The barndoor from the swamp

Hi there !

So I thought it could be nice to have a Panel van to promote my website on meetings with a cool logo’d bus… so here is what i found ! 😊

I knew this bus since 4 years and its now at home… what a satisfaction ! It’s an early-51 panel van without rear window.
It’s have not been used that much as the owner from the 50’s put it on his land to use it as a hunt cabin in 1965. They removed the rear axle and engine and put a big piece of metal under the bus and a hook to tow it to its resting place. I bought the bus from the last owner’s son, who still own the land.

I would need tons of pictures to show you everything, so i edited a small video with a few comments (I am more comfortable when i'am on the other side of the lens... but that was worth if for people who see the video only :? )

[img]https://imageshack.us/a/img843/1613/1zxi.jpg[/img]
Here are some anyway 😉
The bus as we found it, stuck in 30cm of water and 10cm of ice :



Not a nice situation when you plan to leave the site 2 days after :



Especially knowing the bus is in a swamp, and that you have to cross it and a forest to reach the trailer. But still, that's a nice bus !!





So we quickly began to work on the bus to remove it from this swamp ! We began by breaking the ice all around and managed to pull the bus 6 meters back to a much dryer place, so we are sure we won't find it stuck in the ice again the day after.... (Actually it was all melted the next day).



We took the chassis parts separately from the body. It was much easier and safer... 😀

Here is what we pulled out of the water.
What a great surprise !!



Once all the parts was removed, we prepared the lifting operation.
And then...









I guess that body shell was not a pain to lift for the helicopter !



It was a nice adventure, done in one week with my brother.
6 countries crossed, almost 6000km done… and the bus is now home. :P

I began to work on it last week end, so I have less than 5 months only to make it ready for the European Barndoor Gathering :roll:

Road ready or not, I will try to bring it there but I can’t imagine putting it on a trailer ! That’s quite a big challenge (I can’t work on it full time of course :roll: …) but I will do my best to make it happen :wink: .

You will be able to follow the progress of the restoration via the AirMapp blog, after registration on www.airmapp.com

See you !
Florian

Great find & a great video, thanks for sharing !

What an effort!

Any old kombi is worth saving especially this piece of history.

Great work getting it home.

I wish you luck 👍👍

and hope you have lots of money for the project

Saw the video via the Kieft En Klok fb page, had to see it to believe it.
Well done on the rescue. Crusty split Kombi resto in 6 months is a tall ask but anything is possible.
Look forward to seeing it unfold.