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1960 Single Cab

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:53 pm
by sean
This is my latest acquisition. A 1960 split single cab.

Last weekend, Paul and I hit the road into the Karoo to salvage it. We stole an extra day off work too just for some extra travels and time in the wonderful place. It was only slightly on the cold side, our first night it fell to -8.

First snow fall sighting on our way.
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We took our time travelling the back roads and of course stopping to look for kombi's.

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After a 750km drive we stayed over in town on one seriously cold night.

We got up early the next morning and headed on the roads towards the farm. After about 12 farm gates and some pretty rough road sections, not as bad as the trip for my 59 bus, but still 45 minutes off even a main gravel road we got to where this poor bus had been lying for nearly 30 years. The bus would never have been found unless someone has specifically gone to the farm, its seriously remote.

First sighting of the farm.
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First sighting of the bus from behind.
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The original farm owners son with the bus.
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Myself pretty chuffed that the bus still had its motor and gearbox.
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Pic of the motor and this one hideously heavy rock the poor bus had been resting on all these years.
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At first glance it was going to seem easy enough with 3 farm workers at hand to get this bus loaded, but it would just not budge from its resting spot. Having loaded the fleetline single cab so easily on a trailer without wheels before made me think we could do this one too, but it was no go. So we took out our running gear we brought with and got it on wheels. I had some cut up reduction gears from my 59 (ex windmill gears) that I just simply bolted to the spring plates. Once we had the front suspension in, everything bolted up we got it out of its resting spot from the last 20 to 30 years.

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Bus loaded up.

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Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:56 pm
by sean
After the one long drop side was found of part of a chicken hok, we went searching for the other one. The farmer was quite adamant that its now part of some locals donkey cart, but we thought it would be quite long for such an application. We gave up and assumed it was no longer around, until Paul decided to go for a pee behind the water tower. This is what was behind it. :(

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Myself not pleased about this...

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One other piece found.

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Later on in the day, amongst some of the car grave yards we were scratching in, we found some potential VW sites.
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On the back of this dreadful pipe car, was a 1100 motor. After contacting the owner back in town, I got this motor for a steal.
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I also found this very nice old fire extinguisher.
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Some more sightings from our trip.

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The return trip was slow going back to the main town; we got some video footage which I will share a little later.
Total trip was around 1 700km to salvage this beauty, and it couldn’t have been in any more of a beautiful place than the Karoo. What a lekker weekend.

Bus safe back at home now.

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Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 11:49 pm
by Dawie
Congratulations with your latest project. I see it still has it's VW-Uitenhage type air intakes.

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:56 am
by Tony Z
awesome story
I wanna come along for one of your salvages in the Karoo ;-)

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:22 am
by billy-joe
good recovery! I hope you're going to leave that Patina? there is something about an old car that looks old. not taking away from the guys that restore their cars but an original condition car is something special. make it safe to drive and maybe clear coat it to conserve the body condition. looks nice and solid!

well done again.

ps, what swb landy was that? another of my passions!

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:19 am
by eben
Awesome post, thanks for sharing.

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:43 am
by jackblackjr
Awesome trip, awesome find!! Great stuff guys!

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:00 am
by Klaus
Fantastic, thanks for sharing.

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:31 am
by jolas
The silent beauty of the Karoo and these old weather beaten sunburnt wrecks .............. the salvage and retrieval, the whole "mission" is such an awesome experience 8)

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:44 pm
by vw59beetle
Congratulations Sean. I'm so glad that these busses are ending up in the right hands. You and Paul deserve every bus you find. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Wernher

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:26 pm
by riaanj
Congrats on the singlecab!
Lekker Jeeps I see in come of those pics too..

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:01 am
by calooker
Dude... you nuts!! :zhelp:
BTW if you need tail lenses I have a set of Glass "Hella"

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:02 am
by calooker
Dude... you nuts!! :zhelp:
BTW if you need tail lenses I have a set of Glass "Hella"

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:00 pm
by sean
billy-joe wrote:good recovery! I hope you're going to leave that Patina? there is something about an old car that looks old. not taking away from the guys that restore their cars but an original condition car is something special. make it safe to drive and maybe clear coat it to conserve the body condition. looks nice and solid!

well done again.

ps, what swb landy was that? another of my passions!
Nooit, its going to be dropped, mag wheels fitted and sprayed metallic green. :twisted:

Re: 1960 Single Cab

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:55 pm
by Donovan D
Congrats on another cool bus Sean. 8)

The pics of the trip looks really awesome.