I've had this old girl for a couple of years, patiently waiting. Now that the 67 Beetle is at the trimmers and close to getting on the road, it's time to get started.
The bus was a dry-cleaners van and looked in reasonable shape. As always when you get started poking and proding, you learn a bit about what you are getting into. Unfortunately, the rust and damage is quite extensive.
Never mind, we have stripped her out and will pressure wash today. Then cut all the visible rust areas away in preparation for a complete media blast.. Lots of shiny new metal will be needed..
Here are some early shots.. More to come
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StenGuns ·
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pete wood ·
ouch. 🥲
Mick058 ·
your keen!!! wish i had your perseverance.
StenGuns ·
Can't ever stop.. Bloody driven!
This old girl has dual side doors and is well worth the time and effort..
Mick058 ·
do you own the single/dual cab aswell? (aviator)
StenGuns ·
Used to.. It was a 71 Dual Cab that was the 1st vehicle I had in my Transport Fleet.. Should never have sold it on.. Ran an 1835 with twin webers and was a brilliant ride!
kroozzn63 ·
nice to see another in sunny sydney ive got one too now with similar issues ,Rob where did the bufori end up is it being restored or anyone here got it? www.lowlight.com.au
StenGuns ·
Mate. Sad news about the Bufori..
The new owner let his 18YO drive it and he smashed it.. No idea what is happening now but I'll find out
pod ·
wonder how many 4 kilo tins of bog they used on the poor old girl,but she will be in fine health soon👍 keep up the good work Rob👍
Rommel ·
Yeah keep up the good work Rob, seeing things like that keep me inspired to get in the shed instead of going for a ride on my hog. Just realised both my toys are aircooled....cool😎
kroozzn63 ·
man thats terrible news , well if the body is damaged it is still worth salvaging and put a linkpin front clip "now would be a good time" if the front is smashed up, please let me know, Cheers Brendon
StenGuns ·
Some shots of the strip down..
Areas that have major rust are shown.. The old metal has been cut away to allow the media blasting to get right into the rust areas..
We have ordered or will fabricate the lower 12 inches of the body all the way around.. Plus two new door skins.. The cargo doors, rear door and engine lid are all repairable..
Interior is very clean and really the whole body is quite straight.. This will be a fabulous resto and well worth the effort.. Next step is to get the whole body blasted and the fit the new metal.. This will take all the way through to Christmas.. Time and $$ have to be budgeted wisely!!
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StenGuns ·
I wonder about the original colour of the body..
I first thought it was birch green (inside the headlight buckets)
But then on the nose we have a yellow/orange and a forest green as well as the birch green..
The yellow/orange is the RAAF colour used (I think) so this may have been an airfield vehicle 1st!!
StenGuns ·
The ID/VIN is 2112120008
2| - Type 2
21| - Type 2 Panel van
211| - Type 2 Panel van with production date of 1971
211|2|120008 - The last 7 digits being the chassis number (I thought it was only 6 so the 1st "2" might be for RH Drive or or Right and Left Hand doors)
Can anyone shed light on the above? I'd love to find out..
I take my hat off to you there Stenguns, that's a lot of work. My 69 walk through panel has been painted inside and the outside is getting done this weekend - Birch Green funnily enough on the outside, but all over - there is a pic of such a panel in an Aussie brochure of the time.
Glad to hear your cargo doors are repairable, they are a nightmare to source, good'uns anyway
When mine's done I'll put some pics up.
VeeDub ·
I love the twin door kombi's 😀
Good luck with the project.
HotRodMatt ·
Can't wait to see this one back on the road...
StenGuns ·
Waiting for replacement metal to arrive before we do much more.. basically new metal all the way around the bottom 10 inches..
Then a sandblast to cut the metal back to useable.. I'm figuring paint about april/may
pete wood ·
gee that's not as bad as it could be...I think. 🤪
sten, hats off to you mate, don't know how you do it or how the bank continues to honour the cheques but keep it up mate. 👍
StenGuns ·
Update
New metal has arrived
Waiting now for sanding blasting in the New Year
Expecting around June 09 completion (said that before!)
Dasdubber ·
Nice work mate, good to see it being done properly unlike the previous "repairs". Unfortunately I see those all too often.
I'm sure you can appreciate with your last resto how hard it is to quote on this sort of work once you start digging and finding nastiness like you uncovered! All the best, its just metal after all 🙂 (well the non-oxidised stuff anyway)
AL
V Wreck ·
it looks about 20 kgs lighter now all the bog is gone😁
i know how you where feelin when you where finding all the rust after thinking it was all good😬
Grock ·
How's it going?
Camo ·
Rob,
I remember seeing your threads back in 2008, but didn't realise that it was yours as I only met you since the beetle was in the spot light.
I gather you also have big plans for this one 👍 or 🙅 ???
Good luck and look forward to updated photos as I know what extent you go to on a resto 👍
Kev
kroozzn63 ·
wow i havent been on here since then and its starting now good timing for me...
StenGuns ·
I've had other priorities and now really just want to get this Van done.. There won't be the years and $$ thrown in though like I did with the bug.
I've got a hell of a lot of new metal to graft on.. Lucky I have a decent paint and body guy thats not going to want my house for the work..
My plans include:
Drop spindles, lowered a few inches, but not in the weeds..
1915 mild performance (110 Cam, twin Webers, nice crank etc) married to a re-built 2 L box..
Basic interior with a few customising surprises.. These vans are such a blank canvas!
Two tone paint (like the selecta shot at the start of the thread)
A kick arse sound system (I'm talking pull over and start an outdoor party!)
A nice set of fuch's or something like that (not 100% yet)
This will be a coast cruiser.. Surfboards a must!..
I'll post the build progress as we go.. The paint and body is getting done out of town so I don't have ready access to these shots (but I'll try my best)..
vassy66T1 ·
Very cool 😁
Looking forward to seeing the progress pics.
ochevi ·
DECENT PAINT AND BODY GUY??? What was wrong with the bug?
StenGuns ·
Absolutely nothing me old China.. Your work is faultless.. Just now that you have hit the big time, you aint got the space for little old home boys any more..
ochevi wrote:DECENT PAINT AND BODY GUY??? What was wrong with the bug?
StenGuns ·
Work is coming along..
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ochevi ·
Does not look like a rusty bus anymore , did ya end up sandblastind it?
jjwebb123 ·
more pics of rust removal?pleeeeassse..
i have a bus,which has rust in the same spots as yours did.
it would be great to be able to get in contact with you.
Please pm.
~Jas~
jjwebb123 ·
what did you use to cut?
its looks so clean and straight😵
StenGuns ·
All the progress photo's were taken on 35mm film.. I have to get them scanned but when I do, I will post them up here..
jjwebb123 wrote:more pics of rust removal?pleeeeassse..
i have a bus,which has rust in the same spots as yours did.
it would be great to be able to get in contact with you.
Please pm.
~Jas~
StenGuns ·
The van was rusty but very clean and straight to begin with.. Makes a big difference to have a project without major accident damage..
All rust areas were cut away and repaired with fresh metal.. Where possible, the metal has come from a donor vehicle (the OG metal is better).. Otherwise we have used Schofield parts etc supplied from The BusStop
jjwebb123 wrote:what did you use to cut?
its looks so clean and straight😵
Camo ·
Hi Rob,
coming along nicely. Do you have it all planed out re colour, interior etc.
Kev
StenGuns ·
Hey Kev
Old school Tiaga Green (its original colour) with off white from the waist up..
Interior - not sure but I'll think off something
Engine - Mild Type 1 - 1915 or bigger. NA this time
Cheers
Camo wrote:Hi Rob,
coming along nicely. Do you have it all planed out re colour, interior etc.
Kev
daydreamer ·
Nice van and really admired the 67 beetle that was the 09 highlight at the nationals. You mentioned on this thread you had a dual cab and regreted selling it (featured on your profile) I own the said DC now and have started a major (as they all are) resto. Do you have any history on the DC, Its been a work horse that I know from the amount of red earth I've removed from it. I would have PM you but I dont have enough thread credits.
M
StenGuns ·
Hey!.. Sorry I didn't see this post earlier.. And good luck with the DC..
That Bus just loved being driven.. sat beautifully on the road.. Sure there was some rust to deal with but the structure was excellent.. Doors were tight.. No major pillar work from what I remember.. Good luck mate.. that is a sweet bus with very fond memories..
daydreamer wrote:Nice van and really admired the 67 beetle that was the 09 highlight at the nationals. You mentioned on this thread you had a dual cab and regreted selling it (featured on your profile) I own the said DC now and have started a major (as they all are) resto. Do you have any history on the DC, Its been a work horse that I know from the amount of red earth I've removed from it. I would have PM you but I dont have enough thread credits.
M
StenGuns ·
The bus is back from the panel shop.. Restored to full health and painted..
Re-assembly is happening now so I will update more frequently..
If anyone has some sliding door hardware, (hinges, locks, slider etc) that they want to part with, please let me know (on PM please)
Progress Pics
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barls ·
damn that looks good rob, glad to see you are still making headway with it.
Bizarre ·
LOVE the colour!! 👍
retroresto ·
Awsome colour combo, Love it!! im sure it will look even better once assembled. What wheels are you going with? or are you going down the stock route?
Cheers
Paul
StenGuns ·
Thanks Boys..
Once again.. If anyone has any door hardware lying around!!
StenGuns ·
Haven't fully decided.. I'm thinking lower by about 2" with drop spindles.. and a nice set of alloys (fuchs perhaps)
retroresto wrote:Awsome colour combo, Love it!! im sure it will look even better once assembled. What wheels are you going with? or are you going down the stock route?
Cheers
Paul
rampage rob ·
looking sweet so far dude nice and straight good to see some people still know how to use a block keep up the good work looking fwd to more pics of the build
saltgrinder ·
i have a LHS door off a '74 panel,is that any help to ya ? Im in WA