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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:01 am Post subject: New Owner of a SO42, first bus! |
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First time posting here, thinking about purchasing a 65 so42. Does anyone have advice on replacing the birch on the side doors? A diagram or pictures would be great! Thanks!!
Last edited by timjames722 on Sat Oct 02, 2021 6:22 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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cru62 Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002 Posts: 4117 Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 1:52 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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The OG wood is Limba. It is basically unobtainable. If you decide to use Birch try to use European Birch. Not something from HD. For some reason it is better than North American Birch. The grain of the EU Birch is tighter and looks more like Limba.
Door panels are the easiest of all the panels in Camper. They are just rectangles. Make a cardboard pattern and you're done! _________________ "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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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Hey thanks man! I was unaware of that, throught it was birch. Thanks for letting me know. |
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sled Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2005 Posts: 6179
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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that is actually not true, so42's had birch paneling. _________________ drive your split. |
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cru62 Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002 Posts: 4117 Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Sled, you are correct. I was thinking SO-23. They had Limba.
My advice still applies to EU vs NA Birch, though. I sourced some through a local real Lumber Store. I took in one of the Cargo door panels and the NA stuff wasn’t even close. They had a pallet of EU birch which was perfect. The plus is that EU panels are about the same size as SO-42 roof panels, unlike NA panels which are smaller. _________________ "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!
Last edited by cru62 on Wed Jul 28, 2021 3:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Do you guys know the approximate thickness of the panels? |
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will t Samba Member
Joined: February 23, 2009 Posts: 179
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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See if you can find 3mm Baltic birch. Don't quote me on the 3mm but it is in mm and approximately 1/8". Paxton Hardwoods in Denver sells it and that's where I have bought it. Ask whatever place near you that sells wood to woodworkers and fine home-builders. |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:46 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Cool thanks I’m familiar with Baltic birch. If I do end up getting it I’ll post pics! |
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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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SO-42s used birch, not limba.
Post pics before. IMO if the existing panels are original, and not terribly thrashed, I would leave them. _________________ The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 5:40 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Thanks, good advice. Will do. |
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BulliBill Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004 Posts: 4573 Location: St Charles, MO
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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:08 am Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Welcome "timjames722" to our Westy world! First off I hope you find and buy a good old Westfalia SO-42 Campmobile with solid bones!
Great advice above on finding the good Baltic Birch at a better lumber supplier, not at the "big box" warehouses. You want the thin stuff with the beautiful clean grain! If you are handy with saws, sanders and power tools and can stain wood you'll be able to handle your own interior panel restoration. Replace the old sub floor too. There are plenty of build threads in here to show and advise. Clara (above) does incredible work! Check out her ads for interior items.
I just had my interior completely restored to original on my '67 Campmobile. There are a few folks across the USA that I would trust to do this and since I was already bringing my Camper out West on a long fall vacation to attend the 2019 Jerome Jamboree event in my Splitty and visit with friends in Phoenix, I chose a Camper interior service out there called Modern Relix. The day after the event ended, into their shop my "tin-top" Camper went. On day one we gutted the interior and correctly cut a hole and using a cool jig we bent a lip just like the folks at Westfalia did into the roof and installed a SO-42 pop-top roof section that I had previously shipped out to them to restore and install when I brought the Camper out West. On day 2 thru 4 with everything inside removed, we carefully installed a new subfloor and new original-look linoleum, then replaced all of my ceiling and wall panels with fresh new Baltic Birch and then installed all of the interior and new curtains into my now "pop-top" Campmobile. I'm so happy I did this with them! Then my wife and I hopped back in and continued our driving/camping tour of the Southwest and eventually cruised back to Missouri.
If you are mildly handy with tools and are patient you can do a very nice job in your own garage. Read up on all the discussion threads about flooring, panels, curtains, pop-tops, etc. and you'll have a good idea on how to pull off your own transformation! Welcome to the wonderful world of SO-42's...
Bill _________________ I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:31 am Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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BulliBill wrote: |
Welcome "timjames722" to our Westy world! First off I hope you find and buy a good old Westfalia SO-42 Campmobile with solid bones!
Great advice above on finding the good Baltic Birch at a better lumber supplier, not at the "big box" warehouses. You want the thin stuff with the beautiful clean grain! If you are handy with saws, sanders and power tools and can stain wood you'll be able to handle your own interior panel restoration. Replace the old sub floor too. There are plenty of build threads in here to show and advise. Clara (above) does incredible work! Check out her ads for interior items.
I just had my interior completely restored to original on my '67 Campmobile. There are a few folks across the USA that I would trust to do this and since I was already bringing my Camper out West on a long fall vacation to attend the 2019 Jerome Jamboree event in my Splitty and visit with friends in Phoenix, I chose a Camper interior service out there called Modern Relix. The day after the event ended, into their shop my "tin-top" Camper went. On day one we gutted the interior and correctly cut a hole and using a cool jig we bent a lip just like the folks at Westfalia did into the roof and installed a SO-42 pop-top roof section that I had previously shipped out to them to restore and install when I brought the Camper out West. On day 2 thru 4 with everything inside removed, we carefully installed a new subfloor and new original-look linoleum, then replaced all of my ceiling and wall panels with fresh new Baltic Birch and then installed all of the interior and new curtains into my now "pop-top" Campmobile. I'm so happy I did this with them! Then my wife and I hopped back in and continued our driving/camping tour of the Southwest and eventually cruised back to Missouri.
If you are mildly handy with tools and are patient you can do a very nice job in your own garage. Read up on all the discussion threads about flooring, panels, curtains, pop-tops, etc. and you'll have a good idea on how to pull off your own transformation! Welcome to the wonderful world of SO-42's...
Bill |
Thanks Bill, that's a great write up. I checked out your page and your camperis beautiful! Really nice job. Definitely handy with tools and have some good friends who are older mechanics. Have a great weekend, enjoy your bus! - Tim |
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matthew henricks Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2002 Posts: 1219 Location: So. Cal
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Bringing home the bus in the next few days, will post pics! |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 1:20 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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von_hansel Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2006 Posts: 635 Location: Inland Empire
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Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for SO42 |
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Tim- Very nice original honest bus. For being from the East Coast, it is fairly dry.
Looking forward to seeing what you do with it and how the wood comes out. |
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BarryL Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2004 Posts: 14269 Location: Casa de Oro, California
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Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: New Owner of a SO42, first bus! |
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Wowie that looks really original. |
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timjames722 Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021 Posts: 137 Location: NW of Philly
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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:31 pm Post subject: Re: New Owner of a SO42, first bus! |
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First night indoors |
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velvetgreen Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2004 Posts: 2746 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: New Owner of a SO42, first bus! |
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Cool bus- wonder how they got bus front door pockets to fit in a 65' bus? |
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