51 Barndoor basket case

[luftgekuhlt]

Hello Ben, thanks I'm fine, hope you're good too.

I have been aware of it now for 1+ year but your details and additional pics show that the bus is a textbook case of a monster resto. Ohhra! Oohra! oohraah! I agree with you on the measures since we have checked and all are according to the VW specs. Not an easy task given that the german engineers had much more powerful tools to ensure the exact position of each part as seen in the pic below.

Aaaaaand, it will be preserved, it will keep its "tatty" look, unmolested, even though I have heard a 1000 times "ohhhhhh! how nice....... and when are you going to paint it??"
what! no way in the hills! and don't roll your eye at me, Mr!
yeah, it's ok, I don't snap any longer, I understand there is only one brain per capita...

As you well say, it has been very well used and abused, as we speak, for many moons, year round (on dry weather) and it likes it. Used so to the point that the drivers door now requires a sterner and long term solution . I have a thread in TS looking for a bd drivers door. No success in my search yet. Alternatively the existing door will be repaired, only parts of the frame are a little 'tired' so probably I will buy a frame from Gerson and use parts of it when production of drivers door frames starts some time under 2015, I've been told. But of course a correct drivers door (or the frame) would be best!

Thanks for the memories and the good old pics and happy 2015!

_________________
Buy the best. Cry once.

1965* 21W Samba (MCode 430 114) - 51 BD Standard Microbus (Type 22A. M62) - 1967 Westfalia pop-top (SOLD)
* 1965 according to chassie number but regged as 1964

[Franz]

[2Pack]

Incredible job. Thanks for posting.
_________________
Please buy my Treasure

[mr white]

First of all happy new year!! Holy shit on this update! Looks awesome!! Keep it up,getting closer!

[busben]

Thanks guys, glad you like the update. I really should have posted these ages ago

So anyway, back to the bus. Sadly I'd had to sell my old '54 Standard to raise some cash:

As well as being pretty gutted about losing the '54, I now had no bus to take to Hessich and so the stops had to be pulled out on this one to get it finished in time! The final welding was completed......... dog legs, cab floor, rear hanger, rear corners, etc ............ and we threw some base paint on the new metal and sealed and painted the underside. I also managed to score some cab doors off an old '52 with paint and patina that seemed to match the bus really well ............... lucky me!
I wanted the bus low but driveable so out back a Ghia box was mated to a tidy and reliable 1600TP engine with Creative adjustable spring plates. Up front the original BD beam was kept and adjusters were welded in. A set of 55-63 drop spindles and drums were bolted up to keep things comfy and a lot of time was spent playing with the steering gear to keep it from fouling whilst running so low.

[busben]

Things were going pretty well by now and the other nutters trying to build barndoors for the trip were keeping me inspired. Lots of late night texts and phone calls between me, Dai and Matt saw the '51, '50 and windy window bus all looking like they'd be finished in time. I was in the final stages and managed to get the new paint blended in, the final fit up completed even bolting in some correct 50-51 pop outs that I'd put aside years ago "just in case" ,and even built an interior to keep me and my lady wife comfortable on the trip

[busben]

A quick test drive or two later and a few final things sorted and the bus seemed to be ready to go. Good job really as I stopped tinkering and shut the garage door in the early hours of the morning of the drive to Dover for the ferry. Mind you Dai was still sourcing parts and rebuilding his brakes in the morning when we were supposed to be on the road. Last minute bus building for sure!

[bus guy]

Nice updates, I guess Ben was the right guy to give this bus a new life. As far as the wife goes who agreed to sell it on my behalf, she's now an ex wife. )

[busben]

So we arrived in Dover late that night and managed a few hours kip before the early morning ferry and the meet up with the rest of the guys & girls. There's a Hessich thread elsewhere so I won't bore you with all the details but suffice to say it was an amazing first trip in the '51! Unfortunately it wasn't without its issues and a spun drum saw the '51 arrive in Germany on the back of a trailer .......... massive thanks again to Bob, Pascal & the BBT crew for being so helpful in bringing the bus down while I drank beer in the back of my mates kombi Next time I will check my castle nuts myself and not trust that they've been done right

All was not lost though and somehow we sourced some NOS late bug drums in amongst the rare and collectable trade stalls and the '51 was rolling again

and then on to a wet and muddy EBI before heading back home

[busben]

[bally]

Inspirational stuff!

Dave

[spit nolan]

Awesome Ben, what an amazing update!

[Demian_S]

Nice update!!

But you should have done this update about two years ago, before your trip to Hessisch. It was so hard to belive it was the same bus without seeing any pictures from the restoration

[luftgekuhlt]

thanks again Ben for nice pics and story.

the trip back to Sweden went perfectly, 90-95 km/h according to my gps with one well deserved 9 hour stop to sleep. Started saturday just after noon at your place and late sunday evening the bus arrived in Sweden safe and sound.

It goes without saying that the thumbs-up, hang-looses, wavings and smiles from other cars along the way were not few. Super expensive porsches with ladies in super expensive furs, or hard-core hells-angels-alike bikers, this bus makes everybody happy their eyes welling up with tears, that's for sure. Even cars driving for miles behind me and be sure I was driving much slower than the average traffic. I have been down to the continent with my 1964 21W but this was totally different unlike anything I have ever seen. Had I received a couple of euros for each thumbs up had the trip been almost for free! The level of the reactions never ceases to amaze me until today. Here in scandinavia, same song, second verse.

Also I was well equipped with tools and even a jack in my suitcase when I flew to Bristol to pick it up, in case a mechanical "division by zero" occurred or I was stopped by thugs with badges pulling some bs regarding the bus not exactly a desired outcome. Nothing of that happened.

Soooo, even if the trip wasn't for the faint at heart it runned cherry. Thanks for your reference to a supposed testicular fortitude on my side but I believe the kudos must go to the bus...

Glad for the pics, throw more if you have.

_________________
Buy the best. Cry once.

1965* 21W Samba (MCode 430 114) - 51 BD Standard Microbus (Type 22A. M62) - 1967 Westfalia pop-top (SOLD)
* 1965 according to chassie number but regged as 1964

[busben]

[busben]

[djfordmanjack]

Ja, Ben
serious story, ya all nuts ! great resto pics and coooool seaside pics from Sweden. Saving this bus is close to a miracle.
So where is your new toy Ben, we wonna know
_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[busben]

[Pepillo]

Awsome bus, on the roads again.
_________________
1953 w26 SC (To Restore) x Sale
1954 w23 Kombi (Running)
1955 w21 Panel (Rat) SOLD

[Russ]

I just read through this unreal
amazing work on saving another
_________________
Cruiser pedals for sale (see my ad's)
55 hardtop finally finished
65 beetle done:)