Searching for information on this bus. Jerry Garcia Fan Bus

[1956vw]

Does anyone remember this bus being used by the Discover Credit Card Co.?
They used it to promote their new Jerry Garcia "Private Issue" credit card. It was painted to match the Jerry Garcia artwork that was displayed on the special credit card.

It was unveiled in San Francisco or Hollywood in 1997. It went on a 9 city tour/food drive. I believe the last stop on the tour was Buses & Balloons in 1997.

Please provide any information you have and post photos. I am the new owner of this bus and it has a really neat history that I am trying to piece together.

I will post more photos and information as I come across it.

Thanks everyone.

[crofty]

You'll need a miracle to find that bus.
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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

[1956vw]

[BulliBill]

No real problem "1956vw". It's just an etiquette thing with many of us. All caps is like shouting, kind of a no-no here. No worries.

"Crofty", I think he actually "is" the newest owner of the Bus in question. I believe that he is now looking for background info on it's history. I think that I remember it briefly during the credit card promotion. I wonder if you can get to the right people (a promotions dept?) and see if they can turn you on to who they bought it from, who did the prep and resto of it for them, etc?

Good luck on the search, hopefully someone on here can add to your history and maybe add some photos, etc!

Welcome and congratulations on scoring the Bus!

Bill
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[crofty]

Jerry Garcia Bus, "need a Miracle" no Heads in here I guess.
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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

[earlywesty]

Not a total loss, I quietly chuckled Crofty.

[cherise1967]

Miracle --- caught it right away.. On the bus since 1986..

[LAGrunthaner]

What are your plans for it? Is it really Jerry's?
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[derv]

omg
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Jack

[cru62]

I recall a build thread on it somewhere. Maybe on this site? It was more like self-promotion IIRC. But still interesting. Sorry, I don't remember any specifics. 1997, really? That just seems so far in the past. Like last century or something!
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"My biggest worry is that when I die, my wife will sell all my parts for what I told her I paid for them"-Jon

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[NM58Panel]

Your picture brings back old memories. I remember it was all in memory of Jerry Garcia. Everybody got one of the blue magnet teardrops you see below the headlight. Mine was inside my bus still when I sold it in 2012. I don't know much more, but thanks for the early morning busses and balloons memories.

[j.pickens]

[Schwing]

Ok this is cool and not the typical bus you see everyday. Judging by the sheen this looks painted and not vinyl wrapped.

Was this painted by Jerry? Hard to say but this article seems to hint at that.
Either way this is cool and it sounds like it's built to drive.

Here is what I found just doing a quick search. Apologies if you already found this info. Good luck have fun and don't forget to enjoy it!

http://adage.com/article/news/events-promotions-pr...van/70314/
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Shadetree Westy
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=657279&highlight=

Single Cab - BBXXVII Long Distance Winner
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[1956vw]

The bus was painted after Jerry Garcia passed. This was in 1997, Garcia died in 95 (I think).

Discover Credit Card had the bus painted to match the Jerry Garcia artwork that was used on the new Jerry Garcia (tribute) "Private Issue Credit Card". I have an actual card, I will post that picture.

Here is the interesting part: Discover bought the bus from a man in Penn. who was a couple steps away from buying it from the original owner. The bus had 17,000 original miles on it when he bought it. He showed it and won many awards due to it's originality, including at the AACA in Hershy Pennsylvania in 1993, that's the badge on the front bumper. Check May, 1989 VW Trends page 42 if you have it.

Discover bought it from him with 22,000 original miles. Discover painted, did their promotional campaign and food drive touring the country (transporting it thankfully), raffled it off as a prize. Every time a person used their "Jerry Garcia Private Issue" card they were entered to win the bus after the tour.

The winners did not want it!!! Discover bought it from them instead of giving it to them and continued to use it. After they were finished with it, they donated it to a church.

The church painted the outside only, sold it to a collector car sales company who sold it to someone in Fargo North Dakota. They owned it for about 10 years and I purchased it from them with 24,680 original miles on it.

It is a 1959, still has all original interior and interior paint (headliner was replaced last year though). Original Bastard engine, trans etc. This is only the second set of tires it has had on it. It is an amazing bus, I will start another thread on the bus as it is now but I want as much information as possible on the time frame when it was in the Garcia themed paint job. Someone who worked on that campaign is scheduled to call me next week.

This is the credit card

Here is an article on the winners.

These are when I first saw it in person when buying it.

[j.pickens]

Looks like a vinyl wrap to me, otherwise, they painted over the windows instead of that perforated vinyl they use on wraps.
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[1956vw]

It was paint of some sort. There is still a little evidence if looking very carefully on the popout window inner frame rubber.

[1956vw]

Here is another picture I found online.

[crukab]

Great looking Bus !! And waaay cool low miles I really don't care that it had anything to do w/ a credit card co.or the Jerry conection, don't get me wrong I like the Dead, seen them many a time at Red Rocks, I just prefer the low miles sweet condition Bus over all that other who-haa....
I do remember that credit card coming out, I thought 'ol Jerry was rolling over in his grave on that...
_________________
Tom

My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI
'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon

[Wayland]

They're driving a 1987 Honda Accord, and they can't decide whether they WANT the bus?? What's the matter with some people?

[GhiaBug In Chicago]

We who are part of this hobby may not understand it. However, the folks who won the contest were not part of our obsession and viewed it in a practical sense. At least the bus is now in the hands of a Sambanista!