The 1959 Franken Project

[Shoyrtt]

Here are the plates from Gary. He also included the little blue keychain tag with the VIN number on it.

[Shoyrtt]

I'm getting close to the point to finally get the bus registered. The chassis number for the 59 is present near the battery, but the ID plate in the engine bay and the M-Code plate are both long gone. I reached out to Gary here on the Samba to help. He suggested ordering a birth certificate so that he could replicate the two missing tags. It took about 2-3 weeks to arrive via DHL and was 99 euros ($116). I probably don't need the tags, but if the vin verification requires more than one number, at least I'm set.

Nothing special for the M-codes, just a dove blue US spec panel bus with overriders delivered to New Orleans and latter chopped up near Yuma AZ and turned into a paint shed.

[Shoyrtt]

[pondoras box]

Awesome save on this one. I remember when you found the back half in Yuma, I used to live there for awhile, but somehow lost track of this thread.

I love it when people save the unwanted buses, too far gone to be worth restoring and see the potential. Now that it’s road worthy document your trips and shows. I could use the motivation to get past the issues I’m trying to solve on my project.
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Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda). https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=563183
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1960 hardtop
1964 hardtop
1965 hardtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk

[Shoyrtt]

Trying my best to keep doing a little work on the Frankenbus. I took on another project last year and bought an electric "Duffy" boat for $30 at an auction. I am getting close to finishing it now and hopefully can spend more time on the bus.
Here are a couple of before and after pictures of the Duffy:

On the bus, I turned my attention to the rear driver side corner that was pretty munched and had the electrical outlet hole in it from when it was a storage shed. It is no where near perfect, but better than before.

[Shoyrtt]

[von_hansel]

It was nice meeting you at OCTO via Jeremy Jordan. I look forward to seeing this bus in person.

- Johnny
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[Shoyrtt]

Here is a little update on the Frankenbus. I was at the OCTO show yesterday looking at all of the incredible buses. Walking by the Koch booth I saw their barndoor headlight covers and decided to buy a set. The yellow glass looked good but they were bad at night. I had the bumpers powder coated along with the window frames and the VW emblem. I took my fuel door into my local paint shop and had a few rattle cans made to paint the nose and other areas on the bus. Slow progress.

[brettsvw]

After my accident I’m ditching the steering box for a rack n pinion.
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My 59 kombi build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=635003&highlight=

My buggy build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=558601&highlight=

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=289807

[Yannvanh]

good job!

bus turned out really good!
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'66 vw splitbus project:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Instagram page:

yannicks_splitbus_project

Always there to help!

[Shoyrtt]

Still working on the Frankenbus. I started the process of pulling out and cleaning up the window frames. The nose of the bus came from Oregon and the frames are in pretty good shape with nothing other than surface rust. The flat head screws were sure a pain to get out.
I have the seal kit and wing windows from Wolfsburg West and the stationary and sliding glass from ISP to go in. I'm thinking the best way to tackle the surface rust is to have the frames bead blasted.

[karl h]

i love it!
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61 panel: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=465022
68 ghia vert
arctic alice (63 ragtop on irs): http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,27456.0.html
86 Caravelle
04 new beetle vert

[ddutch]

Great project, it's surely going to be a nice bus. With some careful paint blending, polish work and some extra original Dove blue doors, it could easily be a patina-ed bus with largely original paint. But then it wont be recognizable as a ''Franken-bus'' any more...

[Shoyrtt]

[oakman]

[Shoyrtt]

Off the trailer and driven around the neighborhood for the first time. Glad to have it back to tinker on.

[Shoyrtt]

The Frankenbus somewhere in Utah yesterday on the 12 hour trip back home.

[Shoyrtt]

Installing the Creative Engineering safari kit from the UK. I’m looking forward to picking up the bus next weekend in Idaho.

[Shoyrtt]

The metal order from Grumpy’s made it to Idaho and the work continues. Sean worked his magic to get the doors lined up better. He also has the 67 lotus white bus in my avatar under the knife. I’m hoping to pick the frankenbus up in late July.

[Shoyrtt]