03/51 kempes revival (acquired taste)

[Stealth Petty]

Well finally the kempes is ready to hit the road again.....
There’s still a few tweaks to do but I’m glad to finally have it running and driving again. Now everyone has different tastes and what people probably do not realise is when I took the bus on it was in a sorry state! It drove like a bag of spanner’s, the two front chassis rails were snapped above the beam and only just clinging on bud many other small problems. I decided to strip it down and lower it on a narrowed but standard setup beam running beetle k&l spindles and an empi disk kit to boot. It immediately went back to spicer to have a fair amount of metal work done including finally sorting the rear window panel, cargo doors, straightening the back end, luggage tray and repairing the front chassis rails.
To be expected he’s done an amazing job and more work is planned in the future to get the bus really dialled in. Anyway it’s finally it’s maiden voyage tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to some shakedown miles and actually enjoying it! I know it’s not to everyone’s taste but let’s face it no one else stepped up and took it on and I’m a strong believer in building a vehicle to suit your needs!
Updates/shocks will come after the weekend

[Stealth Petty]

[mandraks]

still looks good, and repairing it is never bad. i would never lower it, but i did not step up! you did. you keep posting pics, and i will keep looking at them
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regards

Uli

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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel

[busben]

That old shed was soooo toasty and has needed the welding finishing for years. Looks great. Love that it's back in the UK and back on the road. Nice work

[chris67bug]

Stance looks spot on. Great to see this famous bus being brought up to scratch. It's your bus and YOU decide how it looks. The only no no would be to respray it!

[j.pickens]

[Stealth Petty]

First proper drive to santapod and drove perfectly......

Enjoy

[Lind]

Rear windows are for late models.
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Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
.

[challomoner]

Awesome! Love the wheel choice too.

What's the motor?

[Stealth Petty]

[Brezelmeister]

[challomoner]

[EmpiGT]

Just wondering in that one side view pic the front wheels look really far back in the wheel wells. Never noticed that running beetle spindles before. Are you running beetle trailing arms as well? Not sure that would do it either. Usually a slammed bug kicks the wheels forward. Unless they are longer than barndoor trailing arms. I've never measured them against barndoor arms.

[mandraks]

[Stealth Petty]

[Phat bug]

Looking great!
Love the engine choice!
Where have you got the cooling system mounted?
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Click to view image

[SplitBusVanatic]

AAZ. yes. Nice one. Have you a build thread anywhere for the engine install. ?

[johnny d]

[djfordmanjack]

Still an amazing bus. This bus has been reborn so many times. it will certainly outlive its current engine choice. hopefully.

Good to see this back on the road. Enjoy !
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Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[djfordmanjack]

Are these ashwood frames around the cargo vents, holding the liner panels and screens ? slick ! Love that detailing. I wonder where Mark got that coachbuilding information from...
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Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior