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Gdwilson001 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2020 Posts: 18 Location: Goleta, CA
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:51 pm Post subject: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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In early March I will be putting a 64 bus on a trailer and bringing it from the Midwest to SoCal. It is missing all windows except for the rear window and I am concerned about sealing the interior from the elements. I’ve come up with two options:
(1) plastic wrap. https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/product/wreck-wra...gI7ufD_BwE
(2) full cover https://www.jbugs.com/product/VB-1MAX.html?utm_content=shopping
Has anyone done this before? I am concerned with the wind catching the full cover and blowing it off. Any advice is much appreciated! |
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House Minutia Militia
Joined: June 13, 2001 Posts: 1770
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:23 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Enclosed trailer an option? |
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Gdwilson001 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2020 Posts: 18 Location: Goleta, CA
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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I don’t really know. My plan was to rent a truck and a uhaul car hauler. I have no familiarity with enclosed trailer rentals and how expensive they might be. I’m open to the idea. |
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earlywesty Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004 Posts: 2358 Location: In the woods, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 5:25 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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The wrap should work, especially if you follow it with many rounds of packing tape to lock it in place. The cover will not last 5 miles and will be a constant pita. |
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widehatch Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 775 Location: Memphis, TN aka The Armpit of the South
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 6:37 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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you could always put it inside the Uhaul truck. Lots of people have done it. MicBergsma moved his that way and its on video if youre concerned on how to secure it so it doesnt move. _________________ Missouri Micros
Last edited by widehatch on Fri Jan 08, 2021 7:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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pondoras box Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2004 Posts: 1227 Location: Eerie PA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 7:25 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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The plastic wrap will shred and after a hundred miles or so you will look in the mirror and see a long streamer. Friend tried it and used duct tape to secure and it failed.
Dont know how much effort you want to put into it but I would suggest cutting templates out of masonite and flush tape them in place. Used this to seal up the windshiled openings for a split bus for a cross country tow. worked fine for front windows and kept the inside of the bus dry through two very heavy rain storms. Use really good tape but it will be a pain to remove the residue when you get there. _________________ 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)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk |
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Lind Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000 Posts: 9916 Location: idaho
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 8:12 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Either install windows, or do enclosed transport. Otherwise your bus will suffer. A wrap will blow off, a cover will flap in the wind. Also, a bus without windows is very un-aerodynamic, much like towing a parachute. _________________ .
Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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campingbox Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000 Posts: 10198 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Clara and I wrapped a bus and towed it 800 miles recently. It was the first time we tried this. It held up pretty decent. The bus had glass in it, I just wanted to keep it dry for the trip. We used an entire roll of stretch wrap and were mindful of the overlap directions and pulled it very very tight. As the weather warmed up the stretch wrap puffed up and the bus looked like a pillow. It was dry at that point and I cut some holes for the air to exit. Packing tape as Eric suggested might have helped.
If I was going to go this route again I would try to source some thicker material.
Does anyone know what it costs to winterize a boat with those covers? I used to see those vinyl heat shrink covers on boats fairly often when we lived in Washington. |
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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Install windshields at least.
how nice is the interior? _________________ The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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Gdwilson001 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2020 Posts: 18 Location: Goleta, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:16 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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The interior has front and rear seats but otherwise is stripped of components. |
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1970PAKombi Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2019 Posts: 264 Location: Denver, PA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:27 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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As others have said, the cover you listed won't work. I don't know the condition of the bus but in the past I picked up cheap Plexiglass and cut them down ahead of time and used tape to keep them in place.
Granted, it was 2 windows and it was a bus that needed fully painted/restored. Maybe try tension rods on the inside with plywood or something? |
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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Gdwilson001 wrote: |
The interior has front and rear seats but otherwise is stripped of components. |
It doesn't sound very fragile. Not as if it's a wood camper interior, or a cloth headliner.
Bring glass and seals, and install a pair of windshields.
The bus we were towing had a wooden westy camping interior we wanted to keep dry. The stretch wrap was not as simple as I had expected. _________________ The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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velvetgreen Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2004 Posts: 2746 Location: Canada
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:37 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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why not cut some out some window sized pieces of 1/4" plywood? am sure one 4x8' sheet of plywood would suffice for all windows. brace on inside with 2x4" and screw the outside plywood to inside braces. as others have said tarps/plastic and the like frequently get caught in the wind and become a huge PITA to say nothing of a safety hazard for fellow motorists |
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peecee69 Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 1572 Location: Annapolis, MD/Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:42 am Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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I used my open trailer to transport my doublecab with no windows about 500 miles almost a year ago. Since there no interior to speak of, I'd remove the rear window and forget about any other covering. I had it secured with chains and straps, and didn't have any issues. It rained a little on the trip, but by the time I got to the destination, everything inside (I had some glass and other replacement metal) was dry. _________________ 1973 Standard Beetle - running maintenance thread - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=675712&highlight=
1966 Doublecab - Starting resto - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668518&highlight= |
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Gdwilson001 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2020 Posts: 18 Location: Goleta, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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I'll have to admit my "newness" to the VW community. I have watched lots of youtube videos but I have never installed windows. The bus has windows but they are not installed and are currently wrapped in blankets. Considering my lack of experience and the relatively short window of time I have for this trip I am really hoping to get it home and install the windshield with calm, tools, and focus.
The plexiglass suggestion is interesting. Could the glass windshield pieces be overlaid on the plexiglass and traced and then taped in place without the rubber seals? |
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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Gdwilson001 wrote: |
The plexiglass suggestion is interesting. Could the glass winshield pieces be overlaid on the plexiglass and traced and then taped in place without the rubber seals? |
Do not duct tape to the bus.
Cleaning the residue off the paint is a pain, and sometimes it peels paint off when you remove the duct tape. _________________ The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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Gdwilson001 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2020 Posts: 18 Location: Goleta, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Clara wrote: |
Gdwilson001 wrote: |
The plexiglass suggestion is interesting. Could the glass winshield pieces be overlaid on the plexiglass and traced and then taped in place without the rubber seals? |
Do not duct tape to the bus.
Cleaning the residue off the paint is a pain, and sometimes it peels paint off when you remove the duct tape. |
No ma'am blue tape only |
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peecee69 Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 1572 Location: Annapolis, MD/Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Clara wrote: |
Gdwilson001 wrote: |
The plexiglass suggestion is interesting. Could the glass winshield pieces be overlaid on the plexiglass and traced and then taped in place without the rubber seals? |
Do not duct tape to the bus.
Cleaning the residue off the paint is a pain, and sometimes it peels paint off when you remove the duct tape. |
I wouldn't worry about plexiglass. It will crack and splinter/shatter. It's not meant for that much pressure or windspeed.
If you are set on wrapping, get tyvek from a building store. It's not that expensive. But again, if the rear glass is out, you don't need to cover it at all. Installing the rear glass is a fairly simple operation. If you're paying someone, it will be less to pay them to do that one piece of glass than purchase wrap and deal with all that silliness. _________________ 1973 Standard Beetle - running maintenance thread - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=675712&highlight=
1966 Doublecab - Starting resto - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668518&highlight= |
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Rob R Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2006 Posts: 145 Location: Park City, Utah
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:07 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Put it on the trailer backwards wrap the seats or remove them and drive on. |
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LAGrunthaner Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2007 Posts: 5509 Location: 1st Coast
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a bus without windows across country |
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Cool idea Greg.
Boat shrink wrap:
https://mrshrinkwrap.com/clear-boat-and-industrial...e-product2
campingbox wrote: |
Clara and I wrapped a bus and towed it 800 miles recently. It was the first time we tried this. It held up pretty decent. The bus had glass in it, I just wanted to keep it dry for the trip. We used an entire roll of stretch wrap and were mindful of the overlap directions and pulled it very very tight. As the weather warmed up the stretch wrap puffed up and the bus looked like a pillow. It was dry at that point and I cut some holes for the air to exit. Packing tape as Eric suggested might have helped.
If I was going to go this route again I would try to source some thicker material.
Does anyone know what it costs to winterize a boat with those covers? I used to see those vinyl heat shrink covers on boats fairly often when we lived in Washington. |
_________________ American Red Cross Safe And Well:
https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/...bsite.html
Maui Roadsters
www.mauiroadsters.com
http://www.oacdp.org
Lind wrote: |
Have you considered simply starting with a nicer bus? I don't know what your skills are, but the race is easier if you can see the finish line. If you are not a runner, don't start off doing a marathon. |
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