20-020744 "The Tocksfors Rhd"

[busben]

Thanks a lot guys

So last week we had to try and work out what to do with the front end, because what's left is a bit of a mess!!!

Still some major parts that we hope to use and so the front lump was dragged into the shop for the strip down to begin

This bus really does need breaking down into its component parts in order to repair them and reassemble them, there's just no way to try and repair these panels in situ. Off with the front then ..... for now

and then tear this apart ...... carefully! ...... to see what else we can salvage

and finally a pile of vaguely useful stuff to start working on!

[RHD Notch]

Damn...Shaking my head the entire read. Would've killed a group of average guys. Congrats. Keep the pics coming!
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[Touch Nicks Thing]

Wicked save, can't wait to see the outcome.

[ian macdowall]

Thanks for sharing Ben, some great fabrication skills and work too !

I still think you guys are crazy though
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'51 Beetle Deluxe
'52 Barndoor Deluxe

[Huetti_1989]

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My 1957 semaphore Single Cab:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=605363&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
MY 1967 Sparsamba:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=757182
My 1954 Deutsche Bundespost Barndoor:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=621802
My 1961 SO34 Flipseat Westfalia:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=716285
My 1991 Westfalia California:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=650751

[Aspro]

Great story Ben I don't know how you keep doing it.
You could find a steamy dog turd with a VIN tag sticking out of it and somehow transform it into an amazing bus. Hats off to you mate.
By the way, 4 Barndoors is just plain greedy.
Chris

[The Rascals Cats]

amazing rescue and really good job by Jeff .. again ... Crazy home made parts for BDs ....
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Building my automotive dreams ....
Also i'm proud to be a " Rascal cat"...
www.therascalscats.com Follow us daily on IG @therascalscats

[Barndoor51]

Really nice to read and be a part of the story
Good luck with the resto of this fantastic -52 RHD Panel van
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20-03194 Panel
20-011384 Kombi
20-110724 SingelCab
January -58 double cab "the Swedish Binz"

[Hellberg]

This is just hillarious!! And so amazing... remembering the first time I saw this one, looked so solid on pics...

I'll not hesitate that you'll bring this beauty to life again! If only I had 2% of your skill, I'd be done with my 55 long time ago

Guess the Single cab needs the love first though...


Good luck mate!
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Type 2 -53 smooth Gate SC (o\!/o) Type 1 -50 |o\ /o| Type 2 -55 Barndoor kombi
...........Driving barndoor to HO 2017............

[streetwagens]

And what a great trip it was! Good to see some progress on the old beast. 2 fitted on the trailer so easily, I reckon 3 would fit on it

I cant believe we didn't think of taking a roof tent on the T5, it would have been so much more comfortable to spend the nights!
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To catch a fish, you must first think like a fish....

[Capriacci]

Amazing history! Thanks for sharing!

[Scotty]

Fantastic work by Jeff as usual, he must love welding up the piles of rust that you deliver to him
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[bally]

Great work Ben and Dai - what a mission!!

I'm glad to see you've started the build - I loved the Quality Sound thread and will follow this one with as much interested

Cheers,

Dave

[campingbox]

Incredible. Good luck with the build.

[gatorwyatt]

Lots of talent and passion for saving the right busses in threads like this are what keeps us motivated and pushing the limits. Very nice work and a fun read.
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www.blastserv.com

wanted:
RHD Barndoor floor mat..reproduction is fine

[mandraks]

well, at least you have something square and sturdy to weld the rest of the bus to.
great rescue story, looks like an insane amount of work. Looking forward to more of this story.
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regards

Uli

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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel

[andre b]

wow..really cool metal work!! now a days anything is doable!

[low54]

Good work going on there mate
It's good it's going to come back to life again
Those chassis rails look realy good.
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65 original paint so42 dormobile
52 original paint 52 split beetle

[busben]

Cheers guys. Well we've actually started work on the chassis now too. Whilst "Quality Sound" was being put back together we collected a bunch of measurements from both factory literature and unwelded buses and put together a chassis jig so that all future builds would be quicker and easier to get within a tiny tolerance. Before any of that could happen though we needed to decide what to do with the far rustier than I had thought cradle and torsion tube lump. This section was removed from the rusted out rear chassis but still wasn't clever and I did toy briefly with using a donor, but it's like the heart of the bus and it just didn't feel right. It was actually so rusty that it needed repairing where rust had eaten through the tube itself, and we nearly gave ourselves a hernia removing the torsion bars before any welding could take place.

The early "flat" tube cradle was really bad and we decided that this should be replaced with a reproduced section rather than rebuilding the thin, rusty original.

and finally, the torsion housing itself could start to be repaired. It felt good to see some new metal being welded into some part of this old crate!!!!

With the torsion tube cleaned up and properly repaired it could be laid into the jig alongside the new chassis rails

and tacked into position

The toolbox sides, which I'd also hoped to use, were toast, and so new pieces were ordered from Rick at Schofields. Over the last year or two I have lent Rick a bunch of OG barndoor metal to copy and know a few others have done the same. The result is some quality off-the-shelf Barndoor repro panels, particularly some of the chassis stuff. Nice to be able to ring up and get new metal delivered the next day ......

although Gerson played his part too, with a few green panels being dug out the shed. Schofields now sell good quality top hats, I-beams, outriggers, and jack points too and it's nice to have a few suppliers of these parts to choose from at long last

and finally we laid down some welds to properly piece the new chassis together.

Yes I'm gutted that I couldn't save more, but it's strong and safe and it's 1952 heart is still beating

[TurboedWestie]

Just love that you have taken this on massive admiration for guys of your ilk bravo !!
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54 RHD Genuine British Kombi one of only 7 known to exist and I might add 1 of only 3 on the road : )