The SO IRIE 1964 Microbus

[SO IRIE]

Aloha.

Thanks for checking out the thread... its gonna be chock full of pictures, bad spelling, and questionable decisions. And it will rock, too!
Please click/open the link in another window to listen to the track while you read: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6cMkhhqn6k

I apologize in advance for any bad spelling, incorrect punctuation, and faulty communication skills. Oh well hahahahahaha

The SO IRIE bus is an og microbus, circa 1964.
My wife bought it for us for my birthday... shes pretty awesome. I love her because she's the best.

We are the 4th owners of this fantastic looking ride. I say "fantastic looking" with kind of a jeer, because we've only seen it in pictures thus far!!!! We found it listed for sale here in the classifieds a day after registering, fell in love with the pictures and vibe it gave us, contacted the owners, asked some questions, and made the best offer we could. And it was accepted. We are very blessed. Anyways, the bus is being imported (as this is being typed) from Roseville, CA, to Maui, HI.

Its currently on the Matson boat S.S. Mokihana sitting in the port in Honolulu. It is scheduled to arrive at the port in Kahului Sept 25. I've shipped multiple vehicles from the mainland to Maui using Matson, and dealing with them direct does it right for me, everytime. So far....

The folks we purchased it from are, how can I put it.... FREEKIN AWESOME FOLKS. Kind & Honorable. The kind of folks you want to buy a vehicle you've never seen/smelled/touched/driven from remotely. They are great folks, and I will "out" them once the bus is pulled into my garage after coming home. I'm pretty sure they are going to get a glowing feedback report from us....

The bus had been regularly serviced at Kombi Haus in Sacramento. I contacted them to get a carrier referral to take the bus from Roseville to the Matson port in Oakland. When I mentioned that the bus had been a regular there the guy on the other end of the line asked "which bus?" When I said the first names of the owners he immediately asked "the green and white one? Ah man that's a great bus" and he proceeded to give me the lowdown that the bus is solid and reliable and all that other jazz. I wasn't even trying to fish for information. But I was stoked to hear what he said. I am sure you can imagine.

Once the bus comes into port I'll need to take it to get a safety inspection station (to certify all blinkers work, brake lights, yadda yadda yadda so its deemed safe for Maui's roads), then to the DMV office where it'll be registered, custom plate ordered ('SO-IRIE'), and the title stuff'll be taken care of. I'm also gonna take it by Big Al's (http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/aos/3167350076.html) for a once over and get a clean bill of health.

I can't wait. Its a very exciting time here.

So what does "SO IRIE" mean you ask????
Thats what I needed to know... I have a friend from Lahaina that says phrases like "the sunset is so irie", "that was an irie wave", and "the concert was so irie". I had to figure out what he meant.
I'd only heard it used to describe feeling stoned. haha

After some research, we found the definition is "good, excellent, and quality". Also, "everything is alright". It's like the ultimate positive, powerful, pleasing, all encompassing quality.

With the bus and everything else thats going on in our lives we are so blessed and feel so good and so happy. SO IRIE.

The service records dating back to 1972 are in a box coming snail mail so we'll have the full monty on it soon. Apparently its a pretty much a stock vehicle from what I can tell, though I could be wrong. It was converted from 6v to 12v recently... I think its safe to say it is OG . I never in a million years thought I would be able to own an OG split window bus....
(if its not 'correct' to call it OG, please shoot me a pm or leave a nice post about it... or a crappy one it doesn't matter to me)
Have I said we are blessed? hahaha

Once the bus arrives there will be more more MORE pictures and info posted on the regular.

Pictures?
What pictures?
I don't see any pictures... WTF dude?


So..... yeah.... you want to see the pics of the SO IRIE bus, or what?
As of right now, these are pretty much what we based our desire to purchase it on. Comments and suggestions and general wtf are totally welcome.

I'm here to share and learn. And spread some Aloha.

The SO IRIE OG 64 Microbus

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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[LAGrunthaner]

Looks great Keith
Looking forward to hear of her safe arrival.
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Maui Roadsters
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[Split 66']

Congrats! That Bus is sweet!

It looks to me like the previous owner took the armrest pad off your short middle seat and put it on the make-shift armrest for the driver. That middle seat is beyond nice.

OG from the glossary/dictionary here on the samba stands for Original German.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/dic/index.php

Looking forward to seeing the arrival pics. You picked a winner there, good job!
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"OG = Original German" -- TheSamba.com dictionary

[EverettB]

Wow, that Bus is super nice! Crazy nice. It's rare to see original front seats like that, they are usually torn up. Is it low mileage?

[SO IRIE]

Aloha.
First off, what a great community of folks on this site.
Everybody that I have interacted with thus far has been awesome.
Other forums I frequent aren't as filled with polite people. So this is nice!

Anyways, here's some tunes (and motivation) for today's post/update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHWcm_lwkvg

[Dave24]

[vintagevolks]

Very CLEAN!
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59 Ragtop
65 Restored Kombi... Went to the UK

[SO IRIE]

Well...

I am now another year older. 36. Thats good. Im not old. Im not young. But I'm reeling in the years.... one day maybe I'll be the dude with silver hair and cool bus. Until then Im okay with being the guy with the cool bus. hahahaha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bwHK1xkgJA

Thanks for stopping by with the kind words Dave24 & vintagevolks

Supposedly, per the Matson schedule the boat carrying my bus comes into Kahului tomorrow. I'm tracking it but dont-see-chit. Sigh....
So when can I pick it up.... I DONT KNOW. Oh well. Nothing I can do about it so I'm gonna post then work off the crazy energy working in the garden & yard.

Plenty of stuff to do.
Like want my bus!!!!!!
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dropped off some paperwork with my insurance agent - hes a nice guy (Kit @ Statefarm

The seat belts came in from Wolfsburg West this morning. Awesome.
Shipping to Hawaii is always a bullet to bite. No breaks living Hawaiian Style I guess...

Here's the seat belts busting out of the box wanting to be installed...

I must say, while I am super freaking extatic about my bus, i feel pretty down. I don't have the true mechanical & historical know how to do much beside change the battery and fill up the gas tank. Seeing what a lot of you have done with buses youve pulled out from under rocks in horrid condition... a lot of you not only have VISION but the means to make it happen, too. I take my hat off to ya'll. Maybe one day I'll be able to at least change the oil & do my brakes. But if I have to outsource i suppose it could be worse - like not have a state licensed aircooled specialist to look out for me...

Anyways, thats whats cracklating at this end.

Aloha

***EDIT: the mail was just delivered.... I have a nice box from the sellers of the bus sitting on my counter. I want to open it. SO FREEKIN BADLY. But.... I will wait for my wife to come home from work in an hour so we can both share the excitement of seeing whats inside the box. DUDE!!!!!!!!!!
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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[TequilaSunSet]

I'm excited and it's not even my bus! Congrats!
_________________
Don't harsh my mellow...
1985 Hightower Vanagon 1.8T- Gone
1972 Panel Bus- Gone
1967 Bug- Gone
1964 Euro Sunroof Bug- Gone
1969/72/63 Sunroof Bug- Gone
1975 Brazilian Bug in the Philippines 🇵🇭- New to me

[SO IRIE]

So we opened the box..... (click the link for a soundtrack) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vjR-FWtt14

The bus we bought is nice. Super nice.
But looksee looksee at what we found in that there box...
Apparently, its more than nice....
Its Award Winning, too.

2nd place in the Stock Air-Cooled Early Bus (67 & Earlier) Category

We are feeling pretty good right now.
What a rad bus to get.
Sweet.
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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[SO IRIE]

A fresh set of tunes for you if you don't mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf0Y-MJIiLs

I contacted Matson trying to get a better idea of when the bus is gonna arrive and be available for pick up. "It takes about 17 days from day it sails to arrive. Even though it arrived after the cutoff date it still was loaded onto the vessel that week and it left on 9/13 putting the eta about 10/1."

Damnit hahahaha

But who cares the waiting part will make it even better. Right? arghhhhhhhhhh

Thanks for staying tuned...
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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[zozo]

You need to have someone record the event when you finally get to "meet" your bus.

Is this your first bus?

[SO IRIE]

Hey zozo
Documentation of the arrival is definitely going to occur.
At worst it'll just be a cheesy video & pics from my iphone. At best it'll be a cheesy video & pics from my iphone. LOL

here's todays tune for the head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IshazvspKI

When I was 19 (cheese and rice thats almost 20yrs ago!!!) I bought a 63 kombi. I had grand plans of bringing it back to og condition. It was a then $700 bus. The bulkhead had been cut up but left with a broomstick jammed into it to keep it "up", rear wheel wells were cut, the interior was a dump...
and there was I bright eyed bushy tailed with zero mechanical ability and an ncaa provision (student athletes are not allowed to work) restricting me from working aka i was broke hahaha. The electrical never really worked right it kept shorting out. I bought an "Idiots Guide" to help me navigate and understand how to repair it. I bought a floor jack and got brave and removed the engine and rebuilt it. I swear I marked down every nut and bolt that i took out but I still had left overs wtf hahaha.
yeah, that was my first bus. I loved every minute of it. except for the not running or looking acceptable part. but sitting behind the wheel, even when it was in the garage, was always awesome.

The SO IRIE bus is an enormous upgrade. honestly, its like a dream come true.

My insurance agent guy kicks ass. He sends me an e-mail at 945pm to let me know the bus has been approved for the "classic car" plan - basically coverage plan with limited mileage for older vehicles. So I was stoked about that. but I'm like "dude working late no? hahahah". I think everybody that knows is just as hypped as I am.

The other day I was driving to Kihie and while going thru town (Kahului - our "metropolitian" area in the middle of the island lol its about the size of Orange Ca) I saw coming towards me a split window!!!!! White body with a red "V" and roof. A single cab with the fisheyes (I think thats what theyre called right - the oval yellow/orange turn signals on the nose) that looked to be on porche rims but i couldnt tell for sure we were driving in opposite directions hahaha. i was all waving and giving shaka erratically trying to get his attention. To no avail. I am sure he and I will link up one day. Maui is a small island....
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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[SO IRIE]

Today's track for the head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAXnEI6-4ag


FINALLY
Some data on where my bus is....

[zozo]

Dang dude. You're going to have to be medicated if you're not careful. LOL

[GLHTurbo]

[SO IRIE]

Before I start getting into it, heres some tunage for the dome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rtwHv98FjI

THE SO IRIE BUS IS HERE!!!!!!

I went to the port in the morning (8am) to see if the barge had docked. BINGO.

Here's some pictures of the barge I took. I am a stalker....

from the other side

so small when compared to the cruiseship, eh?

I decided to walk into the Matson office, say "hullo", and inquire about when the bus will be ready for pick-up.

Matson was not going to release it yesterday. They were super adamant about unloading the car dealership vehicles before 3pm first before processing "private" vehicles. They close down at 330pm. They told me Monday.

WTF!!!!!! I called my boy, THE MAN, and explained the situation. He in turn made a phone call, came down the stairs, pointed a finger, smiled, high-fived me, and went back upstairs. The bus was going to be pulled off special. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its nice to have friends that take care of you.

At 310pm I got the call to come get the bus. Just walkig up to the bus to get it was intense. Seeing the roof peeking at me from behind the SUV in front of it was exhilarating. Actually getting to walk around my bus.... OMFG. Stuck my head in - the smell..... classic. Turned the key - fired right up. Theres so much to say and I will post details for sure, but for now, I hope these pictures are okay.

On the way home I stopped to fill up the gas. I brought my 4yr old on the special trip. She LOVES the bus. Once I install the seat belts her and her sister will be riding on the middle or the back bench. but on the way home she got to ride shotgun.

I want to give a shout out to Kerry (wildflower) & Tony for being so awesome, honest, and kind. The bus they sold me is way better than advertised. I am forever grateful. AND I HAVE NEW FRIENDS!!!! Come to Maui hurry!!!! Hahaha

I had some great news emailed to me as I was driving the bus up Haleakala... the front kick panel we purchased had been shipped, and the original shipping estimate was $20 to high, so the seller, being super honest & kind, decided to refund back the difference. We would have been cool just getting the kick panel for what we paid for it and not have cared really about the $20 but the seller is a stand up person for sure. Awesomeness... the drive home in the bus got even better.

okay, I will discuss the arm rest though real quick
I figured we could use some stimulating discussion....
I took the bus to Big Al before getting gas. First thing he says is "is that a stock accessory?" pointing at the arm rest. He walks up and points right at the....

hahahaha you want to know now don't you?

to be continued...

i want to go drive around Kula LOL
and I have some chores I have to handle

Itll be worth the wait though.

Aloha for staying tuned.
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OG 1964 Microbus SO IRIE http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6269912#6269912

[Ghiaguy67]

So are you going to leave us hanging what was the item he was referring to?!?!?