Bought this bus a couple of months ago. Planning on getting it solid and on the road in next 18 months!
Looked fairly solid but needs the bottom 300mm all round replaced.
Never tackled such a big project so advice gladly welcomed.

How I got it









So made a start this weekend on the cargo floor. Shame as most of the floor is solid but the top hats, outriggers etc are rotten.





Getting there


Floor out.
















Been reading and studying all the Ssvc threads to learn and thank goodness for MarkP and Rusty. Both great help of progress pics.
That's enough for today.

Good luck mate, loo forward to seeing the updates.

59 Mango

Some help please. When removing the floor from the rear. Do I take all the metal off up to the folded lip on the up slope over the gear box. Seems like it's spot welded from the underside?





Someone has previously started trying to cut the bulkhead out in the past. The lower section has rotted away and again in the past someone has cut a huge hole to fit some sort of additional heater.


So that's where I'm up too today


With a pile of rot cut out.

another busben bargain, keep up the good work once everything is out the way that's rotten its a lot quicker building it back up, I would recommend a h scofield for all new panels, I beams, top hats etc, just tack weld everything in until its all in to make sure it all fits, and also might be an idea to brace b and c posts cargo door side befofe you cut the sill off

Ah, I remember being at this stage. That rear sloping panel is a sod to clean up. I managed to save mine but AHS sell it if needed. My floor panels, WW from memory, didn't come with a return lip for welding to this panel and I had to weld a return on.

Good luck with your build, I'll be watching!

Steve

Thanks Craig & Steve
Yes putting a brace accross cargo and bulkhead next weekend to stop and risk of twisting and sinking.
The slopping panel is good so I can keep that but the lip return left under it is hard to remove without damage.
I bought all the chassis rails and top hats etc from Autocraft so I'm happy they should fit and I've managed to source an NOS floor pan for it but not able to examine lip at present as in different location.
It seems the deeper I go the more rust I find so Im glad I decided to replace the lot rather than patch up. It's a long weekend next week so should get a couple of days on the bus and start adding rather than removing!

Good call going for autocraft, no offence to Schofield's or anyone that's recommended them but I've never had a Schofield part fit like autocraft. Get good quality metal to get the chassis and floor sorted and you'll be on to a winner with everything else fitting along the way.
Great bus, looking forward to seeing it progress

From Saskatchewan to Twickenham!

Good to see someone giving it love

dawerks wrote:From Saskatchewan to Twickenham!

Good to see someone giving it love

You got any history?

Biglozzer wrote:

dawerks wrote:From Saskatchewan to Twickenham!

Good to see someone giving it love

You got any history?

Yes, it was found in Saskatchewan (a province next to mine) by a guy name Keith/Riff Raff, he brought it back to Alberta. Then listed it for sale on the samba. It was originally delivered to Vancouver (true Canadian bus!) Does it still have it's 'Volkswagen' badge on one of the corners?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... go#6861886

That's a great link and good to know the story behind the bus. Explains a lot re the the rot I'm finding on the floor which was in the dirt. Not got any badges on the rear but evidence of holes on offside rear corner by the light. I assumed it was a dealer badge or similar.
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L=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Biglozzer/media/79DC8536-71C1-41C5-9D13-2E959D2E55DE_zpsth5vhym3.jpg.html] [/URL]







Explains all the corn ears I found in the rusted outriggers then

Hi

Great threat .... A start of another saved bus .... That can only be a good thing


Well done for getting stuck in and I'm please that the old Markp thread it helping


Thanks for guiding me to your thread ... I'll be watching from now on
( mp sent with answers )


Keep pushing



Laters


Mark

Nice work so far Loz, good to meet you today. That kind of project would would scare me, but looks like it's all in your stride.

Managed to do a full day on the bus but don't feel I've got much to show for it.
Got the spot welded lip out from under the rear slopping engine bulkhead panel. Easier said than done without causing too much damage.
Spent hours grinding off all the small spot welds and bits left from floor removal then gave it a cost of red oxide primer to protect it whilst I'm doing other bits.






Usual rust on front of both chassis rails


Marked up


Cut out for welding later



And the other side although I think I'll replace this whole support section later as it is poor in a few places.



So that's it. Not a lot to show for a whole day but I've got all the Autocraft floor chassis panels and a NOS floor so soon be time to start putting some bits back!