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Kirk Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2003 Posts: 5487 Location: North Texas
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject: Previous owner travels? (Where has your bus been?) |
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Odd thread, but I was sorting the reciepts for my bus out into a big binder last night. I have all of them going back to 1983.
(pre-binder)
Well, most. The owner before me wasnt as good as the others. But I am. Anyway, so now that they are all sorted chronologically in plastic sheets in a big binder, I sat down last night and read the binder. According to my reciepts, Doodle spent most of his life all over Colorado, being serviced at mainly dealerships. Out of the ordinary (for him anyway) was a clutch in Phoenix, AZ, a Tire in Moab, Utah, injector work in Bellingham, Washington, and a muffler in Casper, Wyoming.
My question is, we always complain about PO hacks and PO this, but do you have a good PO story? Where has your bus been?
_________________ MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN
Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim
Last edited by Kirk on Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jalabert Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2005 Posts: 631 Location: On the coast in NZ, somewhere...
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Back a few years ago, going over the pyrenees between france and spain on a back road...
Last year, underneath the southern alps -- both ends of the world.
When I was gutting the interior I found a few odds and sods that spoke of her past life before me: stickers from a campsite in Finland, some Polish zloty from before the iron curtain came down.
So she's been around. I'd love to do the trip Bursch did to beijing in reverse - the bits of the silk road that are safe enough for travel - I think that would be a fitting bookend to her career, even if she went no further... _________________ http://thickrubber.blogspot.com/ Writing, Surfing, and Exploring NZ's deep south by VW...
'73 westy, 1700 type 4 with 34icts |
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Daverham Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2009 Posts: 1397 Location: USA
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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When I bought my bus the PO was sizing me up like I was adopting his child. He was second owner, had the bus since early 80s. He said he and his wife went down to Baja Mexico via the coast hwy more than once.
He went to the trouble of telling me "this ain't no capitalist machine" - funny. Clean cut guy in his 50s. You could tell he was a hippie back in the day, all "grown up" now. He said they traveled the coast a lot.
Both wing windows have this sticker on them. I've looked it up and found it to be a barber shop quartet society of some kind. I don't know how it fits into the story, but I just LOVE the idea of my bus, back in the day, rolling down the freeway with a barber shop quartet in the back, handlebar mustaches, singing "good night ladies" on their way to the next gig! I emailed PO to ask him about this a few weeks ago. No reply yet.
From Wikipedia: Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America
I love how they're not only preserving barber shop quartet singing, but they are also encouraging it. Great stuff.
[/i]
I have not removed the stickers. |
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AB westy nut Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2010 Posts: 1124 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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Bought mine from the original owners. It was a 'tourist delivery' (M-code UT) bus, meaning they picked it up at the factory in Germany. They told me they spent a few months in Europe before having the bus shipped back to the US. In fact they took the bus back to Europe a few more times over the course of their ownership. The rest of it's time was spent mostly in Montana. I found a few coins from Italy and Germany while I was cleaning it. Nice to know the history of the bus! _________________ 1963 Ruby Red 356 Cabriolet
1976 Sage Green Westfalia Deluxe |
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1971BUS Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Brandon, MB. Canada
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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The guy I bought mine from had it sitting in his back yard for 6 years. He bought it from some guys who took it down to Mexico and back. |
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FNGRUVN Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2007 Posts: 2237 Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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I just bought this one here in Fort Collins, CO. It might have spent some time in Alabama, though. I found some business cards for C & S Auto Clinic Paint & Body of Gadsden, AL. I wonder if they're to blame for this paint job.
_________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin |
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Jalabert Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2005 Posts: 631 Location: On the coast in NZ, somewhere...
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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^I dunno, I quite like it! _________________ http://thickrubber.blogspot.com/ Writing, Surfing, and Exploring NZ's deep south by VW...
'73 westy, 1700 type 4 with 34icts |
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myfresh70 Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2011 Posts: 117 Location: Bowling Green, KY
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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The most I've got on mine was it was bought in Cali way back in the day. The PO told me that the PPO had it in his garage for 5 years them used it as a church bus with the moto "ride the wave" for ten years.
I thought that was kind of unique. |
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Westfabulous Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 4207 Location: The tropic of Canada, dodging the giant flying moose of Surrey!
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Jalabert wrote: |
^I dunno, I quite like it! |
x2 _________________ *****************
"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." |
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Kirk Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2003 Posts: 5487 Location: North Texas
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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FNGRUVN wrote: |
I just bought this one here in Fort Collins, CO. It might have spent some time in Alabama, though. I found some business cards for C & S Auto Clinic Paint & Body of Gadsden, AL. I wonder if they're to blame for this paint job.
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We keep telling him its cool. Your bus has a lazy eye! _________________ MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN
Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim |
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CharlieBrown111 Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2011 Posts: 66 Location: United States
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skills@eurocarsplus Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007 Posts: 16859 Location: sticksville, ct.
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Daverham wrote: |
When I bought my bus the PO was sizing me up like I was adopting his child.. |
no kidding. my bus was found in wakefield, ri. i saw the bus on craigslist (after searching for a 'volkswagon westphalia ) i emailed the guy right away. he emailed me back almost instantly with his number.
after talking with him, (and telling him if it was what he described, consider it sold) i told him i would come and look at it NOW. he said that wouldn't work (it was sunday afternoon) and we could do it monday night.
monday came, and at about noon, he called and said it wouldn't work, how about wednesday. i expressed to him that i will come cash in hand right now. no dice.
when i got home, there was an email waiting for me from him saying that he wasn't sure how serious i was and bla bla bla. i picked up the phone, called him again and said i will be right there, and was getting pissed that he keeps blowing me off. he appologized and said wednesday for sure.
FINALLY i get to see it. turns out, the guy knows NOTHING about the bus. he said he drove it back from san diego about 6 years prior and couldn't afford to fix it (it came to RI in about 2002) the body was pretty good, needed only rockers and front floor work. it was still registered in CA (which was a bit of a DMV pain) we setteled on a price and it came home with me
fast forward to the litchfield 08 show. a guy walks up to me and said 'dude, is that daniel's old bus?' i said yes, and asked why. turns out, it was his fathers bus. he passed away, so daniel went back home to san diego to get the bus and as much stuff as it could hold. he was in collage at the time, and just knocked around costal RI with it untill it started to get rusty. he wanted to fix it, but had no money. apparently, his dad had the bus for a really long time
still looks good for a bus painted at MAACO in 1992 (going to get re done in the same colors this winter)
when i first got it
nose job and stupid spare tire removal
as she sits now (not on the lift, but you know what i mean)
_________________
gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
Jake Raby wrote: |
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
Brian wrote: |
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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FNGRUVN Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2007 Posts: 2237 Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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Kirk wrote: |
We keep telling him its cool. Your bus has a lazy eye! |
You guys have me sold on the stripes, but the paint under the stripes is terrible. Judging by how the paint is just flaking off the nose, I'd say they didn't even prime the bare metal.
Is it a lazy eye or just winking?
Sorry....didn't mean to get off course. _________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin |
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Westfabulous Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 4207 Location: The tropic of Canada, dodging the giant flying moose of Surrey!
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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FNGRUVN wrote: |
Kirk wrote: |
We keep telling him its cool. Your bus has a lazy eye! |
You guys have me sold on the stripes, but the paint under the stripes is terrible. Judging by how the paint is just flaking off the nose, I'd say they didn't even prime the bare metal.
Is it a lazy eye or just winking?
Sorry....didn't mean to get off course. |
Droopy eye lid. _________________ *****************
"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." |
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chris roop Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2010 Posts: 320
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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The yellow 68 came from Vik construction in Eugene, a large outfit that bought it new, used it to haul plywood and such. It was repainted twice in their yellow. I bought it in '76, took it to the tip of Baja twice, up into Canada once not quite to Alaska, and all over the Cascades. Cassady now has that one.
The parts 68 came out from Indiana and smoked an engine because of a loose fanbelt; the owner thought he could make it to where he was going.
The blue/white 79 wandered all over Montana and Colorado going skiing and rusting out.
The brown 79 came from the Dalles but no real history came with it. _________________ http://www.roopsmg.com |
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justcruzin Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2005 Posts: 1493 Location: United States
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Heliconman Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2008 Posts: 283 Location: Minnetonka, MN
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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We found our bus in Dalton Gardens Idaho. There was a ton of documents in the bus from some of the previous owners. I tracked down the person who owned our bus the longest time. He lived in Loma Linda CA. He was a minister and traveled to Washington many times in the bus. He also told me that the first owner of our bus was in the military and took the bus to Australia for a while when he was stationed there. We always wondered about the "Caution Left hand drive sticker on the bumper." |
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Brionp Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2009 Posts: 457
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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I only wish I knew. Because the PPO really loved this bus. The PO was a San Bernadino Sheriff who bought it for his teenage daughter. Idiot. It went down and sat for ten years in a field. He said he wasn't a VDub guy. I think he was just lazy. Luckily for me it was in the desert. I got it just in time. I found an old registration from Joshua Tree. So I think its been a So. Cal. bus all its life. It is amazingly rust free. Hopefully it will be traveling soon. Not to the UK though.
[/list] |
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thewalrus Big Jack
Joined: March 27, 2006 Posts: 3014 Location: Belchertown, MA
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:20 am Post subject: |
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Maggie left the factory February 14th, 1975 and was shipped into Portland, OR sometime after that. The trail goes cold from there but sometime between then and early 1992 she was sold and ended up on the North Shore of Mass and was sold to the PO around then. He lived in southern NH and I'm guessing drove her lots. He sold it to me July 2006 and I've been keeping records since.
The day I got her:
Recently:
_________________ '73 Transporter 1.7L Dual Carb
notchboy wrote: |
You ran over some #Vanlife'ers hopes and dreams? |
60vwnewengland wrote: |
Looking forward to next weekend, weed, krunk juice, hookers, blow, hanging with bums, philly, ...the awards! |
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Kreuger1 Samba Member
Joined: November 29, 2007 Posts: 41 Location: South East Oklahoma
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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No clue. I do know however it was involved in a murder investigation and spent time in the big house for a crime it didnt commit. I bought it at a police auction after the owner was run off the road and was found dead. |
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