Aircooled VW South Africa

fig wrote:I just checked thesamba ad for the brake light. It lists the part number as beginning with 27, which makes it an ambulance part. Although it is very similar to the centre brake light, it is diferent; I suspect it's an additional flashing light for an ambulance, although it would probably work as a brake light.

Hey Fig, I will keep my eyes and ears peeled for one.... what indicators are you looking for? Are they the post barn door round ones?

Here's my May 57 Kombi. Note the taillights and centre brake light.

Hey Fig, cool Bus! I love the hand painted pinstripe.
Why don't you use the domed american taillights till you can source NOS euro ones. I imported ones bout 2 years ago. They are not that expensive. I got mine from EIS parts.
I wouldnt strip a complete bus to put another one on the road. that's just me.

I just had a look, the price seems a bit steep. http://www.eisparts.com/211945071A.html
otherwise these might work: http://www.eisparts.com/211945237BG.html
https://shop.westcoastmetric.com/viewPr ... m_search=1
I know someone going to the States in 2 weeks time. He's bringing in a few small parts.
Ernst also had a set of NOS taillights available at that time. He might still have them........

Fig,

Leave the May bus complete and then source the parts for the June one! You aren't in a hurry to get it complete are you? If you find parts in the UK (i.e. on EBAY) I'll happily put them in my suitcase and save you the carriage & risk to SA. Every little helps!!!

Is is these fig?
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai ... 11945071BX
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai ... =211945321

eben wrote:Is is these fig?
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai ... 11945071BX
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai ... =211945321

Those are the 59-61 taillights. I have a few of those. I need the earlier 55-57 Euro taillights, which are smaller.

Fig,

I have heard that this place can usually find or has very rare items...

http://www.splitvan-ovalbug.com/spares.htm

Might be worth calling before you steal from Paul to pay Peter!

fix both please

Keep the old one as is (hy het houding) and fix the new one. Im looking for the same stuff

I'd rather not cannibalise the May 57 bus and I am going to give it my best shot to find the missing parts for the June 57 bus.

BUT, today I have located two sets of NOS taillights, one for GBP350 and the other for USD320. That comes out to between R3,000 and R6,000 just for the taillights! If I can't find a set locally I don't know if I can bring myself to pay that much for taillights.

The reality is I am probably going to take all the parts I need from the May 57 bus, replace the missing parts with incorrect year parts, then sell the May 57 bus. Once the June 57 bus is done I will be selling the May 57 bus regardless of whether I cannibalise it or not.

Hi Fig and Gisela

It were nice to meet you guys at the store at Stanford saterday
Nice talking to you Fig
Got some ideas not to respray the 58 (beetle) that i bought Thursday 9th
Also nice to see that she arived safe in JHB
Enjoy

Koos

Fig, When I saw the first pic of your June bus (JB) I thought to myself, dammit but that bus looks straight, I dont even see any major rust, hope fig will leave it as is. Similar to the blue Bus in the May Volksworld. So glad when I read thats your plan!

If authenticity is your main aim, then I can understand if you want to cannabalize the may bus (MB). Although, there is also merit in not breaking something that is already working. You say most of the parts wont be too hard to find for (JB), so here's my 2c. First find all the missing parts, including the non correct year parts to replace what you would potentially take off (MB).
Once you have ALL the parts to finish BOTH busses, only then start changing.

I wish you luck, and if you need more hands trawling the internet for spares, let me know. I am a big fan of 100% original restores, and R6000 for a set of lights is a bargain if that was the last thing left to make a 99% original bus 100% original. It's all about perspective.

fig wrote:

G&I spent the weekend with a bag of scotchbrite pads rubbing down our new 57 kombi. It was worth the effort; we removed most of the graffiti and rust stains:

Except for the rear corners,that Bus is pretty straight and almost rust free.

congrats fig en gisella, thats a nice bus