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Lazaa Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2011 Posts: 228 Location: Voiron, France
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:07 am Post subject: The Barndoor from the swamp |
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Hi there !
So I thought it could be nice to have a Panel van to promote my website on meetings with a cool logo’d bus… so here is what i found !
I knew this bus since 4 years and its now at home… what a satisfaction ! It’s an early-51 panel van without rear window.
It’s have not been used that much as the owner from the 50’s put it on his land to use it as a hunt cabin in 1965. They removed the rear axle and engine and put a big piece of metal under the bus and a hook to tow it to its resting place. I bought the bus from the last owner’s son, who still own the land.
I would need tons of pictures to show you everything, so i edited a small video with a few comments (I am more comfortable when i'am on the other side of the lens... but that was worth if for people who see the video only )
Link
Here are some anyway
The bus as we found it, stuck in 30cm of water and 10cm of ice :
Not a nice situation when you plan to leave the site 2 days after :
Especially knowing the bus is in a swamp, and that you have to cross it and a forest to reach the trailer. But still, that's a nice bus !!
So we quickly began to work on the bus to remove it from this swamp ! We began by breaking the ice all around and managed to pull the bus 6 meters back to a much dryer place, so we are sure we won't find it stuck in the ice again the day after.... (Actually it was all melted the next day).
We took the chassis parts separately from the body. It was much easier and safer...
Here is what we pulled out of the water.
What a great surprise !!
Once all the parts was removed, we prepared the lifting operation.
And then...
I guess that body shell was not a pain to lift for the helicopter !
It was a nice adventure, done in one week with my brother.
6 countries crossed, almost 6000km done… and the bus is now home.
I began to work on it last week end, so I have less than 5 months only to make it ready for the European Barndoor Gathering
Road ready or not, I will try to bring it there but I can’t imagine putting it on a trailer ! That’s quite a big challenge (I can’t work on it full time of course …) but I will do my best to make it happen .
You will be able to follow the progress of the restoration via the AirMapp blog, after registration on www.airmapp.com
See you !
Florian |
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Flanelcamel Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2004 Posts: 10
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:13 am Post subject: |
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Awesome! |
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busben Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2008 Posts: 527 Location: Somerset, UK
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:27 am Post subject: |
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So the story's out there Florian. Good stuff. Good to catch up and see this bus the other day. I think you'll get it done dude. Best of luck with it |
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Barndoor Mafia Il Capo
Joined: August 23, 2001 Posts: 6194 Location: EUSKAL HERRIA
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Tres bon mon ami !!!! |
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volksfahrer.nl Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2003 Posts: 2128 Location: Delft Holland
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7050 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:41 am Post subject: |
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now i feel stupid! all these years having the helicopter sitting outside, barndoors in the swamp, never occurred to me to put the 2 together _________________ regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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Quintus Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2010 Posts: 173 Location: the Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:49 am Post subject: |
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very cool! _________________ 2005 VW Lupo
1970 Pontiac GTO
2008 VW Golf R32
1959 Karmann Ghia 'Low Nose' |
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RidinRusty Samba Member
Joined: April 02, 2011 Posts: 265 Location: Florida/Montana
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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That is so cool. Congrats!! _________________ 55 DD panel PBR
96 993 C4 |
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kafer53 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Really neat story. I would do the same to save a very early model.
Regards from Canada
Paul _________________ 1953 Zwitter 11C (L73) |
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djfordmanjack Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2009 Posts: 2176 Location: Graz, Austria, Europe
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Riff Raff Shivering Sambian
Joined: October 25, 2004 Posts: 3097 Location: Alberta
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work Florian!
You do like the challenging projects!! _________________ The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin |
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Djoul Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2008 Posts: 216 Location: France
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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t'es vraiment bargeot Florian
remarque, il est presque pas pire que le samba
I will read this topic with interest
work hard and good luck... _________________ "please, excuse my bad English...."
69 CLIPPER-L
74 WESTY
68 BUG
73 THING
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A BUS! |
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restojohnny Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2004 Posts: 2764 Location: SPLITSVILLE , SON !!!!
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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awsome !!! Can't wait to see what you do with it _________________ ** HELL YEAH I'LL SELL IT TO YOU**
O.G. POMONA VULTURE
$$ SWAPMEET MAFIA $$
53 LHD, LH cargo door standard kombi
54 Pre-A Porsche
55 oval ribbed door non-semiphore
56 semiphore ragtop
63 notchback (work in progress)
67 OG black paint beetle sedan empi accessorized
67 original Empi GTV beetle convertible !!
67 euro squareback
67 deluxe walkthru (work in progress)
67 convertible ghia (work in progress)
"STAY OUTTA MY BACKYARD !!! " |
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Rich's 50 Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2004 Posts: 10781 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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Very cool and thank you for saving it |
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RHD Notch Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2007 Posts: 1412 Location: Joshua Tree, CA
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Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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WOW! That was exciting...Congrats on the find and save. That footage from the copter looking down at the bus dangling above the trees was fantastic. Looking forward to the progress on this one. _________________
Lind wrote: |
I am at the point where I hardly want to own anything that isn't original paint. |
campingbox wrote: |
I have some other projects I'd like to finish first and I want to drive this bus while I'm working on those to help stay motivated. |
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nane_cox Samba Member
Joined: May 09, 2005 Posts: 115 Location: France-Switzerland
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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Congrats Florian. T'as un (ou deux) bon(s) poste(s) à souder ?
T'es un grand malade. Mais tu te soignes, c'est cool ! |
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Ian 68 Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2011 Posts: 176 Location: From Bristol UK now in Australia.
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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:24 am Post subject: |
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Fantastic effort to save this bus, great work.
The patina on the front roof and front clip is just the business, looks so cool.
Look forward to following this resto. |
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Lazaa Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2011 Posts: 228 Location: Voiron, France
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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:01 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the nice words guys !
I will do my best to make this bus as nice as it deserves.
About the front panel patina, yes it's very nice !!
Unfortunately that's a later split window panel so it will need replacement...
I will use an original paint one from a 52, so very period correct.
The one i was supposed to use on my samba but... i guess i will be able to find another one ? |
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Scotty Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2003 Posts: 1531 Location: Northampton - Uk
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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 6:43 am Post subject: |
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Superb work Florian! _________________
EverettB wrote: |
I'd be curious to know the length of his tip.
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http://scottys-stuff.blogspot.com/ |
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SplitBusFan Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Portugal
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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:07 am Post subject: |
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congratulations, great score this one
northern forest in europe seem to be very rich on finds like this.
loved the video, what's necessary to be done is to be done
another topic to check in the future
Regards from Portugal _________________ 1952 Type 23A
1955 Wolfsburg (sold)
1956 Type 24
1963 Type 21 (sold)
1965 Type 21 June
1965 Type 21 November, (sold)
1978 Type 23
1986 T25 Doka |
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