Intro/ 58 kombi thread

[Ratshitkombi]

long time lurker first time poster.

No better way to introduce myself than start a thread with my current project and first bus, my 58 dove blue Kombi. I am already in the process of bringing this bus back to a running and driving state with the help of good friends in the local and not so local communities. The bus traveled from Billings, Montana to Meridian, Idaho after sitting for 25 plus years along with a 55 dove blue Kombi and a 66 deluxe.

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[Ratshitkombi]

This bus came to me via a close local friend who got a line on a couple buses out of billings, Montana. After sealing the deal with Jacob I started researching the barely legible logos on the front doors that I had noticed when I originally saw pictures of the bus. I stared at the logos for a while with them being mostly worn off and tried to decipher what they said but eventually after looking at them every direction possible and and a couple hours on the internet figured out that they are from the " Associated locksmiths of America". I had to dig deeper and try to find out if the bus was owned by a local locksmith in the Billings area. With some luck while cleaning out the inside of the bus the following week I found a non original key that fit the ignition and upon further inspection found that it had been stamped with the name Fischer. I immediately jumped on to the old newspaper archive and searched that name with locksmith behind it and found a match in Billings.

I have removed the original intact wire harness and installed a new much more pliable WW wire harness. I have also opted to strip the black spray paint that covered most of the inside of the bus and some of the outside which I have slowly been working on for the past 5 months. One of the previous owners cut out the bulkhead and the bench seat supports to install some 70's van seats in the front so for obvious reasons those needed to be removed and the bulkhead and seat supports had to be unfuckered using BBT metal courtesy of The Lind. This bus like many others had the deckled and rear pressed bumper robbed off of it so I was on the hunt for a decklid because the rear bumper could take 10 years to find. I found one correct 58 deckled attached to a hacked up double door "trailer" which got sent to Jake "sled' Miller to be fixed and another was sold to me out of The Linds original paint part collection which was also sent to Jake to be fixed. I decided to use the original paint deckled for obvious reasons.


The bus is currently mostly spray paint stripped and waiting on parts to be collected and a motor and trans to be installed. Other vital mechanical will be done in the near future like a full brake rebuild and front end work before it will be drivable but the goal is to road trip it to Lava hot springs, Idaho for its shake down in July.

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[Ceckert64]

Wow! Beautiful bus! The patina on it is amazing. Keep up the good work on it!
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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Sierra Yellow Tin Top Westfalia Camper
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop

[BarryL]

Looks as if it wants to go pound some trails.

[DanM]

Killer bus, and nice working finding that old ad! Have you tried to track the owner / family of the shop?

[oakman]

Sweet bus!! Looking forward to following along!
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Brandon

[House]

Wow cool bus, congrats.
Nice looking PGSG wheel there, any other matching green parts?

[Ratshitkombi]

[Ratshitkombi]

[djfordmanjack]

Can't believe how solid this old bus looks ! Appears to have og rockers, rear corners, front valance, engine lid hinge panel and even doglegs in og paint ?

What a find !
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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

[Ratshitkombi]

[djfordmanjack]

I nearly once bought a 57 Ford wagon from Montana, very solid even though it was outside in a junkyard for 30 years. Seems to be very dry high desert area, even with the cold winter (or maybe especially because of it).
my 55 panel also has never been welded before and is 100% og paint, but unfortunately the lower 10" are gone.

Your bus is extraordinary ! Love both doglegs intact, and the longside rocker. Great foundation to build from, enjoy !
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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

[ddutch]

Great find and a very nice basic bus, a ribbed bumper combi in Dove blue with great patina on it!. I guess you have given it a CLR treatment to get rid of most of the creeping surface rust or not? It came out very nice. Are there any rustholes on the roof or in the gutters?

[Ratshitkombi]

[ddutch]

[cdennisg]

[mtnbus]

great score and nice work !

[Riff Raff]

Tremendously good score!

Congrats, on both on the bus and the exterior and drivetrain decisions
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The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[Ratshitkombi]

Been on a short Hiatus from the bus even though I look at it in the garage everyday. Was able to motivate to get out there this weekend and do some much needed work in anticipation of the upcoming spring and summer.

I decided to remove the split case trans so I can replace it with a big nut trans that has been taking up room in the garage for a few months now. But before I plug that in the engine bay and trans cradle were in much need of a good cleaning so that's what I started to tackle this weekend with a good 8 hours of trans removal and cleaning here is where I stand as of this morning.

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[djfordmanjack]

love seeing the og overspray pattern in the engine compartment, your bus is a dream come true, thx for posting !
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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