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Sat Jul 10, 2021 4:32 pm

I agree hot Rod Baja history piece.

Mon Jul 12, 2021 5:52 am

whoa! that's awesome!! Any story or background on this one? Looks like it's patched together using body components from the later split window bus. What about the chassis? Does it fit on a bug pan?

Air George wrote: I agree hot Rod Baja history piece.

Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:31 pm

derRHDmeister wrote: whoa! that's awesome!! Any story or background on this one? Looks like it's patched together using body components from the later split window bus. What about the chassis? Does it fit on a bug pan?

Air George wrote: I agree hot Rod Baja history piece.

it’s all fiber glass It was cut in half The windshield&dashboard were built like a console that bolts to body. Yea man it fits a shortened and chopped Baja split bus platform. The hood sits over the tool box and the tail section sits over the fuel tank compartment of yes prob a 56 up bus or truck platform. It’s well made a lot of cool details. Same thing but looks more like a cartoon bus then a used jeep I’ve never seen one either. Just discovered it in Florida

Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:55 am

Hey. ?Has anybody seen the green one lateley The blue barn one is amazing I’d never change it one bit.

Thu Jul 15, 2021 6:04 am

Air George wrote: Hey. ?Has anybody seen the green one lateley The blue barn one is amazing I’d never change it one bit.

That's awesome, I'm amazed at all that was fiberglass. I assumed they welded together sections of the bus.

I have no clue about the green one. I found it off this site and some folks messaged me on Instagram with a few examples. What's your plan for the fiberglass bus body? It looks too cool to ditch, someone should try to put it together.

Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:22 am

Oh I didn’t flip page to your reply’s. I love that barndoor buggy if it’s ever in your way I’d like first shot at it. I bought a Baja bus that is very similar to the barn. Not as old not as pretty but. Plan is to fit this fiberglass to it. It’s on its way to me now. It sure looks like it’s going to fit. We’ll see.

Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:30 am

I believe these things hav history. Not positive how it started or if it was individuals doing it or. Could of been an industrial purpose at first. Fishin processing cannery. I’ve read about some makeral canneries Maybe they used these for unloading fishing boats or something like that.

Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:39 am

A few more pics. I hope I’m not bombing your thread. It’s just I feel these things could of known each other at one time. I do hav a theory on maybe how it possibly ended up adrift in Tampa Florida. Pics of Baja I bought on its way to me. I’m new to forums & uploading gallery photos. But I think I got it!

Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:41 am

Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:45 am

Air George wrote: I believe these things hav history. Not positive how it started or if it was individuals doing it or. Could of been an industrial purpose at first. Fishin processing cannery. I’ve read about some makeral canneries Maybe they used these for unloading fishing boats or something like that.

Yes, they definitely do have history/purpose such as farming, hunting, and then motorsports. They started with the "water pumper" buggies, which were basically hot-rodded early pre-40s American bodies or jalopies stripped down for off-road use. Then the VW was introduced, which performed better due to the weight in the back where they needed traction. Gary Emory and Bruce Meyer brought the VWs into the mainstream- the rest was history.

As you can see there's uncanny resemblance to my buggy, apparently, it was the "style" back then: http://davidsclassiccars.com/ford/10408-1941-ford-...buick.html

Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:32 pm

You mentioned farming and I have a farming story. Years ago a friend tells me he knows of a farm where they used old VW buses for hauling produce from the fields to the store front at the road side. None of them run any more and they want to get rid of them. Haul them off for free. I'm thinking score. We head right out there the following day. They had 4-5 buses cut down to the flat above the motor and to the floor in front of that. Even the drivers area was cut down to the top of the wheel wells. All of what was left was completely rusted out from years of sitting outside, hauling crates of fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe the running gear was good, but I had no place to mess with any of that so I said thank anyway, bought some fresh produce and said good bye.

Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:07 am

Hey where is that fruit stand farmers market. What state what route. Did it have a name. I’m tge kinda guy that will go dig em up. Think about it. Pm me if you can recall. I’ll make the call. Never know stuff could still be laying their

Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:27 am

I’m not too far from you, in NC. When you bring this to the East Coast, we’ll have to get these two together at a show!

Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:33 am

Cool is that the green machine from Arizona fixed up. Or is that another one? Mine is becoming a fiberglass bodied Baja bus. Which must of happened 50yrs ago also. Frame needs to be shortened another 3-4 inches. And it appears it used a bug steer column and box clamped to tge bus beam after some adjustments. That will clear up the foot room at pedals. While putting the steer wheel where it needs to be.

Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:14 am

Fish wrote: You mentioned farming and I have a farming story. Years ago a friend tells me he knows of a farm where they used old VW buses for hauling produce from the fields to the store front at the road side. None of them run any more and they want to get rid of them. Haul them off for free. I'm thinking score. We head right out there the following day. They had 4-5 buses cut down to the flat above the motor and to the floor in front of that. Even the drivers area was cut down to the top of the wheel wells. All of what was left was completely rusted out from years of sitting outside, hauling crates of fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe the running gear was good, but I had no place to mess with any of that so I said thank anyway, bought some fresh produce and said good bye.

Love stories like this, too bad they couldn't be saved.

Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:21 am

Air George wrote: Cool is that the green machine from Arizona fixed up. Or is that another one? Mine is becoming a fiberglass bodied Baja bus. Which must of happened 50yrs ago also. Frame needs to be shortened another 3-4 inches. And it appears it used a bug steer column and box clamped to tge bus beam after some adjustments. That will clear up the foot room at pedals. While putting the steer wheel where it needs to be.

Check if the body fits a bug or ghia pan because based on the design of 3rd pic, it may be plausible it will fit a shortened bug body the same way they did with Manx-based bodies? You might be able to repurpose the bus into another buggy of any design. :-k

Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:09 am

I see what your seeing. Tge way it tapers in upfront like a bug pan. But notice the rear firewall matches the bus stamped floor metal perfectley. The side rails of body also are corrugated to fit bus floor. It’s been determined that this is a proto type one off body still in plug form it’s construction is old. Tge taper upfront was necessary for front tire clearance. Like ckipy I found a split bus with no rot already cut down. It still needs to be 3 more inches shorter. Which I’m preparing to do. After designing this body. Somebody may hav also realized a bug pan is more suitable. So it’s a bus chassis. So far I added a bug steering box on bus beam so column lines up thru the dash board as tge body shows it did. I plan to use a napoleons hat and short tunnel piece at toe board in place of top hat. So that it will fit and use a bug pedal cluster. Shifter and e brake will be tge bud bracket moved back again. Lot of work this kit would of taken. Is why I bet this idea was scrapped initially. I bet. To preserve dune bug history. I’m building it on a split bus chassis as it was intended to. Besides that. It will not be grooming the sand on beach like my bug chassis buggy. Look how high it is lol I’m psyched It will be up high out of the ruts.

Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:12 am

Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:38 am

Other reasons for keeping it bus. The fuel tank. Bus tank sits in the bus tank shelf in its straps and lines right up and out with the existing fill neck hole in body. If it were on a bug chassis. It would be back to tge drawing board. !!!! Instead of back to tge beach right quick. Feel like I’m keeping it real and Sailing right thru it’s re construction. This body was found in Quincy/Tampa Florida & Tgeirs good reason how it got their say in 1981 from west coast (punta Cana moved from costa to Tampa in 81. Punta previously Jensen marine Costa Mesa ca. Well in 68 Jack Jensen sold boat building facility to punta. 1981 punta moved entire facility to Tampa. Hey you know when u hav a good feeling about something. It’s usually true. I’m a dreamer always was. But this body is significant no if’s ands or butts about it. And if I’m wrong and it’s goofy’s bus that’s cool too. I will rock it regardless. Tge red primer on this thing proves to be guide coat. For block sanding. Once u hand make a mold using coarse woven roven fiberglass. It’s usually ruff and needs a lot of polishing and detail work before a negative casting can be pulled from it. Is what I’m learning Well it’s safe to say that never happened.

Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:59 am