for the last 17 years. here is a pic that may be better.

Once we get them home I will be certain to start a thread for each of them with more pics and updates. Hoping 2 weeks or so depending on how slow the State of Idaho is.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:10 am

Who.Me? wrote: IFVandal wrote:

What's the arrangement inside the treasure chest? Looks like more than just rails for a simple silde-out box? Is there a tray or false floor at the cab end? It looks like the floor is a few inches higher to the right in the picture. I can also see some sort of inverted T-shaped reinforcement on the back wall between two of the vertical straps. Is that part of the arrangement?

Sorry, lots of questions, I'm just interested to see how others have solved the problem of kit rolling around in there.

Yes it does look like it had a roller drawer, keep you eyes open for that too in the Barn.
Andy, I just use big heavy duty card board boxes like "Banana box" type to hold my stuff in place in the treasure chest area.

Great find !! They are still out there, my latest find was at the end of a long dirt road, at the top of a Mountain, sitting clear as day in a feild for 40 years ...

Sat Feb 27, 2016 11:44 am

Whew! Bus finds in Idaho, by Idahoans, who are keeping the buses in Idaho, who eat Idahoans... 8)

That W/T will be fun. Glad to see they are still out there- and in the IF area. And ditto- coolest wife ever.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 12:19 pm

cool find crukab. Is it back on the road?

Hitest- She is a great wife it was her decision to get rid of her vert since she fell in love with this bus. Good thing she likes to get her hands dirty working on them as they needs lots o love.

Hard to know when we will stumble upon something like this in our neck of the woods again.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:24 pm

No, not on the road for a while, tucked in the back corner of the garage :

I drive the '66 Singlecab during the salt free months, the '63 will be long term project, like your '64, wish mine was a walk thru, I have walk thru envey :lol: Is yours a Kombi ?
More pics when ya get them !!

Sat Feb 27, 2016 3:37 pm

not a kombi. It is supposed to have a short middle seat. Pretty interesting that it was imported to Pennsylvania and ended up in Idaho.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:15 pm

That is only fitting, as the Ore-Ida potato outfit is headquartered out of Pennsylvania. You should check on the connection. Coincidence? I think not.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:23 pm

Congratulations!

Nothing against beetles, I like them a lot but considering either one of these buses in their current condition could probably sell for more than a nice '70 vert I'd say you made a great trade.

I'm jealous.

Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:48 pm

IFVandal wrote: not a kombi. It is supposed to have a short middle seat. Pretty interesting that it was imported to Pennsylvania and ended up in Idaho.

Not surprising at all. Two of my buses are from New Jersey, one from Long Beach. They all came from someplace coastal 8)