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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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 Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:10 am Post subject: 67 Kombi Custom |
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Last weekend my wife and I picked up our new project. I have a lot of respect for these vehicles and for the people who put their blood sweat and tears into restoring these beautiful cars.
As the title suggests, our vision for our bus is a custom build, so I wanted to be sure that we chose a bus that didn't have awesome patina OG paint or a perfectly restored finish. I also wanted to be sure I didn't bite off more than I could chew with regards to the size and scope of the project. I have done a pan off rebuild on a 67 bug in the past, so I have some knowledge of what I am getting in to, however, I don't have any experience welding. The bug only had rust in the battery tray and I had my roommate at the time weld in the replacement panel. All that said, I knew I had to choose a project that wouldn't require too much rust repair.
We had been searching for a while and found what we felt was the perfect fit for our vision. The body looks mostly straight (for our vision it won't need to be absolutely perfect) and a LOT of the welding had already been done. The paint was patchwork, so I wouldn't be ruining a patina beauty and the price was in our range. I will be trying my best to stay true to the bones of the vehicle, but we will be customizing this project. Purists may want to look away, once we get past the welding. Haha. This project will be a custom, but won't be a hackjob. Mostly just custom paint, accessories and perhaps, drive-train.
The bus we found was about 350 miles away from us and due to being very busy with work and home life, my wife and I decided to power through and do a turn around trip to pick up our new bus. The trip took us about 18 hours in total and was a LOT of fun, albeit scary at times.
Our journey started at 4:00am as we hopped in the uhaul, guzzled some energy drinks and set out on the road.
This was our first time ever pulling a trailer, and boy, was it nerve wracking. The trip to pick up the bus was totally fine. Made good time and arrived without issue.
Loading the bus on a trailer was an adventure, due to the fact that it was on dollys, instead of normal suspension with wheels. We drove off the ramps a few times trying to line it up and get it on the trailer, but after some determination, and muscle, we were able to get it up there.
You may notice from the strapped picture that the wheels on the dollies are crooked. This definitely was the cause of some of our struggles. We didn't know at the time, but apparently, the wheels had sheared off the hubs.
The drive home was the most terrifying of the trip. The bus was never in danger of coming off the trailer, but having never towed before, my wife and I were often white knuckled, especially on parts of the highway that were under construction and down to one lane with no shoulder on either side. The entire trip was a revelation to us how TERRIBLE the roads are in our state, which we hadn't noticed before.
Anyway, several hours later, and only having to stop two or three times to check the tightness on the straps and bungee the cargo doors closed tighter, we made it. Getting it off the trailer was also quite treacherous, but, with the help of a good family friend and his son, we did it. The bus is now setting in it's new home and ready for the work to begin. The first step will be to get those dolly wheels replaced so we can move the bus around the shop.
We are so excited to get started on getting this one back on the road.
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timjames722
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021
Posts: 137
Location: NW of Philly
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:16 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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Cool! Looking forward to the process. Does it still have its M code plate?
Tim
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66 SO42 L87
What's the point in callin shots? This cue ain't straight in line. |
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:21 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| timjames722 wrote: |
Cool! Looking forward to the process. Does it still have its M code plate?
Tim |
It has all 3 matching plates in place. Is it safe to post them here? I am probably being paranoid, but I am curious to get some feedback on the history of the bus.
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timjames722
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2021
Posts: 137
Location: NW of Philly
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:32 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| Imadesignerd wrote: |
| timjames722 wrote: |
Cool! Looking forward to the process. Does it still have its M code plate?
Tim |
It has all 3 matching plates in place. Is it safe to post them here? I am probably being paranoid, but I am curious to get some feedback on the history of the bus. |
Nice! Yeah I don't think there's any problems posting them. I just posted my M codes. Maybe wait for an older Samba member to chime in on the other numbers. I'm new! 
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66 SO42 L87
What's the point in callin shots? This cue ain't straight in line. |
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boulderz
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2009
Posts: 72
Location: VT
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:28 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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Congrats, I can see why you were white knuckling, that set up looks sketch as hell! I feel fairly confident if something can go wrong while trailering, I've seen it/done it*, so consider yourself lucky that thing didn't flop over.
*One time in my "yute" while going to pick up a recently purchased vehicle, the trailer that I was pulling actually came off the truck, sheared both safety cables, passed me on the right (on the highway), jumped an entrance ramp, and crashed in to some bushes. Just as perspective to my previous statement..haha. |
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| boulderz wrote: |
Congrats, I can see why you were white knuckling, that set up looks sketch as hell! I feel fairly confident if something can go wrong while trailering, I've seen it/done it*, so consider yourself lucky that thing didn't flop over.
*One time in my "yute" while going to pick up a recently purchased vehicle, the trailer that I was pulling actually came off the truck, sheared both safety cables, passed me on the right (on the highway), jumped an entrance ramp, and crashed in to some bushes. Just as perspective to my previous statement..haha. |
Yeah that story is scary. I wasn’t worried about the bus coming off the trailer at all. We strapped it very securely with straps to the frame that are rated well over the weight of the shell. The issue was that it would wiggle as we went down the road leading to the straps listening a bit. We went slow and stopped often to tighten everything up. The trailer itself is made for fully assembled cars so it was way overkill as well. Ive never seen a hitch set up as crazy as that trailer had.
I think if those wheels weren’t broken it would have been totally fine and I wouldn’t have had to worry. Anyway, it all worked out.
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boulderz
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2009
Posts: 72
Location: VT
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:19 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| For sure, all's well that ends well.. did the bus come just as a shell? |
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| boulderz wrote: |
| For sure, all's well that ends well.. did the bus come just as a shell? |
No, it came with a lot of stuff, including almost all of the replacement metal panels for the welding repairs still left to be done. All of the other stuff was loaded into the cargo area of the bus and into the bed of the pickup truck for transport.
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matthew henricks
Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2002
Posts: 1219
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:39 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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Glad you got it home. I know it was as big of an adventure finding it in the first place much less getting it home.
I think back to my first trailer drive. 17 years old pulling the family boat on vacation. Also all the trailer adventures. Man my dad trusted me. Things can go wrong so fast. Lots of pucker factor stories for sure.
Look forward to the progress and as always ping me if you have questions.
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1964 Original Owner build Thread. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702135&highlight=
Ambulance Fan's. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627707&highlight=
Parts i am looking for:
64 bug nice used front/rear Black LHD floor mat. |
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2021 12:16 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| matthew henricks wrote: |
Glad you got it home. I know it was as big of an adventure finding it in the first place much less getting it home.
I think back to my first trailer drive. 17 years old pulling the family boat on vacation. Also all the trailer adventures. Man my dad trusted me. Things can go wrong so fast. Lots of pucker factor stories for sure.
Look forward to the progress and as always ping me if you have questions. |
The search definitely was an adventure.
As for towing, it was an experience that I don't want to have to do again, if it can be avoided.
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matthew henricks
Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2002
Posts: 1219
Location: So. Cal
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2021 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| matthew henricks wrote: |
You do not know your building a VW. You WILL tow it again.  |
Fair enough.
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mdege
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2018
Posts: 939
Location: Niederkruechten, Germany
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:00 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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I plan on uploading more detail pictures for everyone but I have been super busy.
Here is the mcode plate for now as requested
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 11:49 am Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| Imadesignerd wrote: |
I plan on uploading more detail pictures for everyone but I have been super busy.
Here is the mcode plate for now as requested
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I found an online decoder mentioned in another thread. Interesting stuff.
This mentions reverse lights, but it's also an early 67, which I have learned, usually doesn't have reverse lights. Should my bus have reverse lights above the tail lights? Currently the holes aren't there. Maybe mounted to the rear bumper?
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69812
Location: Phoenix Metro
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| EverettB wrote: |
Early 67 = no reverse lights
The M-code listings and various decoders usually list everything that was possible for that code, even if it's later stuff.
So it will say reverse lights in this case as later '67s would have them as factory parts. |
Thanks Everett!
I wont be cutting any holes then and just add some backup lights to my rear bumper.
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BonTonRoulet
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2020
Posts: 360
Location: Mississippi
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| I reckon I'd look for a reverse light switch on the transmission before I went too far with lights added to the bumper? |
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FeveredMind
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2016
Posts: 147
Location: Riverside, CA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| BonTonRoulet wrote: |
| I reckon I'd look for a reverse light switch on the transmission before I went too far with lights added to the bumper? |
Well, the bus didn't come with a trans. My plan is to run a 68 bug trans with a bus nose cone and offset spring plates.
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BonTonRoulet
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2020
Posts: 360
Location: Mississippi
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| Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2021 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: 67 Kombi Custom |
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| Well that'll certainly work. |
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