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slow36hp
scott wimberley
Joined: August 09, 2004
Posts: 3113
Location: mukilteo washington
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hubcap
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: Sussex UK
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 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:36 pm Post subject: new with my bus Ha HA! |
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Hey Scott
Thanks for reminding me that I have a bus to build! 
A Short update is indeed overdue, the Camberg deadline came and went, the storage situation deteriorated and so did the funds! My wife had a great birthday and the summer slipped by with most of my off days either with friends and family down at the beach in my 66 panel with my paddle board, or up in the hills with my mountain bike. I kind of lost heart with the whole thing. We needed cash for our summer holiday, so I waved good bye to my Ghia with the intention of keeping a chunk of money back to move the 55 along over the winter. Unfortunately I have changed job location and now need a commuter car suitable to car-share with and this week the boiler packed up, we needed a new water tank and my Macbook crashed! The 66 is in for a little bit of a tidy up as the paint shop were really quiet, so funds have again dried up.
On a good note I do have some things I can do whilst the 66 is away that don't cost a lot and I have also imposed a new deadline for the bus. We are intending to use it as our family camper for next summer with a basic interior and top tent arrangement. We are hoping to do a trip down the west coast of France for the waves, wild camping and using Aires as we go.
I recently have found a seat and hope that it is all going to go through ok, and am waiting to fit the beam which has been all stripped down, sorted, checked and put back together! I need to run one more brake cable first and sort out the shift rod.
Believe me, I am still passionate about this bus, and despite coming pretty close to selling it (and my other busses) this year I have plans and dreams for it. I have really enjoyed being part of the samba community and seeing the completion of the 57 sunroof bus and many other rescue busses over time, I don't want to be the guy that got so far then quit. |
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slow36hp
scott wimberley
Joined: August 09, 2004
Posts: 3113
Location: mukilteo washington
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slow36hp
scott wimberley
Joined: August 09, 2004
Posts: 3113
Location: mukilteo washington
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bus guy
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2002
Posts: 785
Location: Southsea, UK South Coast
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| Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Hope Simon doesn't mind me chipping in, when I saw him last week he had just agreed a sale on his '66 dd panel and he mentioned this will free up the space and funds to get the '55 on the road. |
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zuggbug
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 3479
Location: Anderson SC
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| Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Glad to hear that all is ok. Can't wait to see it finished.
_________________
SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy |
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hubcap
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: Sussex UK
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:35 am Post subject: I'll be back |
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Hi
Thanks Mark for chipping in, yes I will be back soon! Just running out the door now for a shift, new work pattern is just begining to settle, the 66 is off to a new life promoting the Bob Marley Foundation at festivals and music events around the UK, with a groovy new look and a cool display cabinet interior built by yours truely!
So major house DIY projects, work, life, being at the beach aside, very little stands in the way of me getting this bus up and running. I also have the incentive that for the first time in ages i am without a running van.
Here is a picture of the bus as it stands today, BUT keep watch for forthcoming updates!
Have a good day!
PS Nics score Paul! I haven't been on here much lately, so was thrilled for you to find such a cool bus! |
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hubcap
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: Sussex UK
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| Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 3:38 pm Post subject: here we go again |
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O.k. a few days into a new year and nothing too monumental to report, but for the first time in a while things are happening and I have a feel for what direction i am headed with the bus.
In the true tradition of JIT I have now decided that I am going to take this bus to Hessich in June 2013 and have also entered the build off on KCW for encouragement. So now I have set about doing something almost immediately! on new years day I was able to secure a vital component for my 55.......... An oven in which whilst camping I can cook pizza! Cool huh, I may have to resort to camping in my garage as the bus is still up on a JIG but i will soon be able to cook pizza and jacket potatoes!
Maybe my priorities are a little skewed, but I was able to combine family time with a greater goal. My kids were able to get hands on tools experience as we stripped out an old caravan(trailer) at my in-laws house. As it happens I may even be able to adapt/recycle and convert some of the old cabinets into a nice interior. Today was my first day free-(ish) to get out into the garage and try and get things moving! I had great plans.............. but I guess there will be other days.
On a positive note the bus is now clear and I have a much better idea of a plan of attack. below are a few photo's from today's efforts and also an appeal for help! please can someone give me the dimensions for the cab seat back supports that were hacked out of my bus, I need to make these before I can move onto finishing up tiding the interior and then stop putting off sorting out the running gear etc.
I know it's here somewhere!
pizza!
25+ years old and only ever used 1 or 2 times!
expensive shed!
I have most of the parts needed, now I just have to remember what bits got used on other stuff before i go to use it and it's not there!
the plan today was to fit the beam!
Instead i ended up playing at this for a bit, i am really pleased with the interior panels, i forgot to take a picture with them all fitted, I know they are not correct for a PGSG bus, but they are the correct era and will be good enough when cleaned up for now.
I bought this a while ago and had it's first test fit today!
This was also a large and expensive missing part of the puzzle, now i need to fab up the back rest supports, please can someone give me the dimensions.....
I did start finishing a few areas that had been tacked initially and finished on the outside but not on the in, and then ran out of gas 
going to work on this area first and then this......
Hope it was not too much of a saga to read through, good luck everyone, keep at it.
Smile |
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bluesplit
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2005
Posts: 236
Location: Birmingham, England.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:16 am Post subject: |
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| Just read through this entire thread again, amazing work bud. I have all this to come on my 58 that has been garaged for some years after never getting started but this is the year!!! (Again)!!! Keep it up and i will be looking this bus over a at show soon |
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myklsmyth
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2005
Posts: 504
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:27 am Post subject: Re: here we go again |
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| hubcap wrote: |
I bought this a while ago and had it's first test fit today!
Smile |
Are all 55 bench seats humback style or were there any that had the flat back, barndoor style since this is a crossover year? Mike |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69820
Location: Phoenix Metro
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:34 am Post subject: Re: here we go again |
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| smittys61vert wrote: |
| Are all 55 bench seats humback style or were there any that had the flat back, barndoor style since this is a crossover year? Mike |
Flat back seats are through 1957.
The seat above is from a Mango Standard, correct for 1958-60.
I don't think he was saying that was the right seat, just that he scored a decent original Bus seat to use?
_________________
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myklsmyth
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2005
Posts: 504
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:07 am Post subject: |
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| Oh, I see. Thanks Everett, that's the info I was looking for. |
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zuggbug
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 3479
Location: Anderson SC
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| Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:36 am Post subject: Re: I'll be back |
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| hubcap wrote: |
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PS Nics score Paul! I haven't been on here much lately, so was thrilled for you to find such a cool bus! |
Simon,
thank you. I am super excited.
glad to see you are back on your bus. It appears you are very close to have it on the road.
I will try to get you the measurements for the seat brackets tonight.
Paul
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SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy |
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zuggbug
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 3479
Location: Anderson SC
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| Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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12 cm from bottom to top, 15 1/2cm from the back bulkhead to front of bracket at the bottom, and 11cm from bulkhead to front of bracket at the top.
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56 westy |
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hubcap
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: Sussex UK
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| Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:44 am Post subject: |
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Thanks paul, your are a true gentleman!
(even going to the trouble of measuriing in metric for us europeans!)
Pretty busy just now with my Shasta programme and finishing up a couple of projects on the house before I leave, so may not get this done for a few weeks. Still I've been on it this long, a little more time will be no real issue!
Have a good day... |
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ccb_dan
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009
Posts: 321
Location: Cocoa Beach, FL
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| Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:07 am Post subject: |
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| Sweet bus man! But, perhaps more importantly...how are the waves there? I saw several boards in that one pic! |
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hubcap
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: Sussex UK
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| Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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update. Long overdue, but life goes on....
I missed having a bus to drive to Volksworld Show this year and was not really willing to let my boys down on the road trip to Hessich so needed to dig into this again now that Shasta is well and truly over.
I nearly sold this a few weeks ago, then almost pushed it out into the road and torched it this week!  wishing that I had sold it and then could be on a day off doing other stuff, but that's not really the attitude! 
Brief list:
made and welded seat back supports in
welded LOTS of screw holes from the home made hi-top
Finished up other areas of repairs I had done previously
Sorted bushes for my 63 only brake drums (which had been machined for SA but were no good as they are late size drum with early spline diameter)
repaired my centre section Shift rod (final weld to be done when I am sure the Dimple is spot-on
Mock up of Nose cone and front gearbox mount to make sure it all fits when I put the back end in.
Bondarust paint areas so that the bus does not dissolve this summer and so that we don't catch tetanus from camping in it!!!
Painted Dash/cab area
Sort clean check trial fit all electrical switchgear
Fit most of the glass (cracked my first screen today!!! must have fitted 60+ windows before)
Progress with more of the wiring loom
Adopt a more top to bottom, get it done and alive then come back to finish it more how I actually want it approach! plus go to meetings about other important stuff, deal with the kids, etc etc......
here are some random phone pics:
Welded up the major holes and also made new nut plates to hold the steering column, the old ones were wafer thin(safety first!)
Un-seized and ready for another 60 years
Turned into a bit of a lengthy post, but hope you get the idea, I am actually getting somewhere!
CCB_Dan sorry chap missed getting back to you, we do get waves here but not often! the SUP's are good because you can use them regardless. |
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zuggbug
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 3479
Location: Anderson SC
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| Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Simon, glad to see you back at it, sorry about the broken glass, my worst nightmare. I was so nervous putting all my glass back in the 58... I only cracked one side vent.
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SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy |
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myklsmyth
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2005
Posts: 504
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| Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| PM sent... |
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ccb_dan
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009
Posts: 321
Location: Cocoa Beach, FL
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:13 am Post subject: |
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Looking good man!
We have the same syndrome here in Florida...small waves so we paddle a lot too! |
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