1956 Dove Blue Panelvan Coming Back To Life After 26 Years

[b-man]

Worked on a little project this weekend, I built and installed a rack so I could haul a couple of mini bikes.

I used an old set of motorcycle bumper mount carriers that were laying around my parents house since the ‘60s. They worked out nicely, all I had to do was spread them open from 4” to 4-1/4” and 4-1/2” to fit the tires on the two mini bikes. Then I mounted a 6” long piece of 4” angle iron to the floor. I reinforced the the angle iron with a 6”x 8-1/2” x 3/8” steel plate under the floor, the mount is super stiff and doesn’t flex. Another 6”x 11-1/2”x 3/8” plate bolts to the angle iron and mounts the two bumper mount carriers.

1970 Honda CT-70, unrestored original except for the seat. Nice that the handlebars fold down quick and easy for compact transporting.

1965 Quarter Horse mini bike, unrestored original. It has a West Bend 2-stroke engine. The seat flips up after removing a quick pin and there you’ll find the gas cap, the bottle-shaped frame tubes contain the 2-stroke premix fuel.

Happy Father’s Day!

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[vwuberalles]

That's awesome!! nice job!
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1973 Superbeetle: 1st car, owned since age 12. Update thread --> https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9919140#9919140
1967 Kombi: Owned since age 17, Dad's retirement project.
1966 Beetle: My new project. (SOLD) Build thread--> https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=678040

[b-man]

Rare Schwinn sidehack, one of one.

I fabricated this little gem back in 1972 when I was 13 from a couple of Schwinn Fair Lady frames and pieces of numerous old full-size Schwinn girls bike frames to connect everything together. Back then I would fit some tubes and then talk one of the neighborhood dads (they were into motocross or dune buggies) who had welding equipment to do some gas welding for me.

Toy hauler.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[Blue Baron]

I like how you repurposed the old rubber bus mat. Looks good.

The jury is still out on the purple carpet.
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We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.

Heinz Nordhoff

[Saul Koll]

[j.pickens]

[b-man]

Today I managed to get the original rear cargo door mounted back on the bus. Both hinges needed straightening and adjustment and the center of the door at the bumper was pushed in a bit, I was able to work that back out by doing some strategic prying. Glad I didn’t toss those old cargo doors.

The patina on the door doesn’t quite match because of where the door sat in the weather for the past 34 years as compared to the bus itself. I never thought that I’d ever use that door again, but it’s not as bad as I thought.

I also started to remove the primer from the forward cargo door, a non-original replacement I bought to repair the bus back in the mid-80s. It’s been so many years since I primed it that I forgot what color it was to start with. Funny that it’s Dove Blue under the primer but not really surprising, most of them were Dove Blue back in the day.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[Blue Baron]

That makes a huge difference.
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We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.

Heinz Nordhoff

[earlywesty]

Bus is looking great! Nice job.

[b-man]

Thanks guys.

Tried to get a decent picture of the somewhat faded sticker on the dash.

‘DO NOT ENGAGE FIRST GEAR WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION’

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[Muthashabubu]

[b-man]

Now to get after that white door with some paint stripper. It’s definitely Dove Blue underneath the white.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[QUIKCOLOR]

Great job on the on going Resto! I wanted to ask if this is your DD, not sure if I overlooked that within the thread?

[Fifty-Eight Rag]

[b-man]

Thanks guys.

Yes I have been driving the bus to work and back about 50% of the time since it’s been licensed, also have been attending a local cars ‘n coffee car show on Saturday mornings.

Worked on the passenger side door after work today.

Found some red paint.

Also found some OG Dove Blue under the red.

Pretty happy now, that’s all I had time for today.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[b-man]

Cars ‘N Coffee this morning.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[Erik G]

awesome!
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Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[b-man]

Continued with the paint stripping on the passenger side door.

A few spots still need some attention but it’s a big improvement.

Beautiful sunset in Santa Clarita.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[j.pickens]

That's looking tee-rific!
So, do you think a commercial bus front door was taken for a deluxe bus, and now returned to a commercial bus?
(Going by the paint and trim holes)
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Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[b-man]