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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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 Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:01 pm Post subject: Buggeee's 1966 Sportsmobile Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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I haven't had a split bus for longer than many on here have been alive. It was a different world for these when I bought my 67 non-walk through passenger bus for fifty dollars. I sold it a few years later for two hundred and fifty dollars to a shoeless, shirtless free spirit who brought his own stool to sit on while he looked at the engine. "Every bus needs a stool" he explained. He opened the rear hatch, set his stool on the luggage tray, and that was that. More than once I have wondered what adventures those two saw along the years.
Never did I imagine that I would have another one. The world is different today, splitty busses didn't fare well in the midwest due to the salt we dig out from under Lake Erie and spread on our roads. It seems that even the ones in other places have succumbed to rust. Project busses nowadays are really templates for manufacturing a vehicle from scratch and I marvel at the fabrication skills on display in this forum. I'm not going to be manufacturing a vehicle on a rotisserie, however, as I don't have time for that. The days ahead are fewer than the days behind, and I have to be realistic. Another reality for me is I've got too many birds chirping in the nest over here to be mortgaging the house for a finished product. So, the split bus was a fond memory to be cherished, but that was all really.
Then, this happened, and I loaded my trailer.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
Last edited by Buggeee on Wed Feb 23, 2022 8:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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It's a 1966 Bus Camper converted in Indiana by Travel Equipment Corp. I have searched the threads but not yet found a camper by this company. So, I'll show you what it is.
Here we arrive home after a long day of driving dawn to dusk, ready for unloading.
Home sweet home.
I couldn't wait so slid one of the bumpers on just to stare at it a bit before putting away the trailer.
Later that night I found some excuse to go out to the barn in my pajamas in sub freezing tempurature to adjust the air pressure. I really am helpless, and suspect I am in good company.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:23 pm Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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It has had the rockers replaced years ago and the work will not support a nice blocked-out paint job, but is good and solid from a functional camper perspective. I will not be tearing them out. I will be grateful that someone took the time to care about their bus, and now I will enjoy ther fruits of their labor as well. I will also be grateful for the patina trend. This is a first respray paint, not OG, but has weathered in a way that I am enjoying. The nose seam is an issue, inner as well, as is the jack points. The passenger dogleg is a little sad under some POR and there is a rivet patch on the floor at the drivers left foot. Thats the worst of it. Here is a tour of the foundation.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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It’s a good looking bus, tons of character and originality
The camper kit seems very complete. Some rust to deal with at some point, but not horrible. |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9913
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall.
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Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 6:57 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Lind wrote: |
I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall. |
Thank you for spurring some fun research into the technical section. I'll drop the results here for later convenience.
By the VIN chart, the birthdate is April 1966.
By the M Code chart, 2112 is a panel van, cargo doors right, left hand drive, with Nitro-Lacquer finish.
By the color code, L 87 is pearl white (13), with:
upholstery mesh grey (80),
seat beading grey K676,
hubcaps L 345 light grey,
wheels and bumpers L 82 silver white,
shifter boot 039 anthracite,
sun visor 702 cloud white ks81,
roof panels 502 grey U111,
door panels 704 grey Ks83,
gear shift and hand brake lever, steering column tube L41 black,
seat frames L466 silver beige,
millboard panel trim paint L528 grey,
escutcheon (inner door handle), inner door handles, shifter knob, emergency brake button, heater knob, headlight knob, choke knob, turn signal knob, and windshield wiper switch 036 silver beige,
flashing indicator black 005,
rear hinge panel covers (211-238) 050 cloud white
I think the roof panels would have been deleted by Travel Equipment Corp, in favor of the headliner panels.
The front seats look to be the original upholstery, with the drivers seat bottom cover replaced at some point with different model spec light grey over dark grey.
The seatbelts are three grey/olive straps and one black strap. I'm guessing the one black one was a replacement sourced from another bus.
The rubber wheelhouse cover remnants are grey. There is no front floor cover.
One nose panel came with it, which is dark grey.
The camper package upholstery appears to be the mustard color seen on the hideaway stool that had been protected from UV rays behind the ice box, with the single seat and bench having the color ravaged by the sun. (I don't know if I can do the mustard. Its wildly out of place with the rest of the bus. Time will tell as the seating vinyl likely has to be replaced so that the seats can see active duty without disintegrating.)
There are curtain rods but no fabric scraps.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9913
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:43 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall. |
Thank you for spurring some fun research into the technical section. I'll drop the results here for later convenience.
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What I was curious about are the M-codes. It appears that the bus has M-116 which is upper vent delete. This is evidence that the bus was ordered specifically to become a camper.
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VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Lind wrote: |
| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall. |
Thank you for spurring some fun research into the technical section. I'll drop the results here for later convenience.
|
What I was curious about are the M-codes. It appears that the bus has M-116 which is upper vent delete. This is evidence that the bus was ordered specifically to become a camper. |
Interesting.
31 5
425 025 043 116
UY 2112 131383 6xxxxxx
What do you think?
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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velvetgreen
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2004
Posts: 2744
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:58 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Looks like a very good start for a bus. A bit of metal work required but nothing huge, bonus is you can chip away at metal work while you continue to drive it after a mechanical refresh. Obviously complete fuel system refresh is critical. Goes without saying that ethanol resistant fuel lines would be on my shopping list and ensuring that carb has fuel line safety wired on. While the engine is out of the bus a good time to refresh your fuel tank and make sure that the sender works! Have fun |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9913
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall. |
Thank you for spurring some fun research into the technical section. I'll drop the results here for later convenience.
|
What I was curious about are the M-codes. It appears that the bus has M-116 which is upper vent delete. This is evidence that the bus was ordered specifically to become a camper. |
Interesting.
31 5
425 025 043 116
UY 2112 131383 6xxxxxx
What do you think? |
Yeah, pretty much what I was expecting. So far, I had only ever seen M-116 on panels delivered to Riviera Motors in Portland that were also destined to become Riviera campers. The vast majority of American panel camper conversions have the upper vents. At least there were two camper conversion companies knew what to do when they were ordering so that they would not have the useless vents on their campers.
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Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| Lind wrote: |
| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
| Buggeee wrote: |
| Lind wrote: |
I think that I once had a '61 walkthrough panel that was converted by this company. I sold it to a guy in oregon more than a decade ago.
Is this bus built onto a panel or a kombi? What does the M-code plate look like? It can be found behind the front passenger seat on the bulkhead wall. |
Thank you for spurring some fun research into the technical section. I'll drop the results here for later convenience.
|
What I was curious about are the M-codes. It appears that the bus has M-116 which is upper vent delete. This is evidence that the bus was ordered specifically to become a camper. |
Interesting.
31 5
425 025 043 116
UY 2112 131383 6xxxxxx
What do you think? |
Yeah, pretty much what I was expecting. So far, I had only ever seen M-116 on panels delivered to Riviera Motors in Portland that were also destined to become Riviera campers. The vast majority of American panel camper conversions have the upper vents. At least there were two camper conversion companies knew what to do when they were ordering so that they would not have the useless vents on their campers. |
All right then. I will enjoy the idea that my camper was put together by a competent company who cared about their work. Thank you for the insight Lind.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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velvetgreen
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Joined: August 17, 2004
Posts: 2744
Location: Canada
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71whitewesty
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Joined: February 25, 2010
Posts: 1543
Location: oregon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 10:53 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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Wow, I love the conversion. I've never seen one like it. Really like how versatile it is with being able to pull out the ice box and water tank cabinets and that hidden flip out buddy seat is sweet! Looks like the other buddy seat can come out and be used as a stand alone as well. Looks like they did a pretty quality job on the conversion cabinetry and panels too. I also wondered about the missing upper vents.
Great find and looking forward to seeing what you do with it. 
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer" |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4406
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 11:31 am Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| 71whitewesty wrote: |
Wow, I love the conversion. I've never seen one like it. Really like how versatile it is with being able to pull out the ice box and water tank cabinets and that hidden flip out buddy seat is sweet! Looks like the other buddy seat can come out and be used as a stand alone as well. Looks like they did a pretty quality job on the conversion cabinetry and panels too. I also wondered about the missing upper vents.
Great find and looking forward to seeing what you do with it. |
With all of the boxes out it has the room of a passenger bus without the middle seat. When I brought it home the stuff was all loose and topsy turvy piled in there with an engine. I didn't know what to think so I just unpacked everything onto the barn floor and stared at it a bit.
It was like putting a puzzle together with clues from the shapes of the curved walls and shadow lines from the sun fading. Once it started falling in place I began to really like it. Plus on a sunny dry weekend I can see having those things staged around the campsite outside.
I'm starting to really dig it.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
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1970PAKombi
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2019
Posts: 264
Location: Denver, PA
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Buggeee's 1966 Camper by Travel Equipment Corp |
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| I love the build and congratulations - please keep us posted as how it comes along! |
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