1959 Bus

[sean]

It’s been a little while since an update on this bus, but I have been busy.

I took it to the way bridge the other day to finish all the documents I needed for its licencing, except this time I went to a scrap yard in order to avoid the state ones with the difficult officials that wouldn’t weigh my bus because it was missing a seat and few door panels etc.

The damn people here at this scrap yard still insisted I must remove the A-frame before they weigh it, so in the filth I removed a this A-frame with dodgy vagrants hanging around everywhere near the kombi and getting rather frustrated with this lot, I left the bus there and went round the corner to sort out the documentation. After I came back from the office for my certificate which was around the corner, the staff at this scrap yard had started directing my bus through the yard thinking it was scrap metal, OH MY GOODNESS , but I was horrified, this was a close call. I suppose to them it seemed rusty. It was really depressing at this place, I couldn’t believe what these people were scrapping.

But luckily all went well and the bus weighed in at 989kg, 150kg lighter than my Fleetline, but I suppose due to the Fleetlines bigger engine, completed interior etc. it weighed a bit more.

Pic at the scrap yard.

[sean]

All documentation was submitted for the licencing and after 4 days I got a call to say my bus was now loaded on the E-natis system, so at least someone is doing their job over in that department. I now just have to take it for this new micro-dot to be sprayed on vehicle, then its licenced in my name.

The electrics are nearly completed too, all is connected in the engine bay, lights are nearly done.

The rims with new tyres are fitted, the brakes are in 100% working order, the hubcaps are nearly ready to be fitted and mechanically quite a bit of fiddling has been going on to try get things right.

I have stripped the rear spring plates, torsion bars, gear link, gearbox and front suspension from Bushpig’s 58, so quite pleased that more period correct parts can be fitted, so pretty much none of the pieces from the Fleetline have been used. I still have to remove and swap all these parts on my bus, but the gearbox is going to have to come out any way as it seems I have pre-loaded the rear spring plates too much. Even with the engine in and towing it around to try settle the suspension, it’s pretty much still at the max height.

What was amazing is that we were almost able to undo all the bolts holding these items in place, the only parts that proved to be a real mission were those damn gear link couplings on the front and back of the shift rod. We ended up cutting them into a few segments to separate them.

Here’s a few pics of the parts being stripped from the very rusty 58.







I also towed the bus the other day with my bay and it towed pretty cool. Made a good picture…

[retrovan]

I just love these "Occurrences", they add life, and credibility to a project, which a new car will never have.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Sean, could you please put an arrow, pointing out the bus, as all I see is scrap....

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.Runs to Dept. of Home Affair and changes name......


Only joking great to see you left the ears on, because, boy, thats history right there.....

[sean]

Thanks for these pic's Paul, just putting them here to keep it all together.

Well, not quite a road trip

But here are some pics of Sean's '59 bus on it's first outing in 4 decades - he made the trip from Somerset West to Klapmuts on Sunday - the bus attracted much attention along the way, even the cops he passed by seemed to forget to notice that there were'nt any registration plates or licence disc and some missing side windows
Anyway, we had some fun on the gravel roads in my hood. This bus is a real rat, watch out vwRules, your rat has some serious competition - hopefully both will be at George?

Arrival at my place




at the local petrol station


got the bus stuck on the way back


a rat or what ?


plenty of extra permanent ventilation at the driver's head for those hot summer days


approving nods from the locals


searching for the hubcap


oil leak and free advertisement for Fig and Kaapse Kombi Kult (R10)




Good stuff there Sean, really hard to believe that this old girl lives again, what a cool story, and to think that it came very close to getting hacked up

[sean]

So well, a short report on how it went.

This 1100 is incredible slow, but otherwise ran well.

The gearbox is changing nicely, but somewhat noisy. Sounds like a truck gearbox to me. Can anyone comment on these split type gearboxes with regards to the noises, are they noisy in general? I must also take into account that their is no interior or soundproofing in the bus which also contributes to hearing this additional noise.

Issues, the one reduction gearbox is leaking. The gearlink is also prooving quite tricky to change gears. This needs quite some more work, take into account I had to modify a later bus link by cutting in shorter, changing the angle and adapting the different shifter to fit, somewhere with the reverse plate and spacing its not working to well.

Otherwise the trip was fun, I lost a hub cap, which I was adiment to find as I had just sprayed them. After the second trip walking along the gravel roads we found it in a bush thankfully.

There is still an enormous amount of work to go, but it just gives so much hope when you are able to drive it. I really enjoyed this.

[splitbusahollic]

Well done Sean !
the time frame and end result is truly inspirational to other bus restorers !
if you get tired of accounting send me your vw cv !!

[sean]

Well this last holiday hasn’t gone by without doing any work on the 59.

I have finished with the blending in of the new panels. It came out better than I expected it!
There are still a few more ideas I have to try blend it in to the patina that its not such a distinct line between the old and new paint, but will experiment a little later with that.

400g of fibrespan bodyfiller and about 100g of the ultra fine filler is all that was used to complete all the blending of the body panels. A few coats of primer, flatting it out and then a few coats of the top coat revealed quite a “new look” to the worked on areas. I normally flat the top coat with a 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper but this proved too soft for this blending, so opted for a 320 grit which worked quite effectively at dulling the new paint. I finally went over with a 1000grit and gave a it a light polish (the whole bus now) with Maguires quick detailer, (quick polisher / cleaner) which gave the whole bus a bit of a shine, but still leaving the dulled effect on the new paint.

The colour match in some places is near 100% and other panels a little off, but overall I am pretty stoked about how it’s come out.

Oh, and the wheels look a little new at the moment, think I am going to give them the same treatment too.

Enjoy the pics.

[vw59beetle]

Great job Sean. I really like what you doing to the Kombi. And the best part is that you enjoying it.
Wernher

[jolas]

eish this rat (bat?) is rocking man Good job there Sean !

[Blitzkrieg]

Love the trick with the paintwork dude. Looks absolutely wicked.

[fig]

Great work Sean. That bus is looking fabulous and proudly flying the flag for the patina movement!

[Squareback newbie]

Well done !!1,,, wow she lives again..awsome

[Squareback newbie]

Well done !!1,,, wow she lives again..awsome

[MrT]

Well this last holiday hasn’t gone by without doing any work on the 59.

I have finished with the blending in of the new panels. It came out better than I expected it!
There are still a few more ideas I have to try blend it in to the patina that its not such a distinct line between the old and new paint, but will experiment a little later with that.

400g of fibrespan bodyfiller and about 100g of the ultra fine filler is all that was used to complete all the blending of the body panels. A few coats of primer, flatting it out and then a few coats of the top coat revealed quite a “new look” to the worked on areas. I normally flat the top coat with a 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper but this proved too soft for this blending, so opted for a 320 grit which worked quite effectively at dulling the new paint. I finally went over with a 1000grit and gave a it a light polish (the whole bus now) with Maguires quick detailer, (quick polisher / cleaner) which gave the whole bus a bit of a shine, but still leaving the dulled effect on the new paint.

The colour match in some places is near 100% and other panels a little off, but overall I am pretty stoked about how it’s come out.

Oh, and the wheels look a little new at the moment, think I am going to give them the same treatment too.

Love this! This bus is coming along very nicely!

[sean]

Just had quite a lekker time fitting all these new goodies which recently arrived from Wolfsburg West. I couldn’t find anything decent locally, so ordered this shipment to complete many outstanding areas on my bus.

Here are just a few of the parts I ordered.

Gear knobs, switches, handbrake button etc.


Battery Strap


Cargo door bump stops, got a set for the fleetline too.


Number plate globe holder and lens too.


Wiper blades


Wiper blade arms


Correct clutch adjusting nut, I managed to fit the large wingnut but its near impossible to adjust it on this gearbox.


Oil pressure senders, new brake return springs, hubcap clips etc.


Church key


Acc cable return kit


All the 6v globes, quite impressed actually. I have heard of several rumours of how poor 6v is with driving at night and poor engine cranking etc, but it seems just fine to me.


Switches, headlight, interior light, wiper motor.


Lastly, this horn button. Its damn expensive!!! I managed to swap it for an older one here, it would just look too new on my bus.