1962 EZ Camper

[derRHDmeister]

Back in November, we pulled a couple of buses out of a yard to start workin on a "Shasta Snow Trip" bus, turning once thought to be scrap pile of metal into functional rig. Well upon seeing the bus in person we decided this one is too nice to take off roading and dinging it up. So we are going to fix this one up nicely as possible.

Unfortunately when I got to the bus, it was pillaged of its camper windows and the front hump seat so thats the items I will be looking out for. If you are holding, let me know...

The plan of attack right now is to get all the correct bits for it and get it running. I have not decided on whether to lower it, either old school 3 inch drop all around or narrowed beam w off set spring plates- or go BONE stock with bias ply all around.

It is a Jan 1962 bus with unknown camper manufacture. Any help identifying this will be appreciated as I continue to document the progress.

It will need the usual rust work around the front floor, both sides of rockers. I managed to remove a thin layer of rattle can on the passenger door revealing decent OG door color to match.

Anyone know the camper brand? i haven't seen the fold down like this, using side rails made of wood! no Z bed or metal folding mechanism. It also had this foam piece that fits between the bed gap (see pic). I also will be needing driver side sigla slider window rail and latch.

WISH LIST:
-camper window assembly/gutter
-front hump seat
-driver side sigla window slider rail
-passenger side sigla latch (see broken piece)
-matching L345 decklid/apron (in og color or patina, if possible)


I buffed the lower driver side on the door/dogleg section with rubbing and polishing compound. This one is nice!

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Ask not what your bus can do for you, but ask what you can do for your bus.

[Skim]

I think the polls will be quite obvious being this page is 99.5 percent purists
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GFK
Samba since before the towers collapsed. Still here.
1953 Kabriolet
1954 Sunroof
1959 Lowlight Ghia vert
1960 Lt Grey Double Cab SMZ LEGIT
1963 Deluxe Turkis Walk Thru 15 Window OG Paint

[derRHDmeister]

[G-wood Todd]

My vote is stock height if you actually plan to use it as an off pavement camper. Otherwise, that one will look good slammed.
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and take the kids for instance "Are we going in the Volkswagen bus?" and they say "Yay!" and clap their hands and if it's a glorious day you can slide the sunroof back and let a little of the glory in and all of a sudden, it stops looking funny.

-Volkswagen ad

[obus]

stock height if you are actually going to camp off road in it. otherwise i'd say slam it with minor changes that could eventually be swapped back to og height. my 2 cents since you asked....
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July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[Malokin Martin]

Ala-bammy Montgomery Ward camper.

Example
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=595804

Lowering a camper is like lowering a truck. Makes the intended purpose useless.

[derRHDmeister]

[velvetgreen]

This would make a very good shasta camper

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2135686

[derRHDmeister]

81% leaning towards stock w/ bias ply.

I just placed a WANTED ad for the items I need. Hope that will help a bunch!

About the Shasta Snow Trip, Ive been going there since 2007 and its been a dry spell for couple years Im glad to be back in the saddle this year- I will be co piloting "the Beauty" with Clint.


So bias ply, 6.40 or 6.70?
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Ask not what your bus can do for you, but ask what you can do for your bus.

[Eric&Barb]

1960 was last year of clear needle speedo. You should post the measurements of the side window holes and manufacture of the windows you are searching for.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

['64cal lookdub]

I like them both ways, but own a stock height camper. I always thought slamming a camper was counter productive. What transaxle and engine size are you going to run? Hopefully the cokers you buy are more round that what I've found on my Model A hot rod.

[derRHDmeister]

[derRHDmeister]

[Eric&Barb]

[derRHDmeister]

UPDATE: I think the window (sigla or not) debacle has been solved. Upon further investigation and comparing the left and right doors it was apparent that they are different window frames. One of them was switched out at one point.

Note the vent window swoosh on pass side being thicker than the other side.

The drivers side is all the way sekurit. Front windshields s Delog brand and then passenger side sigla frame with the slider window replaced at one point to sekurit.

With that, it is believed the right side is the incorrect one. I do not need sigla slider rail and the latches as it is a commercial bus (learned that only us market passenger buses had the sigla laminated version during a timeframe). I’m amazed the patina and color matched up. Don’t you think it came off a L345 passenger bus w sigla latches? Interesting

We learn something new everyday. On to the search for nicely patina’d Sekurit passenger door frame/windows/latches.
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Ask not what your bus can do for you, but ask what you can do for your bus.

[crofty]

"Too nice for Shasta'?

WTF was I thinking??

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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

[derRHDmeister]

[crofty]

I took that bus in 2005 and the truck in 2009. I doubt the SO34 would be something id take.

I had a blast in the two buses I took regardless of them being "shiney"!

and I vote stock height and bias ply's though I drive my buses a lot and prefer radials.

[derRHDmeister]

I think I found the camper manufacture: (photo from the inter webs)

The camper interior is the EXACT same aside from the icebox and bed legs.. I have seen only ONE and its in the UK. Any US Examples? Ill post more interior pictures

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=368990&highlight=gypsy
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Ask not what your bus can do for you, but ask what you can do for your bus.

[derRHDmeister]

Uploading the interior pictures. Maybe this will help determine the camper manufacture (if not Gypsy).
The Port Code on the 62 is Philadelphia. I'm wondering if it is an east coast bus done by east coast camper outfitter??

Have anyone s the slightest idea? If it was Gardena Campers, then shouldn't the Port code be in the Western US? Something to ponder...

Overall, this camper interior seems to be too well made to be a homebrew. I believe it was one of smaller camper companies.

Bed Frame detail:

Closet detail:

Weird fabric headliner (diamond pattern)

Sink/Fridge and Drawer

There is a drainage hole (garden hose sized) at the driver side floor under the seat (right behind the bulkhead) so I'm assuming there was a water tank there? There's a smaller drainage hole for the icebox on the passenger side too.
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Ask not what your bus can do for you, but ask what you can do for your bus.