67 Kombi Build

[frothbeast]

I plan to fix this up to be a daily driver. I love the old rusted out wholey look, but I need to fix/replace the "frame" and floor, and make it safe for the road and reliable. After that, I prefer the junky look of this Bus.

It came with many aftermarket options:
'Organic' Rear Sunroof
Aerodynamic roof line doubles as a rain catcher
Walk through driver floor area for convenience and better ventilation
'Flexible' Chassis for better feel of the road
Quiet engine which uses no fuel
Headlights that never need aiming
Rear bumper removed so that it would not get damaged in an accident

This and many more I am sure to encounter

[Spike0180]

What you have there is a parts bus.
_________________
Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[crukab]

[sgellis]

I would fix it. Would expect to replace most of the bottom structure on any old bus anyway.

How is the frame at front and over the rear wheels? The center frame section is an easy fix, but the front and rear are a lot more work.

This will take a lot of time. If you enjoy this type of work and don’t mind taking a few years to complete, then go for it.

I would suggest starting with the frame and not cutting up any more than needed. If you get the frame fixed and don’t like the project you haven’t spent much money and have increased the value.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[frothbeast]

[frothbeast]

[sgellis]

[nineteensixtyfiveVG]

wow, this one is definitely going to be challenging but I can see the potential. Just fix up what you need to do to make it structurally sound and then enjoy it. That is what I am doing with my bus.

[ZENVWDRIVER]

I voted "no", You did not spend too much... i'd get it operable and patch the holes on the roof with some good tape and run it as is... Will be the best $3500, you ever spent and U could easily get your money back, anytime...
Don't be frightened by the popular vote... best just to do your own thing.

I bought my '60 single cab in 1995, much against popular demand, for $350 and still use it today... and now all the nay-sayers want to buy it - sorry guys, I've willed it to my son.

... never mind, what I paid - enjoyed the heck out of owning this 1960 double cab... what a great time I had with it - forget the silly money - being happy is what this life is all about... was just a little out of shape

_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON

All super-heroes, wear a MASK

[pyrOman]

[Malokin Martin]

That one’s done and you paid too much. Way too much.. and that’s ok.

I’ve made mistakes like this before too. Think of it as a relatively cheap life lesson. I’m all for a project and encouraging people to persue dreams, but it’s not constructive to nudge someone down a pathway because it ‘could’ be done. Can a blind kid play football? Yes. Should they?

[ZENVWDRIVER]

Last summer, i had a completely rust free 1961 SO34 for sale with no interior, no glass, not running and no title for $2200. a guy drove here to Oklahoma, from California... cut the sub hatch upper section off at the belt line, cut the nose off, paid me $2K and drove off... he was here for 1 hour.
... I made another $2500 parting out the rest of the bus... look in my classifieds at much of the rust free chassis I have left for sale... that would fix you right up.
... If I had your bus, i'd never sell it and would keep it and repair it for the rest of my life and look for something else that needs less work... then you'd have 2 sweet busses.
... there is a Buddhist term, I live by - EMPTINESS - defined as letting go of fixed ideas... in this case the fixed idea is that your bus will never be roadworthy again... perish the thought, let that idea go and move on... works for me, big time.
Also, I had a 1967 SO42 tin-top Westy, I got in a trade... put that SO42 interior in a 1962 SO33, I have... and sold that '67 for $4500, recently... needed almost everything and the purchaser was very happy to get a bus, he could afford and repair for a lifelong relationship...
this was the SO33 when I got it in 2007 for $50 -

... and here's that bus today... comin' along.

_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON

All super-heroes, wear a MASK

[Spike0180]

[frothbeast]

[adriano]

Wow, a nice canadian bus with walk thru spare tire well and bulkhead behind the seats. I have one too.
Do you have the heater under the front seats?
Could you post the M-Plate? mine has 388 and 043 (unknowed codes) and Vancouver dest.

[frothbeast]

[frothbeast]

I want to get the bus rolling so it's easier to get out of my way. So I need to remove the rear drums while the parking brake mechanism is stuck on.
I used a puller and a hammer.

It was a slow process, but patience and banging more than tightening the puller convinced it to come off with only minor damage to the backer plate, and the entire bus lost weight with every hit.(rust everywhere)

The bus was extremely flexible under there. I was a bit worried about where to put stands to ensure the carcass didn't crash down one me. I had 3 under there in different spots.

[easy e]

That's similar in size... but the m-code plate is located behind passenger's seat back.

_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List

[frothbeast]

Thanks,

I have no pic of that here at work, I will snap one when I get home.

[frothbeast]

Here is the plate behind the passenger seat

I don't see anything that looks like a heater or a carcass of one here: