Ben's '59 Panel Project

[ernstben]

I've continued the clean up and uncovering of potential rust areas:

Here's a couple pictures of the rocker area. I was going to do some patching, but I think a new inner and outer rocker here is worthwhile:

New floor parts are on their way, so I cut out some floor to get ready:

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[ernstben]

One of the last pieces I'm not sure how to tackle is the heat vent in the cab. Somehow it got all bent up:

I'd like to remove it to get it bent back to shape. Could I cut the welds at "A" and "B" and wiggle it out?

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[Eric&Barb]

Did you read the thread that drawn diagram came from??

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...p;start=20
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[ernstben]

[Eric&Barb]

Should not be that finicky. With floor in one would have to cut the weld from the lower pipe to the floor. After that it is pretty easy if you have a dremil, and pull hacksaw handle...

[ernstben]

Finally a real step forward! It needs a little more cleaning up to be really pretty, but it's solid:

Here's the old one looking artistic:

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[ernstben]

Got the other side 75% of the way welded in before I ran out of gas:

You might notice in the above pictures that I was able to get the heater vent out:

When I had it on the bench and was trying to figure out how it works, I noticed a random piece of paper stuck on the little flap inside. I pulled it out with some needle-nose pliers. At some point, the bus made it to Dodger Stadium:

Cool!

I'm going to take it apart as much as I can and see if I can't get it back into usable shape. If I can't, does anyone have an early heat vent in ok shape I could buy?
_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[ernstben]

Here's some pictures of the back of my bench seat. It has a noticeable bulge backwards where the driver sits. I assume that it should be straight, but I'd be appreciative if someone could confirm that before I try to bend it back straight:

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[EverettB]

It's bent. I wonder how that happened.
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[Eric&Barb]

Would guess in an accident. Have a beetle that was in the head on accident and had the drivers forehead impression dented in the inside sheet metal just above the windshield.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[ernstben]

The PO of the bus checks in on this thread from time to time and emailed me his explanation for the damage to the seat. I thought that others might enjoy it:

"In 1977 the Van and I and my two dogs lived at the parking lot at the San Francisco Yacht Club for a couple months. This was before I got lucky and entered the computer tech field and, subsequently, think tanks.
There were days when I could only afford day-old bread and currant jelly (the cheapest). "Wizard" (and his dog, "Rusty") had to eat the same thing--jelly sandwiches. We couldn't even afford peanut butter. I could only store the "food" beneath the bench seat, or the "boys" would eat it--at least the bread, since even a smart dog like Wizard had not learned to unscrew jars.

One day I was out getting one of my early jobs, and when I came back, the bread was gone. And the point of bread extraction was obvious. Wizzy had burrowed through the vinyl, the horsehair, and his big, strong head had bent the right sized hole in the metal mesh to get in at the bread."
_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[ernstben]

The cold weather really slowed me down for a while. Definitely no fun working in a cold garage. I did do a couple things though. One of the biggest is getting the front end completely stripped and the underside wire-wheeled to within an inch of its life. When it warms up, I'll hit it with some acid and then prime and paint it.

I've gone back and forth about what I want to do with it. At this point, I think I'm going to get the underside, major rust issues, and mechanical side of things squared away so that I can (hopefully!) drive it around this summer. I'm going to source a 40hp longblock locally to throw in her and hope the trans and RGBs are ok. Then, later, I'd like to take it back to a grey panelvan again with maybe some Austrian signwriting on it and the weight stencils.

Here are some progress photos:

Cleaned the beam up:

I was going to focus on mechanical and structural things, but I couldn't help myself, had to give her her correct nose back:

Also, I messed the parking brake lever up cutting it out, but fixed it using parts from another lever. Nice to see it sitting nice and crooked again:

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[ernstben]

[Eric&Barb]

Try searching for "heater tube" often in the Classifieds, and put up a "WTB" ad. Also for any Buses being parted out, and contact the seller about buying up the tube. Found one example for sale, but think it is a little too pricey.....
_________________
In Stereo, Where Available!

[ernstben]

[Eric&Barb]

Did you try "Heater Tube" in the "Parts Type 2/Bus - 1949-67"? 18 results and 6th down.
_________________
In Stereo, Where Available!

[ernstben]

[ernstben]

Well, I think I have an idea why the nose was replaced at some point. While I was tinkering with the heat vent that was in the bus, I sort of wondered why it was shaped in sort of a "D":

It was only after I got the new section from the classifieds here (props to Eric & Barb for spotting it!), I came to discover that they weren't in fact that way from the factory. It sort of looks perfectly formed doesn't it? It seems that prior to the PO owning it, someone must have run into something flat and about chest high as there is no damage to anything under this area or over it. They replaced the nose and probably told the owner to get a life when he complained that he couldn't switch from "defrost" to "cabin" because it was all bent up. Anywho, here it is back to feeling good:

The work I'm doing on it at the moment doesn't make for good pictures but I did get the bumpers straightened (and will feel good knowing that tiny little VW symbol is on the inside of all the bumper pieces ), restored the gas tank, and got the nose complete with emblem and other bullet:

_________________
Ben

'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project

[Pinetops]

The more pictures the better as far as I'm concerned.

I want to try my hand at straightening and painting my bumpers in the near future, yours look good from here.
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

[Eric&Barb]