Easy's '58 walk through panel build

[easy e]

This is my second bus during my life, first bus refurbishment. The first was a '63 15 window I had in my 20's... now older & dumber, I decided about five years ago to pick up another. After deciding on what I wanted to do... a couple years ago an old friend offered the Feb. '58 panel & I was happy to get it. Thanks Bryan.

Now that the work is coming together I thought I'd share what's been cookin'... and would like to thank Everett & the Samba community up-front for all the camaraderie, knowledge sharing & support. The detailed how-to's, relevant info & vast depth of knowledge here is indispensable & greatly appreciated.

On to the biz...

Here's how she looked when I first laid eyes on her.

The Fuchs didn't come with & the cookie cutters have grown on me.

It had a ton of undercoating, thankfully

I sold the Wolfsburg bumper to get a Hanover. Previous owner had begun to strip... not too pretty. NOS Euro lenses were my first mod (thx Brendan!)... and Matt Miller recovered front seats were my first resto bits (thanks Matt!)

Typical bare bones interior w/Bay rear seat.

Le cockpit

A little drafty... reminds me of the Flinstones

Draft stop

Time to get to work... decided we needed to get off the jacks/lift & make a tipper set-up.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[glideking]

I hate undercoating!
_________________
"The more I get done the less it looks like I did anything"
1959 Single Cab Restoration"Funky Truck"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=
1965 21 Window Restoration Thread (From old photos)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=
1963 Panelvan build "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8351639#8351639

[easy e]

Agreed...This tool is indispensable with respect to removing undercoating.
It sure beats a putty knife.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[flemcadiddlehopper]

Cool panel, looks like it has survived the years well. What are your plans for it?

I gotta say, I like the Fuchs much better than the other wheels. The other wheels suit a Firebird more than a Bus.

Gordo.
_________________
Everybody Dies....Some Never Live.

Retrograde Garage. Vintage Aircooled, and others.

[easy e]

I think Fuchs look great too, I had the cookies re-chromed & they're looking pretty sharp.

In selecting a bus, I wanted (birds eye view):
- a fairly open cargo area
- not a lot of windows (want to camp in it)
- walk through

I recently picked up the last of the interior panels from Clara.
Birch in back / painted up front.

I'll be adding an early ambulance jump seat behind the driver's seat. Probably making another for behind the passenger's seat. I didn't want to dedicate cargo area to rarely used westy style jump seats, when I could have some that were neatly tucked away when not in use.
The ambulance jump seats aren't as deep as the dedicated jump seats... so I'll build a wider table. I'm having Formica made to match the original westy linen pattern.

Rear seat (bed) will be westy style & also have westy ceiling trim/clam shell lights/coat hooks/cargo hooks.

Colors will be L21-ish Pearl Grey on the bumpers & below the belt line. Dove Blue-ish above the belt line. Silver White emblem & bumper ribs.

Since the panel is short on windows (good for sleeping / privacy)... I'm adding a set of Kombi fixed window cargo doors... just to have a little extra natural light. It'll make it a little nicer if we want to dine/hang out inside & not have it feel so closed up.

The with windows look...

Ambulance seat...

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[easy e]

We got the tipper made & put into use...

Rear cross member & heater pipe had been squished from floor jacks.... they'll be on the list of things to be fixed. Also have an empty tranny in there to mock up a new rubber front mount (orig. was gone & it had a solid mount when I bought the bus). Much easier to work with an empty tranny, thx Rancho Trans! Going to use '68 bug trans w/ short splines.

This how it turns out after using that red pneumatic chipper to remove the undercoating...

Some sand blasting & primer, after undercoating removed...

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[glideking]

I bet he bumped his head on the windshield when he snagged that transaxle support.

Keep adding to that tipper. I see a rotisserie in there!
_________________
"The more I get done the less it looks like I did anything"
1959 Single Cab Restoration"Funky Truck"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=
1965 21 Window Restoration Thread (From old photos)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=
1963 Panelvan build "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8351639#8351639

[easy e]

For fun & a little functionality, I picked up a 50's Allstate Single wheel trailer a while back. I plan on using it for camping & trips to the grocery store

It was solid, no dents & only minor surface rust.
As found:

With paint to match bus:

The bummer is that my body guy bondo'd over the data plate mounting holes.
To locate one or both... I was thinking of getting a little chip of rare earth magnet, wax paper & dragging it around slowly in the vicinity of the holes until I see it act funny or drop off. Suggestions appreciated.
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[j.pickens]

Iron filings, magnet on opposite side of panel, sprinkle filings, find hole.
_________________
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[easy e]

Brilliant!... thx!

I bought 18" of 6mm dia. Type 303 stainless steel rod from McMaster-Carr to machine new safari disengager shafts. Type 303 is supposed to be easier to machine than the other types (and superior in corrosion resistance to the next most machineable, Type 304).
I'll probably make a few sets to use it up. Here's some dimensional info of the 55-64 style if you've got some crusty shafts & want to make new ones: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7134153#7134153

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[easy e]

Front floor went in pretty smoothly... just had to snip a little bit out to get past heater control area. For KF floor, be sure to keep the two pieces of spot welded steel cage holding square felt below clutch/brake pedals.... will need new gas pedal hinge too.

Got some new metal hung... ended up finding a nice OG deck lid locally. The KF one had two flares on the inside vertical side pieces (original doesn't). I had a buddy work it to look original.

Cargo floor in & welds ground. Was a little short in back, as known with this piece.... not a biggie to remedy.

With inner rocker installed... we marked in black sharpie where the cargo door check rods aligned... to allow us to make sure we put the outer rocker in the right place.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[glideking]

That's great. Let's all have a floor welding party! Anyone else welding floors?
_________________
"The more I get done the less it looks like I did anything"
1959 Single Cab Restoration"Funky Truck"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=
1965 21 Window Restoration Thread (From old photos)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=
1963 Panelvan build "Tyvanosaurus Wrecks"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8351639#8351639

[easy e]

It's been a couple months since the last post & wanted to update a little.

18 months after beginning... and the body work is tailing off... whew!

With some persuasion (heat) & the bent up support was able to be straightened out fairly well.

The luggage area getting a little love.

Picked up a pair of blinker housings. When I got the bus... someone had oval bug housings on there. To get those longer oval bug ones to work... they trimmed the bottom off.

Painter / body guy seen through the cargo doors. Shop mascot "Survivor" lower right. Survivor is last of a bunch of domesticated rabbits that were out at the shop. Coyotes & bob cats got the rest.

Here we're masking off prior to spraying Noxudol 3101 sound deadener.
http://www.noxudolusa.com/product/noxudol-3101-5-gallon/
I'm installing Clara's panels & want them to have a nice mating surface. I had a 2332 in the bus before restoration & my GF & I would have to yell at each other (3' apart) to be able to hear what the other was saying. I didn't want to have heavy bitumen based sound deadener & came across the Noxudol product. A 5-gal pail didn't seem to weigh much more than one filled with water. Once the water evaporates... a nice lightweight application.

Link

Here it is applied. The 5-gal was perfect amount. Filled up all the crevices at the cargo floor. Also installed it on the underside of the luggage area, spare tire well and area by the gas filler door.

A long awaited day... getting some color on the bus!!! I decided to leave a few rust holes at the back of the rocker to let water drain & breathe.

*JUST KIDDING!*... gotcha!

My VIN plate was looking a little tired (surface rust & dull/crusty looking zinc). I decided to try out fresh squeezed lemon juice. A day of submersion did the trick. After four hours I could see it was doing its thing & gave it a little scrub with a plastic bristled brush & put it back in. The next day I gave it a hot rinse and put it in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner with hot water. This is how it turned out (+ 5 light thin coats of lacquer). I think it turned out great.

This Berg shifter will help me feel connected to the engine... Mmmm, tasty

I let the fuse block sit submersed in vinegar + squeeze one lemon's juice.
It was in solution for 9 hrs.
Following the soak & a scrub with a toothbrush, I soldered the riveted contact points...six on top...four on bottom (pic is pre-solder).

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[Pacmanfever]

Beautiful workmanship, and a beautiful Bus. Can't wait to see it all come together.

[Stocknazi]

That fuse box looks great after being in your vineger/lemon juice bath

I taped mine up and sand blasted it, then soldered it up; I may try the soaking method next time.

Soldering up the connections will save you loads of trouble if you plan on going 6 Volt.
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Thomas Jefferson

[easy e]

Thanks guys!

I also soldered all the ends if my Wiring Works loom. I'll wait to trim the spade ends until the very end. A few items will be spade connection. For example, I picked up a few screw terminal NOS brake light switches, but after some reading I'm not 100% sure they'll work with my dual res master. My oil switch might be spade too.

My headlight switch was gone through per Eric & Barb guidance. I just need a couple screws to replace the drilled out rivets.
http://www.type2.com/library/electris/vw-hauptlicht-schalter.html
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[BarryL]

[easy e]

Thank you, I just searched & couldn't find the info I'd seen... something to do with it threading in or lack of taper on the tip. Now it's going to bug me!
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[easy e]

The inside is getting final touch ups & seam sealing... should have some paint in there by the weekend.

With that coming, I decided I better get to sealing in the fresh air vent area.
Inside, at each outside corner of the screens... there was a grape sized chunk of rock hard caulk. Reminded me if fossilized plumber's putty. One side had a loose chunk & the other broke off pretty easily. I could see some other areas in there... where there used to be caulking.

I had picked up some 3M material & now had to git'r done. This stuff gets gooier as it warms.... makes it kinda hard to apply. You stuff it in & it wants to come away when you're trying to let go.

I've seen a lot of posts in other threads about the rain coming in & dripping in your lap from overhead. I squished the black goo in from the inside until it started to be visible from the driver's seat... where I thought was the drip spot culprit... right above the vent control lever. Also did along the front, by the screens.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List
“They are about as worthless as the tits on the boars that live in the woods behind their junk yard.” -Weatherly

[busworks]

Looking good Evan. Makes me excited to get back to mine soon.