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Sitting Duck
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Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 28
Location: Atascadero CA
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 Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:15 am Post subject: O319 Panorama Bus |
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I know it is not a beloved VW bus but it is so uniques I think it is very cool. Others I am sure think it is ugly.
I am in the process of purchasing a 1960 O 319 Mercedes Omnibus Panorama. Not sure if I am paying too much or getting a deal?
1960 Mercedes O319 22 window Panorama Bus. Factory dual rear axle mountain touring chalet.
It's actually a 1960 O319 bus but the tagged all of them 1963 when they were brought to the US for sale as New Vehicles in Michigan in 1963 by Studebaker.
This is the top of the line model, with factory propane floor heater, 22 window Sekurit' authentic Mercedes windows NOT 21, NOT 23, like the VW Bus.
It was converted from an Alps touring bus into an executive travel coach by Studebaker, in 1959. Given a propane stove, water tank fed sink, twin fold out bed, and lots of cabinetry. All that is out now. I am 'thinking' of creating a Wine/Brewery Tour Bus for my area.
The original 6cyl diesel 74hp motor was swapped for a 76' re mastered Toyota 20R motor making 176 hp, and mated to a Toyota T5 manual 5 speed.
The factory rear end was taken apart already and shipped to Austria where it was rebuilt and reinstalled with all new 3.87 spline gearing.
A lot of the door handles, and tail lights are all late 50's Porsche stuff because Studebaker wanted to make the Mercedes seem classier to the north easterners I heard.
Now the motor and Trans and axles are out of it, and it's being media blasted to bare metal and primed immediately piece by piece while rust work is done so that it will be all new metal no Bondo all rust free.
Where should I be at on price do you think?
There is all new rubber for the windows.
They are asking $20,000 for how it is, stripped and ready for media blasting and metal work.
He bought it for $8500, has hundreds of hours into it and purchased all new window gaskets for $3,800.
Obviously one of the pictures is what it could be.
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EverettB 
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calvinater
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Location: 802 The Pointless Forrest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:08 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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yes please repost the pictures
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Randy in Maine
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Joined: August 03, 2003
Posts: 34890
Location: The Beach
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:12 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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Does it look something like this? I always liked them. Very cool.
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Sitting Duck
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Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 28
Location: Atascadero CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:18 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| Exactly! Actually, not exactly. Mine is a rust-bucket skeleton but eventually I hope to have it looking like that. Not everybody's cup of tea. But it is so unique. As you know, the Glorious split window is the ultimate but this is so unique and rare and will give me a little more options in regards to Interior Space I am excited about the project. |
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Tram
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Location: Still Feelin' the Bern- Once you've felt it you can't un- feel it.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:49 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| Sitting Duck wrote: |
| Exactly! Actually, not exactly. Mine is a rust-bucket skeleton but eventually I hope to have it looking like that. Not everybody's cup of tea. But it is so unique. As you know, the Glorious split window is the ultimate but this is so unique and rare and will give me a little more options in regards to Interior Space I am excited about the project. |
Keep looking. It's overpriced for being a skeleton project with an incorrect engine.
Here's a 1961 on CL that's all correct and done, ready to roll, for $15K more. While not a Panorama I don't think you are going to be able to buy and complete yours for less money, and the Panorama won't outweigh the fact that it has Toyota running gear at resale time... you'll take a very hot bath. The killer will be that the original diesel engine likely will never work with the reconfigured rear end... and if you think you'll cruise the highway at 80 with that vehicle you are in for a nasty shock even if the engine will easily do it. I have a later O309D and it's not exactly stable on curves at top speed of 63.
https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/cto/d/1961-mercedes-benz-0319-mini/6372126129.html
Mercedes people, unlike VW people, will almost always flatly turn and walk away from any Benz with another make of engine/ running gear in it.
Before you say "but I'll never sell it!" please let me warn you that every customer I've ever dealt with who says this winds up doing precisely that.
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Tram
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:58 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| Randy in Maine wrote: |
Does it look something like this? I always liked them. Very cool.
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Me too. If I could find a nice one I think I could sell all my other toys and be happy. 
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| Bryan67 wrote: |
| Just my hands. And a little lube. No tools. |
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Sitting Duck
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Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 28
Location: Atascadero CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:22 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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How did you find the one in Tucson? I understand what you are saying. The correct engine would have been nice but they are so underpowered. The Toyota engine is twice the HP, which still isn't much.
Those windows are trmendously important to me. You know what a premium a 21 or 23 window get.
I think one of these roof window is at least a couple grand if you can find one.
I guess I could have Grumpy's in Huntington Beach put windows in the roof but there goes the savings.
If I ever sold it i could always try and find the correct engine If I wanted to get top dollar.
I do appreciate your feedback and value your opinion. I seem to always make mistakes because I act on impulse. I hope I do not live to regret it. |
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Tram
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Location: Still Feelin' the Bern- Once you've felt it you can't un- feel it.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| Sitting Duck wrote: |
How did you find the one in Tucson? I understand what you are saying. The correct engine would have been nice but they are so underpowered. The Toyota engine is twice the HP, which still isn't much.
Those windows are trmendously important to me. You know what a premium a 21 or 23 window get.
I think one of these roof window is at least a couple grand if you can find one.
I guess I could have Grumpy's in Huntington Beach put windows in the roof but there goes the savings.
If I ever sold it i could always try and find the correct engine If I wanted to get top dollar.
I do appreciate your feedback and value your opinion. I seem to always make mistakes because I act on impulse. I hope I do not live to regret it. |
BUT- Don't forget the diff has been modified and likely will not work with the OEM Diesel. 
I think you should walk away from the one you are proposing but everyone learns in his own way.
You could USE the Tucson one for awhile for your business as planned to make sure it really suits what you want it for and have Grumpy do a conversion once you are certain. I think even the non panorama will grab attention as a rolling business ad. My O309D is like a morbidly obese fat chick by comparison but people see it and it's like moths to a flame. I get where you are going with the Panorama part but the regular windows are huge compared to a VW Bus and people will be able to see just fine. To look at anything but incoming bird shit bombs out of the Panorama windows you'll need to stand and crane your neck, and even then you are looking mostly UP. Think about it.
The worst thing anybody can do is purchase a vehicle like this on just emotion. Think of it as a hire, especially for your business. If you have a food cart, for example, you might hire that gorgeous busty girl to run it for her looks but if she's the type that burns boiling water what does that really get you?
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| Bryan67 wrote: |
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hitest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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I love those rigs- and there's a well-known one here in Boise I'd own in a second. It's one of those deals where the bus is way cooler than the arrogant, dimwit owner...
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12855
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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I stupidly passed on a '68 version in the early 90s for $500 because of a cracked windshield, I've been lusting for one since.
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Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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Tram
Samba Socialist
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Location: Still Feelin' the Bern- Once you've felt it you can't un- feel it.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| hitest wrote: |
| I love those rigs- and there's a well-known one here in Boise I'd own in a second. It's one of those deals where the bus is way cooler than the arrogant, dimwit owner... |
The twotone green one? It's been in Boise since the 1990s.
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| Bryan67 wrote: |
| Just my hands. And a little lube. No tools. |
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EverettB
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sb001
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| Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:03 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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Here ya go... was actually just about to post about this one yesterday.
https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/d/1960-mercedes-omnibus/6362865711.html
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Erik G
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| Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:49 am Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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Flood water is some nasty nasty stuff. That's gwan need to be taken down to bare metal, probably needs new wiring, etc
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Last edited by Erik G on Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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hitest
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Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| Tram wrote: |
| hitest wrote: |
| I love those rigs- and there's a well-known one here in Boise I'd own in a second. It's one of those deals where the bus is way cooler than the arrogant, dimwit owner... |
The twotone green one? It's been in Boise since the 1990s. |
The one I refer to is blue actually- like a dove-ish blue upper and more a capri-ish blue below the beltline. (28th St)
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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theovalguy
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Joined: September 24, 2001
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:39 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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That green Mercedes in the flood I just went and picked up myself it was on my trailer on Wednesday pulled it out of Beaumont and it's on its way to the UK
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sb001
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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| theovalguy wrote: |
| That green Mercedes in the flood I just went and picked up myself it was on my trailer on Wednesday pulled it out of Beaumont and it's on its way to the UK |
Awesome! Did you have a buyer over there or is it for you?
What kind of shape is it in?
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I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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OG67westy
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: O319 Panorama Bus |
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I know of one of these up in the mountains of New Mexico at a freinds place...if there is interest, I could contact him...
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Sitting Duck
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