My first bus - 67 Kombi - will be restored

[wonderspark]

Hello!

My name is Marcus, and I bought my first bus. I named him Ellsworth, because a small inheritance from my late grandpa provided the funds to buy him. It's a walk-through Kombi built in February '67.

Eighteen years ago, my best friend owned this bus. It was orange and yellow when he bought it, took it to many Dead shows for a few years, and he sold it for $2500 to a guy in Tabernash, CO. It looks like that owner painted it the original color, right over the orange, then mostly let it sit out in the harsh elements for those two decades. Just before the 2014 New Year rolled around, he called up my buddy to ask if he'd like to buy it back for $3000. My buddy didn't have the cash, and told me about it. I stopped off at the bank and got the cash.

We drove up to look it over, and found it was in worse condition than when he sold it all those years ago, but not too bad, really. The motor is a 1776cc that used to be a ski area rope-tow motor for a place that shut down years ago here - Idlewild. The motor in the bus when my buddy owned it is still under the bench inside... yet that motor isn't the original, either. The current motor runs really well, and sports dual carbs. The Westfalia kit inside is in really good shape... surprisingly good. It still has the ugly mustard yellow cushions and no holes cut, but the storage cabinet is missing and the main table is not the original.

I paid $2900 cash on the spot and drove it home about 100 miles to the Denver area, and have been driving it almost every day since. The plan is to do a complete restoration and use as a daily driver. I am going to strip it down completely, have the rust and body fixed up properly, and repainted inside and out, and replace the missing cabinet.

One thing I want to do is a two-tone paint. I just love the look of Sea Blue or even Turquoise on the lower half, white on top. It's not that I'm trying to make it something it is not, but I want to really love the way he looks, you know? It was originally L87 Pearl White, and I figure since the original paint is going to be history anyway, why not go with a nicer color? I can always repaint it L87 again later.

I noticed that someone added a second reverse light, and it's not lined up right. I need to fix that. I have the VW front emblem and bumper, but no rear bumper. I'm not sure if I'll do those chrome or white, but I lean toward white. Also, that exhaust has to be corrected.

Just about everything works! I got stuck in a blizzard, and was so happy the wipers worked right. The only things that don't work are the hazard lights and the reverse lights... and one front parking bulb burned out this week. My only repair so far was the generator. I got a new Bosch gen and voltage regulator, and a new battery, and my buddy (prior owner) told me how to fix it myself. I'm happy to learn, and love hearing his stories about repairs. He once had it die on a major street in Chicago back in his full-on hippy days, and people honked and yelled as they passed around him in the middle of the road, while he had his head in the motor compartment. He fixed it though, only a half hour or so later, and drove away happy.

I plan to drive him up to Alaska, down the west coast, across some of Route 66 and then down to the Florida Keys. Then perhaps up the east coast, past the Great Lakes and finally home again. Here are some photos I took last week when it was warm out:

[patban82]

Nice score!! And nice pictures too by the way. Keep them coming
Welcome to the club by the way

[zuggbug]

Welcome aboard. Great score, thanks for sharing
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SOUTHERN INTEGRITY AIRCOOLERS
58 15 window
56 westy

[earlywesty]

Wow a $2900 bus you can drive home and then drive daily. You did well and your plans sound great. I wouldn't worry too much about painting it two tone, maybe do the whole thing pearl white and then just add your other colour on top so if you want to go back to PW you can just remove the upper layer.

[BarryL]

Is it a Westfalia? Sure looks like one.

[wonderspark]

[wonderspark]

The M-code plate has 108 as well, which is:
108 - Camping Equipment aka "without side windows" (5 louvered windows instead of all solid/popout windows) - Westfalia SO42 kit

I'm new to the world of the microbus, so I don't know what to think.

By the way, thank you, everyone! I'm in love with this bus.

[Harleyelf]

Sweet. If you drive in the rain before plugging those nose holes (nostrils?) your electrics will not like you.

[quartermilecamel]

I spy a possible baywindow front end with ball joints due to stance of bus from side shot. Also noticed the spare tire got removed along with bracket. Your nose is happy now. Wow, tail lights with attitude. One tail light eyebrow raised. Somebody needed reverse lights in a hurry, I only looked at the reverse lights when you mentioned one was crooked but didn't notice the different reverse light heights till now.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I????

[wonderspark]

[quartermilecamel]

It seemed to have the baywindow front stance in the one photo like mine does. Cant tell from the underneath photos. Thought I had a fellow baywindow beamer to relate too. STill cool if you do have the spit bus front beam.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I????

[Eric&Barb]

Definitely get both bumpers back on it ASAP, so you can keep other drivers from denting up more sheet metal.

Dump the exhaust and get a stock one back on there. Then the rear apron can be repaired...

Advise you do go with stock paint color, and try it for at least six months. Then you could always add different a lower color. White is best for reflecting away the suns heat during the Summer....

Do some research into gas heaters. A must out your way.

Very nice project!
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[wonderspark]

[srfndoc]

It's definitely an SO 42 based on the mcode plate/VIN plate (A42 - means no exterior fitments, aka, a tintop Westy). The camper kit inside is from a bay window based on the Westy tag photo you posted but you could have a combination of camper equipment.

Congrats on getting a bus and post more pictures, especially the camper bits.
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RPM=(MPH*336* (R&P*4th*1.26))/Tire Diameter in inches

[Sidbus]

Nice bus, enjoy!
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57 Panel http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453943
62 so34 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=533160
76 Westy http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=520076

[wonderspark]

Interior - quick phone shots:

Looks like they moved some stuff around on the camper kit!

I just stuck the emblem into the holes to snap a pic, haha!

Here's a spare motor, too:

[bro2539]

Beautiful score! I would suggest that you build that engine under the bench and keep you good known runner as a spare.

[quartermilecamel]

the 1776 motor is no heavier than the stock 1500. Only difference between the 1500 and the 1776 is the smile on your face. 1776 also requires more frequent gas pedal rebuilds.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I????

[Eric&Barb]

Nice spare engine case, but do post images of the engine that is now propelling your Bus for now!

Best to replace all the flexable fuel lines NOW and avoid a VW BBQ. Repeat every two years.

Check out your "Owner's Manual" thru the "Technical" button at upper right. Lots of need to know info in there, and handy to have a copy on hand both at home and in your VW.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Pacmanfever]

That's so cool to know the background of that bus, and the story about the motor doing duty as a ski lift motor is awesome.

Love it.