1960 Double Cab resto -Dove Blue- - Pics

[420francis]

Hi there First i'm so happy this is my firt post in the Split bus section !
Hi own and restored couple of bays before ( still own a 79 deluxe ) but after many hours.... (maybe years) of reading/watching some split resto threads here... i decided to do it with a beautiful 1960 double Cab i've picked-up in Connecticut last December. Its a October '59 Double Cab , O.G Seamed Gates... almost all OG... even seats... (has been repainted in blue...) The engine is a 1600 DP , bought new in 2003 by P.O. Converted to 12v.

My plan with that bus is to try a ''removing after market paint to get OG paint" process. I read many threads about it here... and still beleive in miracles so yesterday... i began the Onion peeling , scraping , cleaning process. Result : YES there is still some OG Dove Blue paint under the Blue , gray , red , orange...
The last Coat (visible one) seem to by applied with no prep before so its realy easy to scrape with a razor blade. For other layers... i will use Citri-strip... or safe-strip... as i've seen in other similar threads.

I want to do it before any ''body job'' on the truck because i want to SEE where to cut, sand , weld .. and where NOT.

After the ''paint thing'' will be done.... other things to do :
- Remove NOT OG tail light and put the 57-61 round ones...
- Repair the rockers sections , battery tray and front floor pan
- Install some seats-belts front and cab area.
- Re-do the fuel lines ( speccially the 2 online fuel filters in engine compartment)
- New doors and windows seals
- ... and more to come.


Here is the beast When i bought it

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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[420francis]

... And here is Yesterday's pics :

*** All pics of the project available here : http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd194/flysurfra...=slideshow

Dash Before and after cleaning :

Still og paint....

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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[61TXghia]

Very nice bro!! Great find. It's amazing how you were able to buff that Red Ribbon out!! LOL
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62 Standard Type 2 (Nothing Fancy)
my bus: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=464719

[lolalola62]

Congratulations! I also have a 1960 DC - I believe mine was built in Nov. 1959 if my fading memory is correct.

I was also supposed to get pics of mine posted over the holidays but that didn't happen (bad cold, mother in law had breast cancer surgery but she is good now - she is a Vanagon bus fan).

Mine has "San Jose VW Porsche" under the faded gray paint. I'd like the signage to remain, but my husband does not and wants to lower it and put in a freeway flyer type tranny (I still have reduction gears) so we have a difference of opinion

Mine is also converted to 12 volt and has a 1600 DP motor which I am trying to get going again with the much appreciated help from this forum.

Good luck!

LolaLola, Bus Driver

[420francis]

Oh !!.... i've worked on the DC all day long... and all i can say is : Like many other things in my life i was believing in... The Return to OG paint goes in the '' Do not believe anymore'' bucket. LOL
After scraping , stripping for 4 hours... i see the evidences of plastic at many places... bare-metal under paint around the windshield and on top....
So i decided... to go with the re-paint process...
It will be longer , harder... not ''patina style'' , but it will be done right and once.

Next steps are now:
- remove engine
- Strip the body
- Remove seats
- Remove and inspect gas tank
_________________
1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[tyzel]

Looks like a cool bus, keep up the work on it!

[vw6366]

WOW i like it

[50ate]

Dammitt.... Bullet DC are the shit.. Im not sure i would of stripped it tho.. but good luck with the stripping and sweet truck..

[aitor11]

Congratulations that DC is really nice, mine is from 02/60 and is slowly getting back to life, enjoy!!!


Aitor

[thewalkingdude]

have fond memories peeling a 66DC for resto. going back to dove blue? that'll look sweet when done and you have a lot less work to do than most of us did. bullits are the 'shitz' for sure!
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the other Joe

[420francis]

Unfortunatly , i tried stripping at few places on the truck.. and many place have already been fixed... with bare metal under new paint.... and many places with plastic... So i decided to go with a New Paint. Dove Blue For sure !!

Last week i removed all glasses , Pulled out the engine , Removed interiors panels , Exteriors Lights , flashers . I'm now set for the ''Cut , repair , sanding and prep'' process. Time to order some new metal.

I have couple of questions for you DC experts

- The P.O. said to me the ''reserve cable'' or mechanism was broken on the fuel tank , but he give to me a new cable in the parts lot. My question is : '' I think my fuel is not O.G. beacuse on the top of it... it look like a normal fuel sender , not a kind of ''Mecanical'' device. "" am i right ? (photo below)

- I looked in the gallery and 59-60 D.C. seems to have all interiors panels made of plain grey Cardboard. My question is , I think my cargo door interior panel is a Deluxe panel because of its two tone and chrome line. Am i right ? ... If yes... i will try to fin a o.g. plain grey cardboard panel.. or make a new one..

- My last question is : the O.G. roof panels trim on a 59-60 is it supposed to be a metal 1/2in width strip... or a kind of cardboard 1'' thick ? Because i have 2 differents sets in the parts lot... i dont know wich one is the original one.


Fuel tank Pic...

Cargo Door panel pic...

Other Pics of last week work...

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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[crukab]

Your Truck would have a valve where the fuel comes out on the bottom side, when you pull on the knob in the cab the valve arm moves to the reserve position, to give you a few more miles on your tank of Gas, since the tank in your truck has a sending unit in the top, it's not the OG tank that came w/ it.
Fuel Tap pic:

Yes the cargo door panel is wrong, it should be the Commerc. Grey type.
The strip that holds the ceiling panels up is the same cardboard material as the panels.
Panels & strips:

_________________
Tom

My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI
'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon

[420francis]

Thanks for your fast reply

I definitively don't have the fuel reserve mechanism shown on your photo.

The Only thing i'm not sure about the Roof trim... is the only piece of trim still was in the truck when i bought it.. was the Metal trim piece. The cardboard ones (like your photo) was in the parts boxes...
The metal ones was from other years ?
_________________
1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[EverettB]

The metal ones are for Single Cabs.
_________________
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[DanM]

I remember this bus when it was for sale. Before you strip and paint it, make sure the bullet turn signals were re-welded back on straight. I seem to remember them pointing in slightly "off" directions... especially the driver's side.

Good luck! Cool bus.

[420francis]

Yes , i have noticed when i bought it the turn signal was a little bit offset.... But i was thinking this was caused by a bad installation of the Lens and Shell. I will double check the orientation of the welded scoop.
Thanks
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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[420francis]

Removed the 1/2in thick bondo layer all over both corners and rear wheel wells... Despite the fact i will have to replace both corners , i'm pretty happy that is some nice metal under the bondo ! .. o.g. holes for gates stoppers still intact.
Entirely removed and dissasembled the front window frames and pop-out frames. ( they need to be replaced by new ones )

Here's some pics ...

Bondo Bondo Bondo Booooondo !

Window frames disassembling...

Ready for sanding and paint...

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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[420francis]

Here are the newest pics ...
I removed the fuel tank ( not o.g. ... with fuel sender .. need to identify later)
Under the tank.. the floor is shot... will need to replace with some new green metal
I removed the gates and the decklid to sandblast them. I will also sandblast the bed to get a nice smooth finish.

Pics after the sanding and bondo removing process.
Now ready for the cut/grind/weld/repeat steps !

Dust... BONDO dust....

LOT of it

Fork lift accident ??

Top sanding

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1960 Double Cab
1968 9 Passenger Bus (sold)
1979 Westfalia Deluxe

[Saint76]

Looks awesome..

I dread doing the wing window resto again... Nice thread on here about how to build a jig to make it easier.. good luck with everything...

[sub-hatchtim]

caution with that bondo dust uber flammable
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58' pg/sg silo fridge westy
58 Dove blue singlecab
76 911S