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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 9:56 am Post subject: '55 Baja Barndoor Single Cab |
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As many of you know, I bought Clara's Baja Single Cab in 2012 with the intention of picking it up and driving it to the Barndoor Mafia's Barndoor Reunion at the OCTO meet in June.
I'm doing some freshening up on the old beast, so I thought I'd start a thread on it.
Its a late '55 barndoor, it was the second youngest of the 59 barndoors at the reunion. Back in the '70's, Dave Beeson of Long Beach, CA built the bus to run Baja races in the then new light import truck class.
Never met Dave, but the story goes that he figured that the light pickup truck class, which at the time was mostly RWD Datsuns and Toyotas would be no match for a VW truck with the engine in the rear. 4X4 import pickups didn't appear on the market until 1979.
The truck was featured in Hot VW's and VW Trends issue #2.
_________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:06 am Post subject: |
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Clara had the bus for a bunch of years, and used to haul stuff and participate in the Shasta Snow Trip. I had heard of it, and first saw it in the flesh about five years ago. It was for sale.
Hauling Lumber:
Snow Trip:
_________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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BlastMasterMannyFresh Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2001 Posts: 6102 Location: #31peach
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:39 am Post subject: |
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classic weekend 2012
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Barndoor Mafia Il Capo
Joined: August 23, 2001 Posts: 6194 Location: EUSKAL HERRIA
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:39 am Post subject: |
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I dig John Pickénez' Single Cab! |
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djfordmanjack Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2009 Posts: 2171 Location: Graz, Austria, Europe
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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Photos from the trip by myself and Ann down the coast from Olympia, Wa, to Long Beach, CA:
Oh, did I mention somewhere along the line it picked up a smooth rear gate?
So, the bus is solid, has an amazing modified "no hop" suspension with RGB's, extended springplates, and 8 total shock absorbers. Two in the front and six in the rear:
It also has a unique solid tranny mount:
But the bus has lots of holes everywhere, great for increasing cooling to a racing vehicle, but not good for general use and off roading for the long haul.
The rear truck bed has holes for a large air cleaner to protrude up from the four barrel carb used back in the day, as well as a section cut as a scoop to let air in.
There are holes to either side of the engine, also for more air, and lots of holes for wires, mounting a CB whip antenna, and on and on.
In addition, there is some body rust at the front nose valence, at the base of the B pillars, and the normal rocker rust. _________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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Back to top |
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djfordmanjack Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2009 Posts: 2171 Location: Graz, Austria, Europe
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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I delivered the bus to Josh Hibbler for some welding up. Not to "restore" the bus, but to seal it up from water and debris, as well as to fix some of the rust damage.
Current work:
New seamed dogleg, with roll under for wheel clearance:
Driver's lower B pillar and wheel well closeout, inner rocker:
Passenger side:
Extra air vents in engine surround. We're trying to just close it up, not make it look purty. This is a baja/Trailbasher, after all:
Closing up the holes in the truck bed, and fixing the right rear gate hinge:
Closing out the ragged hole at the top rear roof for the roll cage:
More to come! _________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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GTV Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004 Posts: 2084 Location: Si'ahl
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Late dash? _________________ EMPI Power Rules! |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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Yes sir, and its staying! _________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7047 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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digging the dogleg repair. glad to see the old girl getting some love. _________________ regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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UZI Platinum FUBU
Joined: February 08, 2002 Posts: 13335 Location: phila-DELFT-ia
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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looking good jDOT! you will look bad ass getting outta that beast wearing your SPVC colors _________________ Extravagant Lifestyle
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mannys66: South Philly Van Club, only the most influential and freshest van club in the vw scene |
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Cuñado: Chrome will get you home!!!!!!!!!! |
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Touch Nicks Thing Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2003 Posts: 2029 Location: Alexandria, VA
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Hell yes! Gonna have to start making some serious jumps in your backyard! |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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According to Roger Nang, he saw a barndoor rear engine lid with a strange oval hole in the middle at OCTO in the late '90's. Perhaps the very engine lid missing from this bus, the oval hole to pass the stinger exhaust as shown in this photo:
If any of you SoCal boys has or has seen the wherabouts of said engine lid, let me know. Thx. _________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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Back to top |
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BlastMasterMannyFresh Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2001 Posts: 6102 Location: #31peach
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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John I have a very repairable flat decklid no brake light, at the warehouse, just like the one in the picture, that I don't think anyone would feel too bad drilling a hole into it to make it work |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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mannys66 wrote: |
John I have a very repairable flat decklid no brake light, at the warehouse, just like the one in the picture, that I don't think anyone would feel too bad drilling a hole into it to make it work |
I may take you up on that offer, Manny. But it would still be neat to find the one in SoCal. if its still around.
Thanks,
j. _________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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Back to top |
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mattcuddy Samba Member
Joined: October 22, 2003 Posts: 2036 Location: Philly, PA
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Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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First Place, Baja Class.
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9789 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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This is a great shot of the dogleg and rocker damage. The nose is next up for repair.
mattcuddy wrote: |
First Place, Baja Class.
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_________________ Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner
BeaterBarndoor wrote: |
i wish more people would actually drive their vws rather than just talking about what they have in the garage. |
Red Fau Veh wrote: |
If you've seen one sunroof swivel seat kombi, you've seen them all! |
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Back to top |
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streetwagens Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2005 Posts: 475 Location: Wales, GB
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Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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This is one of the best trucks out there, love the history. Great that you are keeping it true to its roots! _________________ To catch a fish, you must first think like a fish.... |
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campingbox Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000 Posts: 10196 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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Noice.
Is the truck getting repainted medium blue? |
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