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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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 Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:25 am Post subject: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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This summer, our local club's newsletter had a little blurb about a panel that someone in California was looking to sell to someone in Michigan as he was moving out this way. Based on a tiny pixelated photo, I offered the seller a price I'd be willing to pay and a couple months later, she made the trek from L.A. to Michigan. I wasn't really looking for this sort of project, but it found me, so here we go... 
Here's the only photo I had to go on pre-purchase:
Here's a huge photo-dump of her arrival this morning and what I have to work with:
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project
Last edited by ernstben on Fri Nov 25, 2016 11:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69798
Location: Phoenix Metro
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 24729
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:33 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Nice! Would de-rust and paint the underside first. Then put it back together mechanically, windows, engine, FF trans, interior, flush out the rockers/nose/frame for coating, and just drive it.
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In Stereo, Where Available! |
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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:15 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| EverettB wrote: |
Looks like a good start, mostly full of dirt and crap?
Is the radio area hacked for a modern radio like a CD player? |
REALLY full of dirt and crap. He slept in it from time to time throughout the '70s until the engine "went bang" in 1981. Will have to do an autopsy to see what that's all about.
Yes... sigh, the radio hole is cut.  Although the PO has owned this since the 70's, he hadn't actually seen it in a decade or more as it was being stored outdoors in a private lot. You can see it here:
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project
Last edited by ernstben on Fri Nov 25, 2016 11:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| Eric&Barb wrote: |
| Nice! Would de-rust and paint the underside first. Then put it back together mechanically, windows, engine, FF trans, interior, flush out the rockers/nose/frame for coating, and just drive it. |
That was my initial plan, but now that I'm cleaning it out, I'm torn... I'm going to re-assess after I get a better look at things. Part of me wants to just go for it and make it nice (paint, camper interior, etc).
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 24729
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| ernstben wrote: |
| Part of me wants to just go for it and make it nice (paint, camper interior, etc). |
Totally understand that. Just have seen way too many projects that were too huge for the owner, end up not getting done. Then sold off as a project started pile. Previous mentioned items will be big enough for most. Plus not hard to pop out the windows later to do body work/paint as the next bit.
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In Stereo, Where Available! |
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Cool Bus! Where did it live for so long (what region and climate)? It looks good, a nice start to move on from. Lots of folks would like to start off with that. Hopefully you got it for fairly cheap. Unless you're super rich, this will be a long slow project. Tackle one process at a time while moving towards the finish line. It'll gobble up your fun money for quite a while bringing it back to snuff, but in the long run, you'll get everything you spend and more back if you ever need to sell. Buses aren't cheap anymore, and they aren't gonna get cheaper in the future, quite the opposite IMHO. But you gotta be honest with yourself and decide if you "love" this this project Bus, and if you really want to be a "Bus driver". You've got a decent project Panel (I own a '59 DD Panel myself), the rest is up to you now!
If not, cut bait and run. We kinda hope you join the club. Lots of help and advice here.
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
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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7047
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 10:00 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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looks much better than average i think. and firewood to burn for a week or so 
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regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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ToolBox
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004
Posts: 3439
Location: Detroit, where they don't jack parts off my ride in the parking lot of the 7-11
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| EverettB wrote: |
| Is the radio area hacked for a modern radio like a CD player? |
More like for a front loader VCR... |
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rennie
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2016
Posts: 246
Location: Orange County, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| I can't find it, but isn't this the same bus from another thread where poor photos were talked about... and a Samba member tried to enhance such a pic but it was humorously over-pixelated? I could be mistaken... |
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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:20 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| rennie wrote: |
| I can't find it, but isn't this the same bus from another thread where poor photos were talked about... and a Samba member tried to enhance such a pic but it was humorously over-pixelated? I could be mistaken... |
Yup, that's the one! Buying this bus was a long, slow process and I really only had the initial picture to go on. Having y'all chime in with info on the potential year was helpful. And no, that Samba member's attempt at "enhancing" the photo didn't end up being helpful... 
I actually had a '61 Swivel seat panel when I was in high school that was a ton of fun, so I'm not totally new to the whole "bus driver" thing. I've never restored one, although I did do a Ghia over the past few years (see sig).
Overall, I'm excited. Many thanks in advance for bearing with my stupid questions and for the wonderful resources. I've already done my fair share of lurking over the past months!
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:25 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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| BulliBill wrote: |
| Cool Bus! Where did it live for so long (what region and climate)? |
I bought it out of L.A. and the M-plate says it was delivered to San Francisco, so I'd guess that it's been a California bus all its life.
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:35 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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How funny, I saw the bus and thought it probably last ran in the 70's based on it's look, the cut rear quarter panels and interior. It looks pretty darn solid and a good foundation to build on.
As the other mentioned, I'd start attacking the rust under it, etc.. It would be so worth the money to get the underside media blasted vs. doing it with grinders and sanders or wire wheels.
Look forward to your updates. 
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Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 24729
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:49 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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If you go with blasting, get it soda blasted. Any other medium will end up in frame/rockers inside and hold water causing rapid rusting out.
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GLHTurbo
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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looks nice and solid. Crow's feet too.
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1957 Beetle
1966 Bus |
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Manfred58sc
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2009
Posts: 3382
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| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Run it as is and enjoy, let's see some Jackmans and gnarly fat meats under those cut rear wheel wells.
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Fat chick owner/operator |
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ernstben
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 621
Location: Manchester, Mi
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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I spent the last couple days cleaning her out. Once I could finally see the floor, I was generally pretty encouraged:
Here's the worst part by far:
The front floor has also suffered some rust damage. I'd be interested in people's thoughts on this. Should I replace both sides or bite the bullet and replace the entire floor?
And lastly, the PO didn't really know what the deal was with the turn signals being switched over to the later style. I figured they were probably cut in, but now that I take a look, I don't see any sign of hackage or welding. Could it be that the bus had it's nose replaced at some point? There isn't a single sign of accident damage:
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Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2013
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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Enkiel
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2004
Posts: 2771
Location: Quebec, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:25 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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i'd personally replace the whole floor. Nothing like starting with new. And who knows what you might find to replace (once you start, you never know when you stop..).
I replaced mine completely. I wouldn't call it easy, but it wasn't that hard.
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1964 Turkis Flipseat |
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cru62
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002
Posts: 4117
Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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The color of the back of the nose is exactly how a replacement nose would look. I have had two buses with replacement noses that look just like yours.
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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! |
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