15 Window Bus

[Spitty1974]

Hi,
I am a newbie looking to buy my first bus. Like so many others, I have wanted one for years, since I was 13 and I am now in my late thirties.


I have a new question: What years were 15 window buses made?

[sventinker]

No It can not be done, Go buy a 21 or 23.
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[Spitty1974]

[G-wood Todd]

Can it be done? Yes. Will you be ridiculed for doing it? Most likely.

For what you would have in sheet metal, sunroof mechanism, windows, etc and to pay someone to install it, you would be better off with purchasing a 21/23 window bus. And to top it off you still won't have an original window bus.

My 2 cents is that its not worth the time, money or energy.
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and take the kids for instance "Are we going in the Volkswagen bus?" and they say "Yay!" and clap their hands and if it's a glorious day you can slide the sunroof back and let a little of the glory in and all of a sudden, it stops looking funny.

-Volkswagen ad

[duhbrr]

15>23
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1958 Dove Blue DD Panel

[Spitty1974]

[motofly196]

I would buy that 15 window in a heartbeat....and keep it that way. 15 window deluxes with 40hp rule!!

[DavidKvapil]

15 window buses are awesome, and from what I've seen are rarer than window buses. I'm hoping to pick one up within the next year or so. Buy the 15 window and leave it as-is, or buy a 21/23 window.
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[EverettB]

Yes, it can be done but to do everything "right," if you are paying someone to do it, you will end up spending more than the same condition 21-Window as the 15-Window you are looking at it would cost.

You don't just weld in the window openings cut a big hole for a sunroof assembly - there is a lot more than that, including adding belly pans underneath and all the inner skylight and sunroof pieces.
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[voo]

Im not endorsing your conversion, however it most definitely can be done. Should you? Well its my beleif you should do whatever the hell you want to your bus. I personally would'nt choose a 15 window bus because they have great value and disiriablity on their own. No one knows what you payed/paying for the 15 window so to say its easier/cheaper in the long run is simply assumption on their part. Myself if i was gonna do it I'd just pick up a more common 13 window and convert it to 21.

Heres a thread on the subject from a local socal metal man.Call him for a price if your interested.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...mp;start=0

Also search for Jer*fab he has the skills to pull it off also, if you choose to.

[Scooterboyd]

I did mine. Do you have the inner panels in your factory roof? Don't be scared like others. If you want it done then go for it. Give the forum 2 weeks to trade you a 23 window for your 15 window. If no trades then make it what you want. That should take away any guilt you may be feeling from the other folks view. There may be some rust up there where the skylights go and it needs to be removed. While you are there why not slap in the skylights. Wa La.
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62 - 23 Window Bus
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[brettsvw]

Since it has not been mentioned yet.

You can do as you please to your bus because it is yours.

In reality most buses get sold at some point in their life. I have seen fake 23 deluxe never sell for a decent price unless the seller finds a unsuspecting buyer that can't tell the difference and gets ripped off.

A nicely restored 15 deluxe will bring a hell of a lot more money than a hacked 23 deluxe.

So if you like spending a bunch of money and then loosing money when you need to sell because you got bored or need the money. Then bite the bullet.

If you like being deceptive then you can lie about it.

Point is very few people keep their hack buses then try to pass them off for what they are not.

Fake 21's do come up for sell, so wait and watch and you could get a deal without all the work.
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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

[joe56vw]

21/23 windows are way overrated most of the new to bus people that i have known over the years get 21/23's then sell them soon after
mostly cause you can't really do much with them like camp or haul stuff in it without risking ruining the inside

i would find someone with a 21/23 and spend some time driving or riding in it before you buy one
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'60 15 window walkthrough
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559931&highlight=

why is there no sarcasism button on here?

[themetalsurgeon]

[kanniff]

I'll buy your 15 so u can buy a 21
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1958 PGSG Standard

[Jerry]

I'd just buy a 63 panel then call themetalsurgeon. You wont be destroying a perfectly good window bus & post pictures! Then you can have the thread of all threads!
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[mtb7001]

I'm biased too. Buy any bus and learn about it while looking for "your" 23. As for adding skylights to a 15.... makes me wanna puke. If you do get the 15 and get it fixed you can easily sell or trade it for a correct 23.
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63 15 window deluxe Turkis walk through 1500
"comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable"

[tasb]

I saw a bay window in an Eastern Michigan barn with skylights and no sunroof a few years ago...
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[JT21]

I have a 21, and would really like to have a 15, don"t alter a bus it's a bad thing to do. You will love the 15 once your into the resto.

[tstracy39]

Yes it's possible, go for it. It'll make our nice unhacked 15 Windows more valuable now that there'll be one less example on the market. Just don't complain about all the flak you get if you try to sell it at any point after the attempted skylight installation. I've seen fake roof-clipped 21 Window project Buses for sale before, even one that was local to me that I got to see in person, they're not uncommon or expensive. If you want a fake 23, that'd be a better place to start. Just adding a sunroof probably wouldn't devalue the 15, as it'd be a tasteful period correct modification that was frequently done back in the day to all kinds of buses, but do it right and add the belly pans etc.
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