March 1960 -15 window
With a few battle scars! i must be mad !!!!!!!!!!!

Rick the bus hunter sent me a few photos of schwinn bikes that i had asked for and in one of the photos was this bus with corner windows , it looked cool BUT a little bit wrong . I asked Rick "whats wrong with that 15w?" He replied " you dont want it it been on its side " but ive passed up a couple of 15w and regretted it ( ask Rusty Lee ) so this was my chance to step up to the mark -it could be a wrong decision but i told rick " I want it ".

It sat in the usa for a year then Rick shipped it over with a few parts strapped to the bus , so in the meantime i had to source a good roof and anty parts that i would need , a roof was found in America it was in fab condition so we got it shipped and i found a few body cuts that was needed.

Not much history with the 15w was had ,it was shipped to new york but ended up in a road accident in Texas , we reckon it had been T boned at a road junction and the bus had ended up on its side with the roof being smashed /bent over in the process ( check out the deluxe trim with the scrapes ) The bus has not been molested still wearing its og paint ,beam , gear box but missimg its rear bumper fuel tank engine lid and valance with a few smashed pieces of glass .

I needed the van to be repaired to a very high standard , a roof swap and metal massage was needed and the obvious person would be Matt Smith (& bob ) of Smiths Vw Restoration ! he has done a few roof swaps and his work is the best but Matt is very busy . We spoke and he had a 3 week vacant in his diary this was for his own bd and to finish work before his new addition . Yes 3 weeks to do all the welding , roof transplant , get doors to close(out by 50mm) new cargo floor , new cab floor os inner and outer sills,ns sill,pull side panel out ( 65mm in!) and get straightish , replace battery tray ,repair front chassis section and add a bit of paint and anything that looks out of shape -- YES in 3 weeks

BEWARE PICS are not pleasant








yes a little out of shape




The £$ shot ??


The aerial is still straight and not bent


nice arch


B post a little out


nice dash -wheres the clock ?


it aint gonna be a show winner


the fab roof

birth cert


loaded up


homeward bound


flint stone ready


a little crease

This guy has some questions to answer Ricardo of A.H Schofield -he made me do it !
Thats why its called the T BONE BUS - what is rick doing to it ??




I must be mad - road scrape !




its also known as the banana split bus by rustic lee

Can't beat a T bone when it's well done

prefer mine rare

Good luck!!!
3 weeks!!!
GOOD LUCK,!!!!

lee c wrote:8O
Good luck!!!
3 weeks!!!
GOOD LUCK,!!!!

If you can't wait look at smiths vw Facebook page .

Your a brave man Daz. Yours (and Matts) pain will be our pleasure - looking forward to following another great thread!

so it enters smiths vw restoration


Matt gets ready to transplant the roof


and says -oh NO!

so heres the rear tailgate


then a little bit of this to get this

Wicked!!!

That's some projects there Yippers!! But hat's off to Matt for taking on the challenge to get this done in weeks time

Success!!!

I reckon this will make a good armchair resto to sit and look at the pictures while Matt does the work

Looks a good bus (or when it's done!) bud, that spare roof that came on top of your bus looks familiar! Happens to be sitting on the floor not far from me!!

Good luck with it and I will be watching

Will be interesting to see this come together Daz, bit over rated those 15's

izzy wizzy matts been bizzy -off with the old