TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1963 Panelvan build "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks"

Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:50 pm

This is how I first saw the panel when it was offered to me. I was not looking for a project but the owner said it needed to go home with me. It needed someone who could weld.

Feeling I needed more welding in my life, I towed it home with a replacement roof strapped to the side.

I am a woodworker after all right! I could glue those veneers back together. Then all it would need is a fresh coat of varnish!

I don't know what to say about this photo.

Can you smell this on your computer, too?

Some research revealed that this was some kind of American aftermarket camper conversion. The pop top is common to '60s Ford Econoline vans. It may or may not have been done by a VW dealer in the U.S. It is M-coded simply as a panelvan for the U.S. market. It has body color in the cab and only grey primer in the back. There are channels for a cab divider and no provision for heat in the cargo area. In California I had to register it as a commercial vehicle because there are no seat mountings in the back. It's weight had to be verified by a certified station so it got to ride around on a trailer for another day.

I removed the soggy wood with my hands. They were poor quality and not worth replicating.

This front clip was also included. It will be used as there is not much left of the front.

Cut through the shift coupler with a cutoff wheel as usually required.

Got the front ring for the rotisserie installed.

As it was getting dark I set the front ring in it's new caster base. It will be nice to be able to roll this one around while I am rolling it around.

I have not decided what the end result will be. Restoration, ratrod or offroad. I am not interested in a camper or keeping the pop top or windows. It will be returned to a panelvan of some form.
Kurt

Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:08 am

so much for the road warrior camper!

looking forward to your progress though! this bus is a bit on the over ripe side..

Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:39 am

Glideking, I love your lift method/4x4's and his name, "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks". And yes I can smell that interior and had to stop eating my breakfast temporarily :wink: .

Bookmarked.

Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:28 am

did you update your tetanus shot? 8)

Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:36 am

Since woodwork is your job (right?), i'd go UK-style and make something cool in the back. Perhaps something easy to remove so you can use it to haul stuff when your single cab can't ?

Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:15 am

Enkiel wrote: use it to haul stuff when your single cab can't ?

Sacrilege! There's no such word as can't when you've got a single cab. :lol:

Racked out with storage bins and some kid of work bench, it might make a neat mobile workshop though. Kind of like a derivation of this ex-Swiss military van... http://www.milweb.net/webverts/60650/

Is that the kind of thing you meant Enkiel?

Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:27 am

Quite frankly, i have no clue what a single cab can't carry, unless its something that must not be left outside.

But again, i'm not sure why kurt want a panel instead of a camper so bad :P

Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:36 am

Enkiel wrote: Quite frankly, i have no clue what a single cab can't carry

Friends or family. :lol:

Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:54 am

Who.Me? wrote: Enkiel wrote: Quite frankly, i have no clue what a single cab can't carry

Friends or family. :lol: :lol:

Guess it depends on your relation with your relative... i'm sure you can fit ain inlaw seat in the back of a single cab!

Wed Feb 15, 2017 7:04 am

I hope you ordered bags of blasting media, extra spools of mig wire, grinding disc's of various sizes and as mentioned, had your tetanus shot recently. I know you put a smile on Gerson's face with your parts order. :lol:

I'm really looking forward to another great restoration thread from ya! :D

Wed Feb 15, 2017 7:06 am

There are quite a few cool panels that people have and use. I can think of at least a couple of uses for this sort of vehicle. I think I'd outfit one as a "fire brigade" vehicle (I'm a firefighter) with period correct accessories. A friend of mine has one that is just used to transport bulk items and generally show off his woodworking and metalworking projects.

Wed Feb 15, 2017 9:18 am

Who.Me? wrote: Racked out with storage bins and some kid of work bench, it might make a neat mobile workshop though. Kind of like a derivation of this ex-Swiss military van...
http://www.milweb.net/webverts/60650/

I think you are on to something here. I am going to latch on to this idea for a while. This could be a mobile fine woodworking toolbox for my job site and when I teach woodworking at local schools. Fitted out with dovetailed drawers and antique hand tools.

Good idea.
Kurt

Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:02 am

totally love this idea. A proper use case, a proper use of a panel, something cool and commercial, and something in there for the woodworker

i think this could be hands down the quietest VW panel ever

Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:46 am

Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:24 am

glideking wrote: dovetailed drawers and antique hand tools.
That sounds great. You could use it to show what different woods look like too.
glideking wrote: I teach woodworking at local schools
I reckon you could teach metalworking as well by now.

Wed Feb 15, 2017 2:05 pm

glideking wrote: This is how I first saw the panel when it was offered to me. I was not looking for a project but the owner said it needed to go home with me. It needed someone who could weld.

I have not decided what the end result will be. Restoration, ratrod or offroad. I am not interested in a camper or keeping the pop top or windows. It will be returned to a panelvan of some form.
Kurt

I saw one of those pop tops on a Split Window many years back. I **think** the label said "Road Runner". All aluminum and pretty well built. I agree they were more common on Econolines, Dodge A-100s and Greenbriers than on VWs. Nevertheless a very period piece. Someone might want that top if your replace it with a regular roof.

Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:30 pm

^^^I was thinking that very thing. I'm tall and could use some stand up room. My problem is I have a DD panel and have already taken out the belly pan for my belly radiator on my Subi conversion. Don't think I can put a large hole in the roof. :lol:

This is going to be a cool bus no matter what direction it takes, but I really dig the rolling toolbox idea.

Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:02 pm

glideking wrote: This could be a mobile fine woodworking toolbox for my job site and when I teach woodworking at local schools. Fitted out with dovetailed drawers and antique hand tools.

Good idea.
Kurt

Can anyone else hear me CLAPPING? I am trying to make it really loud!

Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:54 pm

I am getting more excited about the fine woodworking van. Glad you thought of it.

Got the rear torsion housing prepared for the rotisserie. Chased the threads with a tap and die. I am very happy to find all internal parts are in great condition. If the splines at the center housing were no good I would be looking for another project. The frame is in good condition too. Only sheet metal is "over ripe" from the leaking roof. It got dark. I will put on the rear rotisserie ring in the morning.
Kurt

Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:17 pm

Glad to see you're starting on the panel. I know you're ditching the pop top but that thing is pretty incredible. They could have just made the box a little taller and it wouldn't even need to pop up at all. 8) I'm sure someone will be glad to take it off your hands. No need to change any canvas on that thing!