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mabbo
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2004
Posts: 208
Location: United Kingdom
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 Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:09 pm Post subject: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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Hi,
Just been watching videos on Youtube of some of the shows you guys have in America. The shows over there look amazing.
I watched a video of the "2017 33rd annual VW spring meet at Kelley Park, California" and I noticed one van that looked really straight. Hard to tell in a video when its only on for a few seconds but it made me think, there are so many vans that are painted after a resto that look wavy, and to me, there is nothing worse as it lets the van down.
The van I seen is 7 min 15 sec, and 7 min 21 sec on this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRhlJDcIHHw - Does anyone have any more details of this van by any chance?
I know it take a LONG time getting a van straight. I restore classic cars (mainly Volkswagens) for a living and customers dont always understand how long it takes to get them arrow straight, or even care if they are wavy as long as they are shiny. But Im restoring my 61 mango and Im hoping I can get it as close to perfect as possible.
Anyway, I was wondering what the straightest van you have seen is? I think one of the straightest I have seen is 'Spikes' van over here in the UK but even the 'best' vans in the Volksworld show over here are not perfect, including the last one we had on display:
To be honest, I wasn't happy with this as its not as straight as Id like, but we made a massive loss on the paintwork so couldn't spend any longer on it.
Anyway, Im falling asleep and talking rubbish... Just wondered whats the straightest vans you guys have seen are? Any pics?
Cheers |
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:23 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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Hello Mabbo, welcome. There are some - and I am among them, who would consider perfectly straight to be over- restored. They weren't perfectly straight coming out of the factory brand new. Here in the states we call them Buses rather than vans.
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Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
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mabbo
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2004
Posts: 208
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| tasb wrote: |
| Hello Mabbo, welcome. There are some - and I am among them, who would consider perfectly straight to be over- restored. They weren't perfectly straight coming out of the factory brand new. Here in the states we call them Buses rather than vans. |
Hi mate,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I understand why people would have that opinion  For me though, theres a difference between factory ripples, and bad prep ripples... If that makes sense?
Anyway, my "bus" will be over restored 
Cheers |
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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7047
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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let's see if you can impress us . i am not sure if a mango is really going to show off a perfectly straight bus?
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Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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obus 
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Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11065
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9915
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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the best way to show off straightness would be to paint it black, because black shows most all sins on the finish of a car. If you want it to stay straight, don't ever drive it. The wave will come back if you drive the bus.
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Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:44 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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Yep, on some of the curves up here in the mountains I can hear the body flexing on some of our curves. While I applaud the effort to get a panel as smooth as possible I feel that time/effort could be spent elsewhere. I'm sure there are many who do not feel that way. I'm ok with that.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse |
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Skim
Rants Master
Joined: April 15, 2001
Posts: 17082
Location: GFK 31 Year Vet
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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As those super straight busses get that whole long wall skim coated (no pun) with filler then blocked to perfection afterwards. Only way I see getting it arrow straight with minimal filler is the guys that are doing a brand new long wall and panel bond gluing it versus spot welding it in place.
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GFK
Samba since before the towers collapsed. Still here.
1953 Kabriolet
1954 Sunroof
1959 Lowlight Ghia vert
1960 Lt Grey Double Cab SMZ LEGIT
1963 Deluxe Turkis Walk Thru 15 Window OG Paint |
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EeVeeWee
Samba Member
Joined: April 02, 2015
Posts: 836
Location: Amersfoort, Netherlands
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 12:42 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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My bus also was extremely straight after the paint job, with a minimum of bondo. But now I drive it, there have become more than one slightest curves at the long side. That's just the decision you have to take, keep it straight or just use it.
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mdege
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2018
Posts: 939
Location: Niederkruechten, Germany
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sled
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 6179
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:53 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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drive your split. |
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ronjonlasvegas
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004
Posts: 900
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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I remember seeing this bus in Person at a show in CA a few years ago and thinking how straight it was. A highroof has a huge long panel and this one was straight.
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September 1964 Standard Sunroof walk through SWR/BG original paint. |
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mabbo
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2004
Posts: 208
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| tasb wrote: |
| Yep, on some of the curves up here in the mountains I can hear the body flexing on some of our curves. While I applaud the effort to get a panel as smooth as possible I feel that time/effort could be spent elsewhere. I'm sure there are many who do not feel that way. I'm ok with that. |
Im considering fitting belly pans to mine even though they wouldnt have been fitted from the factory, just to try help put some strength into the body.
| Skim wrote: |
| As those super straight busses get that whole long wall skim coated (no pun) with filler then blocked to perfection afterwards. Only way I see getting it arrow straight with minimal filler is the guys that are doing a brand new long wall and panel bond gluing it versus spot welding it in place. |
The PGSG I posted pics of above had a new long side bonded on and minimal filler, then polyester primer. Its not perfect:
This photo makes it look worse than it is, but you can see why Im not totally happy with it. I wish Id have skimmed the whole panel edge to edge, and spend less time prepping the chassis:
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mabbo
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2004
Posts: 208
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:25 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| EeVeeWee wrote: |
My bus also was extremely straight after the paint job, with a minimum of bondo. But now I drive it, there have become more than one slightest curves at the long side. That's just the decision you have to take, keep it straight or just use it.
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Nice looking bus mate. Did it need much metalwork before paint, just out of interest?
| mdege wrote: |
Hey, these were mostly commercial vehicles at the time and they were never perfect when they came from the factory.
I love nicely restored buses, but I prefer buses which tell their history.
I don't believe in better than new. |
I agree that its nice to see a vehicle that shows its history. My oval is all OG paint and I love it... But a lot of them need blasting / restoring so the history is lost  |
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mabbo
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2004
Posts: 208
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| ronjonlasvegas wrote: |
I remember seeing this bus in Person at a show in CA a few years ago and thinking how straight it was. A highroof has a huge long panel and this one was straight. |
Those two look really nice. I can see why some would call them over restored, but IMO you cant beat the look of arrow straight bus |
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easy e
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Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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JimJonkers
Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2009
Posts: 57
Location: The Shaky Isles
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:20 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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My only restored bus, pretty straight but i prefer them unrestored....(like the one behind it)
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EeVeeWee
Samba Member
Joined: April 02, 2015
Posts: 836
Location: Amersfoort, Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 1:31 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| mabbo wrote: |
| EeVeeWee wrote: |
My bus also was extremely straight after the paint job, with a minimum of bondo. But now I drive it, there have become more than one slightest curves at the long side. That's just the decision you have to take, keep it straight or just use it.
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Nice looking bus mate. Did it need much metalwork before paint, just out of interest?
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I was quite a job, for about nearly three years now.
See topic here:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
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Rustyscrew
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2015
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 1:54 am Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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| ronjonlasvegas wrote: |
I remember seeing this bus in Person at a show in CA a few years ago and thinking how straight it was. A highroof has a huge long panel and this one was straight. |
If I'm correct, this bus had a rollover accident before restored to this condition. I've seen this one many times as the owner lives near me. He does amazing work, and most of what he does is "over restored", as I personally prefer. |
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marksch
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2007
Posts: 180
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the straightest split bus you have seen? |
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Mine is pretty straight.
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http://66split.com - My 21 window Seebau / Cumulusweiß bus restoration project and the crazy drive across the country that followed. |
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