'59 Panel FS at Imperial Palace in Las Vegas?

[Bob D.]

Excuse the intrusion from a Bay Window driver, but I seek some Split Window expertise....

I was at The Auto Collection at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas yesterday. The Auto Collection is a display and sales place for a variety of interesting cars of all makes and years.

One of vehicles on display (and for sale for $18,500) was what was described as a "completely original" '59 panel bus. The placard said it was "all original down to the light bulbs" and had something like 25k miles. It also said it had been impounded for 31 years in California until being "discovered" a few years ago, and that accounted for its all-original condition.

A couple of weird things were that it had 1956 plates , and that the vent window frames and hinges were painted body color (a kind of desert or salmon red, couldn't read any codes). The info card also said the bus had been featured in VW magazines.

Does anybody know anything about this bus, or can point me to any websites or sources of further info on it? In a sea of Aston Martins, Ferraris, etc., in the collection, I was drawn to this old VW and am curious to learn more about it if I can.

Sorry I have no pics of the bus, my camera died earlier that day.

TIA for any info.
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[AndrewM]

Here is a link http://www.autocollections.com/index.cfm?key=1137&action=details&tab=inventory
I would want to see the bus in person to believe it was really as original as they say. The paint in the cargo area just doesn't look right to me...that could be the camera. The gas tank also doesn't look like the right color and if you look at the shot of the rear bulkhead (spare tire area) It looks like it could have been cut out to make a walkthru and then repaired...once again maybe camera tricks. For that kinda money it should be exactly what they say!

[AndrewM]

Oh yeah, you ever see a police impound yard???? They don't exactly garage every crackheads car. And after 31 years of sitting outside....I call bullshit.

[Bob D.]

Andrew, thanks for the link, when I looked for the bus on their site I couldn't find it for some reason.

I am no expert on this vintage of bus, but in person the cargo area looks even more suspicious than in the pics.

I am also still curious about the painted vent window frame and hinges.

I just did a search on the Hot VWs mag website to try to find the article on this bus, and this is the only one that sounds even remotely close, don't know if it is the right one. I wouldn't call that color orange, but I am terrible with colors:

Results:

Issue: 02/2002
Title: Dean Kirsten
Author: Dean Kirsten

Article Type: Feature
Car Make: Bus
Color: Orange
Car Type: 59 Panel Custom

General Description: Bus

Agree about impound being hard on the bus, not preserving it.

For some reason I still think the bus is kinda cool and I am interested in the real story on this thing.
_________________
1978 7-Passenger, 37K miles
Proud Member #1, SBS (Stock Bus Society)

*Enjoy and appreciate your good health*

We used to play for silver
Now we play for life

[SHSC]

Vent wing latch in the parcel tray?

Carb return spring....
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[Douglas Denlinger]

I saw the panel, in the collection about 3 weeks ago. I have known that it's been in the collection now for several years. Definitely NOT all original, interior and exterior repainted. There were several other things that stood out at the moment but now a bit foggy on the details.

The best cars of the collection are the 62- 63 Aston Martin Convertible and coupe, 1.5 and 3 million respectively.

[j.pickens]

I call Bullshit as well.
There is no freaking way on God's green earth that an "original" bus with 26,000 miles will have absolutely NO scuffing on the door panel and kick panel cards like this one.
They would be all marked up. People back then didn't treat panel vans with any respect. They were work vehicles and were treated as such.
Also, the rear apron bolts are positively shiny. They would have at least gotten tarnished up, if not surface rusted by now, unless that bus was vacuum packed in a giant Ziplok Baggie.

They should at least attempt to come up with a decent story.
Used car dealers suck, don't believe a word they say.
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[JPH]

[EverettB]

Nice carburetor spring.

Impound yards sell cars after they hold them for a while, they don't keep them around.
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[Bob D.]

Thanks for the sharp eyes, guys. Bummer that the BS level is so high with this bus.

Not like I was gonna buy it anyway, but guess I have to cross this one off my dream list.

23, ditto on the Aston Martins.
_________________
1978 7-Passenger, 37K miles
Proud Member #1, SBS (Stock Bus Society)

*Enjoy and appreciate your good health*

We used to play for silver
Now we play for life

[staceyz]

I think the carburator spring also helps slam the engine lid closed..

[jerry.t]

what about the window rubbers ant the door rubbers, look new to me.
no way that is an o g panel.
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1957 euro oval
1958 standard euro bus


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[DMNCLNR]

[Lind]

it is possible that the bus was impounded and not driven for 31 years before it was restored. you would think that they would do it right with a low mileage vehicle if it was indeed low miles. just from their pictures, I see these problems:
front emblem no painted in the center
windshield wipers messed up
no passenger side mirror
headlight buckets painted silver inside, not the correct peach color
vent latch base painted red on the outside, should be black
wrong carb return spring
wrong coil
wrong distributor
wrong carburator
too much paint in the engine compartment
front inside door handles are on the wrong way
front seat is overstuffed and the wrong color and the wrong texture (upholstery trifecta)
door pockets have six rivits, should have eight
vent latch broken
and finally, where are the safaris? I though that every incorrect done bus that was for sale for over $15k had to have safaris in it, preferably obvious repro safaris.

I gaurantee that I could find three times as many problems in person. nice looking bus though.
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[Clara]

[Bob D.]

[SHSC]

[j.pickens]

[Bob D.]

It's definitely a nice bus overall, that's why it stuck in my mind so much and why I'm still thinking about this thing....

I guess "screwed it up" was too strong, just seemed like some of the missing details people have noted wouldn't have been impossible to do, as long as they were doing a full resto.

The eyes on this forum are amazing, thanks for all the info. Hope to be back here as an owner some day.
_________________
1978 7-Passenger, 37K miles
Proud Member #1, SBS (Stock Bus Society)

*Enjoy and appreciate your good health*

We used to play for silver
Now we play for life

[EverettB]