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1956vw Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2000 Posts: 162
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:57 am Post subject: Searching for information on this bus. Jerry Garcia Fan Bus |
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Does anyone remember this bus being used by the Discover Credit Card Co.?
They used it to promote their new Jerry Garcia "Private Issue" credit card. It was painted to match the Jerry Garcia artwork that was displayed on the special credit card.
It was unveiled in San Francisco or Hollywood in 1997. It went on a 9 city tour/food drive. I believe the last stop on the tour was Buses & Balloons in 1997.
Please provide any information you have and post photos. I am the new owner of this bus and it has a really neat history that I am trying to piece together.
I will post more photos and information as I come across it.
Thanks everyone.
Last edited by 1956vw on Thu Mar 13, 2014 8:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19672 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:02 am Post subject: |
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You'll need a miracle to find that bus. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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1956vw Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2000 Posts: 162
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:12 am Post subject: |
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crofty wrote: |
You'll need a miracle to find that bus. |
I own the bus now, just looking for information to put the story together. |
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BulliBill Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004 Posts: 4572 Location: St Charles, MO
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:17 am Post subject: |
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No real problem "1956vw". It's just an etiquette thing with many of us. All caps is like shouting, kind of a no-no here. No worries.
"Crofty", I think he actually "is" the newest owner of the Bus in question. I believe that he is now looking for background info on it's history. I think that I remember it briefly during the credit card promotion. I wonder if you can get to the right people (a promotions dept?) and see if they can turn you on to who they bought it from, who did the prep and resto of it for them, etc?
Good luck on the search, hopefully someone on here can add to your history and maybe add some photos, etc!
Welcome and congratulations on scoring the Bus!
Bill _________________ I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19672 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Jerry Garcia Bus, "need a Miracle" no Heads in here I guess. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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earlywesty Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004 Posts: 2358 Location: In the woods, Ontario
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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Not a total loss, I quietly chuckled Crofty. |
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cherise1967 Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2013 Posts: 65 Location: United States
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Miracle --- caught it right away.. On the bus since 1986.. |
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LAGrunthaner Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2007 Posts: 5509 Location: 1st Coast
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derv Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2005 Posts: 2600 Location: Oak Park (Chicago), IL
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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omg _________________ Jack
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Mr. Hido: To post your bare ass to virtually all hardened bus enthusiasts casts thick, a slag not easily ground smooth. |
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cru62 Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002 Posts: 4117 Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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I recall a build thread on it somewhere. Maybe on this site? It was more like self-promotion IIRC. But still interesting. Sorry, I don't remember any specifics. 1997, really? That just seems so far in the past. Like last century or something! _________________ "My biggest worry is that when I die, my wife will sell all my parts for what I told her I paid for them"-Jon
Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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NM58Panel Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Colorado Springs
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Your picture brings back old memories. I remember it was all in memory of Jerry Garcia. Everybody got one of the blue magnet teardrops you see below the headlight. Mine was inside my bus still when I sold it in 2012. I don't know much more, but thanks for the early morning busses and balloons memories. |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9791 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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1956vw wrote: |
crofty wrote: |
You'll need a miracle to find that bus. |
I own the bus now, just looking for information to put the story together. |
Hey, post up some current photos. Was this a custom paint job or a printed plastic wrap? _________________ 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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Schwing Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009 Posts: 2506 Location: Centreville, MD
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1956vw Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2000 Posts: 162
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:10 am Post subject: |
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The bus was painted after Jerry Garcia passed. This was in 1997, Garcia died in 95 (I think).
Discover Credit Card had the bus painted to match the Jerry Garcia artwork that was used on the new Jerry Garcia (tribute) "Private Issue Credit Card". I have an actual card, I will post that picture.
Here is the interesting part: Discover bought the bus from a man in Penn. who was a couple steps away from buying it from the original owner. The bus had 17,000 original miles on it when he bought it. He showed it and won many awards due to it's originality, including at the AACA in Hershy Pennsylvania in 1993, that's the badge on the front bumper. Check May, 1989 VW Trends page 42 if you have it.
Discover bought it from him with 22,000 original miles. Discover painted, did their promotional campaign and food drive touring the country (transporting it thankfully), raffled it off as a prize. Every time a person used their "Jerry Garcia Private Issue" card they were entered to win the bus after the tour.
The winners did not want it!!! Discover bought it from them instead of giving it to them and continued to use it. After they were finished with it, they donated it to a church.
The church painted the outside only, sold it to a collector car sales company who sold it to someone in Fargo North Dakota. They owned it for about 10 years and I purchased it from them with 24,680 original miles on it.
It is a 1959, still has all original interior and interior paint (headliner was replaced last year though). Original Bastard engine, trans etc. This is only the second set of tires it has had on it. It is an amazing bus, I will start another thread on the bus as it is now but I want as much information as possible on the time frame when it was in the Garcia themed paint job. Someone who worked on that campaign is scheduled to call me next week.
This is the credit card
Here is an article on the winners.
These are when I first saw it in person when buying it.
Last edited by 1956vw on Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:49 am; edited 1 time in total |
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j.pickens Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2002 Posts: 9791 Location: Exit 7, New Jersey
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:36 am Post subject: |
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Looks like a vinyl wrap to me, otherwise, they painted over the windows instead of that perforated vinyl they use on wraps. _________________ 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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1956vw Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2000 Posts: 162
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:51 am Post subject: |
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It was paint of some sort. There is still a little evidence if looking very carefully on the popout window inner frame rubber. |
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1956vw Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2000 Posts: 162
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Here is another picture I found online.
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crukab Samba Chef
Joined: December 13, 2002 Posts: 6116 Location: Vermont
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Great looking Bus !! And waaay cool low miles I really don't care that it had anything to do w/ a credit card co.or the Jerry conection, don't get me wrong I like the Dead, seen them many a time at Red Rocks, I just prefer the low miles sweet condition Bus over all that other who-haa....
I do remember that credit card coming out, I thought 'ol Jerry was rolling over in his grave on that... _________________ 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 |
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Wayland Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2005 Posts: 498 Location: Lasqueti Island B.C.
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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They're driving a 1987 Honda Accord, and they can't decide whether they WANT the bus?? What's the matter with some people? |
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GhiaBug In Chicago Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2004 Posts: 79 Location: Evanston (Chicago), Illinois
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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We who are part of this hobby may not understand it. However, the folks who won the contest were not part of our obsession and viewed it in a practical sense. At least the bus is now in the hands of a Sambanista! |
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