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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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My Taillights needed some help. They were bent up and rather rusty. I'm going to run an original SWF taillight ring and NOS SWF lenses. I was told the reproduction taillight housing doesn't fit well with original rings and lenses.
So, I refurbished them for now. I think I may eventually buy the flat LED panels, or find some NOS taillights housings. In the end, the goal of switching to LED will be to provide more brake lightening in the back of the bus. I may also get a small LED strip light to plug in and attach to the Jailbars for night driving......We'll see how it goes....I'll report back once all is hooked up and see how bright they shine with the spray chrome I used.
A few pictures of the bends in the taillights. I was able to make them flat again and they didn't crack!
A few shots of them flattened out.
The inside and outside of the taillights were a bit rusted, so I took the bulb holder out, taped off the pot-metal section, and blasted the reflective area, and the back of the bucket.
A few shots of the front and back area blasted.
Some etch primer after blasting
Can't seem to find the regular primer pictures. However, here are a few pictures of the Rustoleum Chrome Metallic results I sprayed in the buckets.
I decided to paint the back side black. I think they were originally a metal finish, but I decided black would be ok in the engine compartment, since several motor parts are black.
Here is a shot of the front and back of the finished results.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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While the bus was at body and paint, I finished up blasting everything that I could with the blaster cabinet at work. I did this over a few days, so after I cleaned up each piece I wrapped them in plastic moving wrap and stored them inside. Once all was done. I took them to the powder coater to get them powdered in 20% black. Blasting everything saves some money, and it's mildly satisfying when it's in an enclosed cabinet.
Here are the pedals and parts before and after, or after and before blasting. It always amazes me how a rusty old part can be cleaned up and become new again. The gas pedal had a few wrong bolts to hold it together, so I bought a new hardware kit for it.....That said, I'm trying to use as many original to the bus parts. Everything below was original to the bus. Now it's all powder-coated with a solid finish. Many pictures of all the parts.
All the parts lined up painted with 20% black from the local powder coater in Santa Clara, CA.
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mdege Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2018 Posts: 940 Location: Niederkruechten, Germany
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Here is a picture of the steering column, and the turn signal pod, the gearshift, and a few e-brake parts after I blasted all of the pieces.
I wanted the silver beige to match the recasted steering wheel, so I had Koch's in Southern California paint them with their formula so it all matched and looked correct. I'll have pictures of the results later when it all gets assembled.
It all matches really well. I wanted to use the original SWF turn signal housing. I bought a new reproduction WW turn signal mechanism, and will use the mechanism, but wanted to retain the original to the bus housing with the correct SWF imprint.. CampingBox, Greg Noble rebuilt the steering box for me at the same time he rebuilt my beam.
Here are some pictures of the hatches, the motor apron, the parcel tray, and doors once media blasted and primed. Everything comes out so well and it's all sealed well.
This last picture of the motor area shows the two bay window seat belt brackets that were installed on the gas tank shelf. I bought them, cut them, bent them, and re-welded them up before install. There are also two pieces of metal that is under the shelf that get welded to the frame. I need to find that picture.
Last edited by Spitty1974 on Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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The fresh air box parts were really crusty and rusty...I suppose it makes sense seeing as air full of moisture passes through it. For some silly reason, I was on a quest to find a paint that matched nicely with the original factory gray primer for some of the parts, yet actually be paint instead of primer.
Pictures of the rust and crust!
A few pictures after blasting everything.
A picture of a few items getting bathed in etch primer.
I found that Smoke Gray Krylon paint was a close shade to the original factory primer. Here is a picture of me testing it out before I blasted everything.
I ended up painting a few of the pieces that would have normally had a zinc type of finish with the same stuff I used on the rear taillight buckets, chrome paint. I need to find the pictures of the other pieces painted black and with the Smoke gray. I painted everything as I found it....Seems silly since its covered, but sometimes I've found myself taking steps that may be a bit absurd to any normal person not restoring a bus from the ground up. The painted parts are all tucked away for assembly and will show up later as this unfolds.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:54 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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While I did the grunt work of blasting smalls, Larry and his guys got cooking on the
real work, the bodywork on the body and doors/hatches. They really have done an amazing job on the body work.
Here are two pictures of the roof after a little skim, sanding, and primer. The roof is looking nice and straight and smooth here...But there is more sanding and priming to come.
Here is a shot of the bulkhead as it starts to get its final massage.
Here is a picture of the dash as it gets a nice body massage. I love the simplicity of a split window dash. I have a Sapphire I radio that I'm putting in that dash.
Here are a few shots of the sky window area and the side window area as they receive their final rubdowns. The extra steps in getting these areas nice will really help and show when a headliner is installed. No Stone unturned with Larry and his guys...They are on it!
A bunch of photos of the outside of the bus as it begins its primer and sanding massage.
I took the above pictures when I drove down to Larry's to drop off the trans. I did this because on the trip home the bus will be on all four tires. The pictures are of that day. When I arrived, he had placed this note on the bus...Too funny Larry!
Here is a picture of the wheels and some bumper parts as they were getting their final sanding prior to getting painted.
Here is a picture of the cab window frames after being blasted and primed...They are getting massaged into shape for paint.
Here are the cargo doors as they are getting ready for paint.
Here one of the cab doors getting a little skim here and there, and final sanding.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:32 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Here are all of the rims and bumper parts painted in the correct Silver White. They look fabulous!
Look at those NOS pointed bumpers! I had a conversation with a few folks about the bumper brackets. I went with white for them based on a few expert opinions. I also saw an original 1966 bus with 10,000K miles, always garaged, never in an accident, and the brackets were white on it!
A shot of all of the bumper smalls.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:51 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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The cargo doors, engine apron, parcel tray, engine lid, and cab window pieces all smooth and ready for paint.
All the pop-out window frames, the front door window frames, parcel tray, radio delete (I have a radio, but figured I'd get one to have) and the fresh air vent cover all painted white. What white is it? Time will tell...
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:04 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Here are two pictures of the bumpers assembled and now hanging for safe keeping. The NOS guards on the back fit like a glove! I ended up buying a complete new set of bolts, washers, and nuts for the bumpers from WW. The front guards are WW repo, I could not find original NOS. The front towel bar is original, the rear round bars are WW repo. I think they look great.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:25 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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The final days of sanding. For those of you that have done the body and paint on a bus, you know it is not easy. The amount of labor hours to get a bus ready for paint is not an easy feat. I know Larry's guys spent weeks and weeks getting the body ready for paint.
I don't have automotive paint experience, and I wanted the bus to turn out well. Not to mention, I teach full-time, am married, working on our fixer upper home, and have a high energy toddler boy who keeps me on my toes... I'll have to practice on a bug, or an old 1930 Model A Ford truck that is sitting in my grandmother's barn. Something with separate parts and not a huge long flat panel. I forget the exact number of separate spray sessions there are for a split bus in two tone paint....But I do not it is a lot!
Last days of sanding.
The WW nose was such a nice pressing, it needed very little skim coat. I am glad it was replaced, and I am glad it doesn't have a bunch of filler on it. And for folks that do this work, you know they all need a skim here and there.
A picture of me in the bus, it was really close to paint at this point...I'm a dork! Seriously though, to get to this point after 8 plus years of owning and working on the bus is tremendous!
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:44 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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The paint started to fly on the roof first. Here are the pictures of the white paint being applied . Any idea what the shade of white is? Soon enough you will see...I agonized over paint combinations...Seriously, I like almost all of the stock color combos...VW got it right with the colors.
I'll be quiet and let the pictures do the talking...The results are stunning!
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:12 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Here are pictures of the interior right after the white paint was applied. Obviously, areas like the dash, the air box, and other visible areas will get color sanded later. Pictures will do the talking.
One picture before.
One picture after. The transformation from old and crusty to this amazes me.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Found a shot of the bus media blasted right before it got primed...It was too long ago to go back and put with that post, so it's here.
Here is one of it still on the dolly system at my house. I took off all of the exterior paint. I saved the inside and the frame rails for media blasting and powder coating place.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Ok, time to reveal the color. After weeks and weeks of going back and fourth, I decided on Sea Blue and Cumulus White.
The bus was originally Titian Red, but honestly it is one of the few VW colors I'm not a huge fan of.....I'm very happy with my choice.
I was able to compare paint samples to an original, always garaged, 1966 bus with pristine original paint, and the match was spot on. I was able to get the PPG code from another Samba member who had painted their bus in the same combo and his matched the time capsule bus I was able to compare it to. He pointed me in the direction of the paint shop, and they got the code to Larry and his paint shop.
Here are pictures of the Sea Blue being applied, straight from the gun, no color sanding yet. PPG Single Stage Concept Paint.
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Spitty1974 Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2011 Posts: 647 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Here are pictures of the bus with the Cumulus White paint applied, and the entire body color sanded. No final wax yet. Check out that shine and reflection.....They knocked it out of the park!
Look at that nose.
A shot of the back looking inside.
One of the engine area. The horn area still needs to be sprayed, this is normal when it's on a spinner to paint, no paint where it bolts on..
A shot of the inside showing the two tone tape and paint work.
One last picture of the long panel. I'm speechless, it turned out incredible....Lots and lots of hard work went into that paint job by Larry's crew.
I'll find the bottom photos and add them in and you'll see how beautiful the bottom and wheel wells turned out....The attention to detail is astounding! |
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7050 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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looks sweet. new paint is always so shiny _________________ regards
Uli
----------------------------------------
'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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BarryL Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2004 Posts: 14266 Location: Casa de Oro, California
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Like it was dipped. |
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Two Glove Boxes Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2005 Posts: 838 Location: Texas
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oakman Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2014 Posts: 1715 Location: Edge of the Desert, Ca
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:55 pm Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Super nice!!
Bus looks amazing and great choice on the colors!! You must be stoked!
I've seen a handful of buses that were painted by Deutchland's and they have all looked great. _________________ Brandon |
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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: Fri Jan 15, 2021 9:32 am Post subject: Re: My 1966 Deluxe Project |
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Spitty1974 wrote: |
All the parts lined up painted with 20% black from the local powder coater in Santa Clara, CA.
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Looks good and the oainted body is outstanding.
You might want to look closely at the arm the clutch cable attaches to. Looks like it's about to let go with the hole all ovaled out. |
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