Wasn't looking for another Split was actually after another early bay Westy.. but a seller had 65 standard 11 window split that caught my eye so went to have a look. The van was in barn storage and was parked tightly behind '67 Deluxe which we had to pull forward. Had a look at the '65 and it didn't really do anything for me, so was on my way out and when helping move '67 back I asked if it was for sale, I have never considered a Deluxe before, I was asking more out of interest then seriously but when he told me it was for sale and priced at less then the 11W I opened my eyes properly to it..

It was a Velvet Green/Pearl White 13 Window '67 Deluxe walk through with platinum Mesh interior.. instantly it shouted buy me and two days late I bought it home.. one of my more spontaneous purchases!

This bus had been found in Oklahoma and was owned buy a 70 year old chap who had it in his barn. The story goes that some chaps where at a car show standing next to a 13 window deluxe, an old boy comes over to them and says I have one of these at home that he had been thinking of selling they go around the said old boys house house and a deal was done, it was then flipped and a imported to UK later stored for a while and now I own it I bought it from a very nice chap at Wagons West.. I felt like I was on that American Pickers TV show walking around his barns

What appealed to me was how untouched it was, 82K on the clock, OG paint, no welding done, no repairs, stock engine, one key fits all, hardly anything missing. What I didn't release until looking up the engine code and paper work it was also matching numbers and with its original engine which was nice.
It needed a battery tray, sills, bit of the cargo floor and couple of bits on the cab floor. There are a couple of dents on the front clip but I'm going to leave them as is.

Anyway pics.. these pics are from the original guy the found the bus in Oklahoma

Wow that's lovely , nice find there's not many left like that, good score!!

These where the pics I took of the Bus when I saw it for the first time, was quite tight to manoeuvre around it and I was trying to take the pics of the worst parts.





I think the seats need a re-trim lol




Front Cab, is the 12v cigarette lighter original? the knob matches everything else





The Dents in the front clip, they don't bother me to be honest, would rather it stays honest




Lovely patina, the chrome was so good on this bus that I thought the handles must be Repo and was gob smacked to discover they are all OG. Previous owner must have protected them some how ??



Underside nice and dry, pedal pan intact




Engine bay was immaculate for the age





Mint engine lid



Original H-code engine



Battery tray needs doing




Tailgate mint as well




Seats included, rear had no covers at all but luggage bar and kick board intact. Middle seat cover is too far gone to repair and the kick board was missing.
Also the rear bumper was there but it was in two pieces!? I'll expect more later



Then there is a cargo floor which looked to be ok apart from the bit next to the door opening

Lovely jubbly. Who nicked your horn push!? Saw a guy get those nose dents out by deflating a football and then wedging it inside and pumping it up. Pushed the dents straight out. Really nice bus that.

Jolly nice bus!

Rippers wrote:Front Cab, is the 12v cigarette lighter original? the knob matches everything else

Not original but i have one in a similar spot, a dealer thing perhaps?

Pick up day

Home







Couldn't resist getting the bug out for a photoshoot

irvmeister wrote:Wow that's lovely , nice find there's not many left like that, good score!!

Thanks, I'm really pleased with it

Crooky wrote:Lovely jubbly. Who nicked your horn push!? Saw a guy get those nose dents out by deflating a football and then wedging it inside and pumping it up. Pushed the dents straight out. Really nice bus that.

It went missing between when it was found to when it landed in the UK Thanks to a member on this site I have a replacement sorted
That actually sounds like a good idea with the football, I may have a go if I'm brave enough!

shelltoes wrote:Jolly nice bus!

Rippers wrote:Front Cab, is the 12v cigarette lighter original? the knob matches everything else

Not original but i have one in a similar spot, a dealer thing perhaps?

I researched it a bit and it seems a lot of '67's had the cigarette lighter in this identical position, quite handy position for the sat nav although I don't think they had that in mind 48 Years ago! This bus also has OG beauty rings on the wheels even the spare. The VW brochure mentions the beauty rings but I can't recall reading about the cigarette lighter I'll have another research

Now I understand why you bought it....
LOL..

Time warp..

G

Ah yes the old 'horn push gang'. Stole mine too recently from my 57. They notoriously operate on both sides of the Atlantic I hear. I hear there is a gang member in most large ports these days!

awesome bus….lucky you

my mates 67 also has the lighter in that position

So after getting it home the first thing I wanted to sort out was the engine. It was a bit sputtery and hard to start and keep alive. Originally I blamed the old petrol/lack of petrol in the tank. Put some new fuel in and I had my timing strobe to hand as I had been doing my Bug the day before so thought I'd give it a look over. Looked up the distributor settings and the timing was massively out, surprised it was even starting at all. Spun it round timed it up and wow what an engine literally this engine starts on the button now. Well chuffed.. although this maybe premature until its had a road test!




Next was a quick look over the electrics, all of the exterior lights where working part from the reversing lights, I seem to remember my early bay having similar issues and it was an easy fix so fingers crossed.

Interior wise, nicked the wife's emery board and cleaned up the contacts on the interior lights, need a lens for one of them



I did eventually get the Deluxe clock to light up but the spring in the bulb holder is gone so will source a replacement. Not sure the clock works yet, may have to send it off for a tune up.



The awesome period compass also lit up love the way the wire runs down the split screen. Another dealer accessory?


Whilst looking at the compass is this a '67 only mirror?


Whilst the radio did light up, no sound came out of it although I've realised since that the speaker cables where not attach so will need to have further investigation

Radios need a speaker or they blow.....

Next was stripping out the interior to see how bad the rust/rot was so I could get it sorted

Cargo floor






Cargo doors are good enough for a patina ride will just protect them




Sills Long side







Behind the Right hand wheel well just starting



Short side/under the cargo doors








Behind the Left hand wheel arch



Right hand rear corner/wheel arch



Battery tray

Under



Cab floor






Cab doors good




Right side rear window frame



Under driver seat

So after seeing some of his work on here and Facebook I got in touch with Matt Gill about doing the work. I had already made the decision that I was not going to repaint this Bus so any work work have to be as minimal disturbance to the body and OG paint and then any bits hat did need painted would need blending in. Matt was sympathetic to my request and was happy with quote so booked it in. How ever to blend the paint it wasn't going to be a good idea to try and match up with the faded paint so it was time to machine polish the body. I got the side and rear end done but pulled a muscle in neck and took it to Matt as is.





Beautiful






Uncovered the original dealer sticker on the tailgate which I was over moon with