55 Standard PGSG Project

[ScrapJunkie]

[swervyjoe]

[bus guy]

Thanks guys, but I wanted it that low. I have a small low garage adjoining my workshop that I store cars in sometimes when the main workshop is full. This means if I have a lot of customer work in I can put the bus out of the way for a while, then if I want to work on it I can push it over the lift and lift it up a few feet from the floor.

[sled]

i figured you knew what you were doing


keep us updated!!
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drive your split.

[j.pickens]

[swervyjoe]

just a trailer jack. i added the caster and the plate. adjusts from just over stock height to rediciously high.

[bus guy]

Did a bit of work on the rear bumper. Someone had cut out a section in the past with a torch, so i found the thickest metal I could and heated, bent, hammered and welded it into place. Still needs some finishing, as well as grinding the welds, but it has the right shape and you get the idea..

I guess it had a hitch on at some point, as the lower area in the center was cut and bent down and a hole was drilled. I straightened it, just have to weld up the cuts.

[sled]

very nice

is that a sealing wax red bumper bracket and splash pan? if so and you dont want it for your pg/sg bus, i have a swr bus that might want them
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drive your split.

[bus guy]

No, It's just orange, EVERYTHING on the bus has a coat of it, underneath the gold and 'forest' green...

[Stocknazi]

height adjustable wheel dollies, that's a really good idea
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WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."

Thomas Jefferson

[bus guy]

I finished up the repairs on the rear bumper, before removing the rear brackets and spash pans ready for blasting.

Both rear corners are rusted where they meet the battery trays, so I cleaned up the drivers side one ready to remove the metal.

Once the metal was removed you can see the tray needs a small repair. This side is not bad enough to be replaced (the other side will be replaced).

Finally (for today) I ground back the welds on the taillight holes ready for paint and removed the plexiglass rear 'safari' window..

[stephenmullens]

I like how you're making quick work of your bus...getting right down to it. Is that a wolfsburg decklid there?

[bus guy]

Thanks for the comments, it is a Wolfsburg decklid, I will try and post some pics of the inside..
I have a lot of work on at the moment, but I am trying to just give it half an hour or an hour at least 2 or 3 times a week. I figure if I do this I should have the metalwork done in a couple months. The only limiting thing will be the gerson panels - the UK importer doesn't seem to answer emails and doesn't hold stock of wheelwells, etc. I might have to get some from splitpile or metwiz and ship them, so this might slow me down - I need to sell my '68 deluxe before I can afford them

[Scotty]

I can't wait to see the end result
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[hazetguy]

that didn't take long. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=563433
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thebucket: I invested in hoodride, now DBD won't return my call?
hazetguy: invested?
thebucket: Yeah Haze, its where people put money into a company in hopes of a return on their money

[stephenmullens]

Nope.

[sled]

well, so much for that.
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drive your split.

[hugheseum]

funny how many of these projects start out at full steam,i actually thought this guy was gonna finish saving this bucket from the woods,its probably like every old bus,you go so far then realize it needs absolutely everything and its literally dropping rust from everywhere as your fitting/grinding. i see the rockers look solid,but i'll guarantee they are rusty.....they all are
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Have a great day!

[bus guy]

Well, you know, I kind of expected this from the folks who love to bitch at everyone else (hey at least I didn't bag it on fake earlies ) and maybe I walked into it. I kind of thought maybe this is a hobby and everyone is here because they love VW's. I remember a time when everyone got on in the VW scene, before the internet.
The fact is I didn't buy it to flip, as Hazetguy intimates in his post. I bought it after months of thinking about it (it was on here long enough) and planned to get it on the road. I am not selling it for profit, or because I found a lot of nastiness (I was actually pleasantly surprised when this bus arrived).
Put simply, I am trying to build up my business and realized this would take up a lot of my time that I could be spending working on customers cars, or home with my wife, who has been pretty ill the last 4 years and my 3 year old son, who we recently found out has Autism related difficulties (he is too young for a positive diagnosis)
I bought the bus for $3000
Shipped it to the UK for £1750 ($3400)
transported it from the shipper £250 ($490) including vehicle hire.
Total $6890 or £3533
I also bought some parts, such as fat base mirror arms, interior handles, etc and did some bodywork. The fact is, as I said, right now what I need is a driver, so I am looking at trades, including a single cab and a 59 Bug currently. I bought the bus last october and personal circumstances change, just remember that next time you decide to judge.
If I wanted to make a killing I could part the bus out ( already have no less than 7 people after the reflectors alone) but I want someone to take over from where I have started and do this bus justice, I am only sorry it won't be me doing it.

[hazetguy]

i had no other intention in my post other than showing it was for sale. after all the build up and your excitement of getting it, as well as progress pics of the work done so far, i was just pointing out it was for sale, not very long after you got it (less than a month).
things happen, i realize that.
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thebucket: I invested in hoodride, now DBD won't return my call?
hazetguy: invested?
thebucket: Yeah Haze, its where people put money into a company in hopes of a return on their money