65 Riviera found

[langsmer]

Hey folks, it's been 5 or 6 years since I posted on here. Since I sold my 66 Kombi I figured I would never be able to afford a split window bus again. I regret selling that clean old Kombi, but the money was used to ride my bicycle across northern Italy, then from Colorado to my current home in Portland. Until recently I was driving a 1969 Land Rover IIa, which was both slower and smaller than a bus. I sold it thinking I would get a decent bay window (a concession), but ended up coming across this Sundial. It was poorly listed on CL in that it was very hard to find. I went and took a look, and was able to talk the owner substantially down from his asking price.

It's a 1 owner bus, purchased new at a dealership in Portland OR. The fella who owned it bought it for long distance journeys, driving it to Alaska a few times, to Costa Rica in 68, and to the tip of Baja before it was paved in 72. He took very good care of it up until the point at which he could no longer drive it. At which time it was parked next to his daily driver 1953 Ford which he had owned since 1954. That was in 2000. He died a few years later at 94. It was never taken out of his name, and was just left to rust next to the Ford behind his little trailer hitch factory. Finally his sons decided to sell it and I was the first person to come along (although according to the workers in the factory, people were stopping all the time asking if it was for sale. My timing was spot on!)

Anyhow, some negotiations later, and now the bus is mine. I'm arranging to rent a garage for it to get it going over the winter. If the multiple reports of it running and driving well when parked are true, I should be camping in it soon enough. I flushed the oil, squirted a bit in the cylinders, rerouted the fuel line to a gas can, and replaced the battery, but the fuel pump is shot so it wont start. Soon enough. It has two very rusty rockers and spots of rust here and there throughout. It's some original paint, some touch ups. The camping interior is complete but in C- condition. Good enough to use as patterns to replace the water damaged parts. I started this thread with the intention of documenting its progress. I know it's far from the sexiest model split window, but heck, I didn't even think I would ever find one again! I bike most places but will use it for camping or hauling steel and lumber for work, a job the Land Rover did poorly.

[scooby_drew]

Neat find, i know I'll be watching this thread

[cdennisg]

Nice score on a good bus. Thanks for sharing the story.
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nothing

[langsmer]

Thanks guys! I also forgot to ask about the engine. Looking at the numbers on the case I have no idea what year or size it is. It's clearly not original but I'm not sure when its from or what size it is. From what I understand, if the first two letters are DO, than it is an aftermarket 40hp, but the last letter should be X. Mine has no X. Anyone have any info?

[cdennisg]

[j.pickens]

Need more pix of the engine bay to help with your question.

Great find! When you see how straight those front doors are lining up with the doglegs and B pillars, that's a real good sign that the bus is in pretty good shape.

How's the frame look?
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Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[langsmer]

Frame looks good. Outriggers are in good shape aside from some jack mashing. Most of the rust appears to be typical PNW style stuff, mostly caused by water pooling and mud gathering in places with clogged drains. Unfortunately a few rust spots were "fixed" with bondo, particularly the driver rocker. Otherise it looks like its never been in a wreck. Hopefully the nose isn't too damaged by the spare tire mount. I'll get more engine pictures asap. It might take a day or two as I have to get this turkey home.

['64cal lookdub]

Awesome bus, congrats!

[Stephbong]

Cool bus!

Your wrong OG campers even ex-panels are sexy these days!!!

[exotic plants]

Walkthrough Sundial is pretty sweet man.
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1956 Beetle - Jungle Green.
Parts needed to complete:
Front driver side fender.
Rear driver side fender.
Cash waiting.
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[Enkiel]

sweet looking bus,
congratulation.

any interior picture?
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1964 Turkis Flipseat

[langsmer]

Enkiel, I'll get some interior shots once it get it cleaned up. It looks like hell at the moment, but should clean up well.

The previous owners son has pictures of the bus on all of its adventures over the years as well as the original tent, but has to figure out where his father put them!

[Pinetops]

I love it, really nice find. Campers are the most desirable to me personally, so I find it quite sexy. You should post pics of the trashed interior "as found". I think you'll be glad later when you see how far its come.

It looks like you have a "slash" front bumper. You're probably not worried about stuff like that at this point, just something I noticed.
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[GTV]

[Pinetops]

Ah, my bad. I didn't realize that, good to know.
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[EmpiGT]

That engine case is much later than a 1966 beetle. That is an AS 1600 series dual relief case. So a factory restamped case?

[tyzel]

Cool find on a cool camper! I gotta ask though,post up a pic of the old 2a, I'm guessing it was an 88" if it didn't handle loads well?

[langsmer]

Here are a few more pictures I grabbed. The engine picture likely isn't that useful. I'll get better ones when I'm back at the bus. I'll also get better pictures of the interior. I'm afraid I don't have a way of posting pictures of the rover on Thesamaba, as there is no Landy section of the galley! And yeah, it was an 88". It got bad gas milage, was small, and slow (even in comparison to a bus.) But it was fun!

Before de-mossing it

[Pinetops]

looks pretty solid from here!
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[cdennisg]