1958 VW bus

[Flipper_1938]

He is dad's latest project/longest project.

His dad drove this in the 60's. He didn't have much luck with engines and never drove it farther than he wanted to walk home. He gave up on it in 69 or 70 and it got parked in the pasture and turned into a storage shed.

....40 years later, dad decided to drag it out....only the pasture had now turned to woods. He had to cut a road in so that he could get a trailer back there.

He finally go back there and got it winched on a trailer.

Here is what it looks like now. (hanging by chain hoists)

worst rust is where the battery was

 

[Flipper_1938]

He is talking about doing it is a style similar to the 48 chevy flatbed: slam it, leave the rust, put big wheels on it, stick a modern motor in it and drive the heck out of it.


Not sure if it will be done via a frame swap or custom work done to the VW stuff.

He has the engine and trans from a 1991 Toyota Celica that may get used (2.2 four clyinder with automatic trans). It wouldn't be a monster, but 130 horsepower would be better than the 40 horsepower that was stock. 130 horsepower shouldn't be too hard to cool either.

That will probably be the direction we go until further notice.

If we do use celica stuff, I already have the wheels for it: 18" Halibrands made for a PT cruiser!!!! They are the same bolt pattern as the celica. They were bought for my wifes car but she was scared I would freak if she curbed them. She went back to her stock wheels.

before polishing

after polishing

 

[Bonehead]

What a great project. It reminds me of those old Car-Toon Magazines getting old tin, and making it work. very cool.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

 

[Noah Zarq]

Mega Awesome! I drove one of the newer Vanagons in the 80s (don't laugh- company car) and one thing they lack is power. A Subaru drivetrain would really move that thing along nicely.

 

[brchopper]

seeing that bus back on the road after its long life in the woods will be awesome!

p.s. if anyone has some kids that would enjoy looking thru Cartoons I got some. This is what I read in junior high so probable has a little to do with why I love the rat rods.

 

[maverickmk]

All right, here we go! I've been waiting for this thread
Those wheels will look awesome on that old bug. It looks to be in suprisingly good shape underneath.

 

[Flipper_1938]

All right, here we go! I've been waiting for this thread
Those wheels will look awesome on that old bug. It looks to be in suprisingly good shape underneath.

It was on wheels until the late 90's. Dad robbed the steering parts out of it for a t-bucket project.

The odometer shows right at 2500 miles on it. Dad said it had at least 3 motors in it that he knew of. 1 original, 1 by the vw dealer (that didn't last long) and 1 that came out of a 57 bug that they swapped in when my granddad bought it (non-running). Like I said earlier, it never got driven farther away than anybody cared to walk.

 

[mrjangles]

this is something i want to see. my girlfriend so envious right now. she has always wanted a vw bus lol. its def something i may try to check into doing for her after i watch this thread unfold. =]

oh and flipper... id go nuts if i wasnt in close range of my garage lol i couldnt imagine only getting the weekends in my garage

 

[Snake Farm]

This is gonna be so cool! I'm happy for your Dad......and you Looking forward to watching this one [cl

[P[P[P

 

[Flipper_1938]

Dad was cleaning out the bus and found this hidden in the back seat. a free-basing spoon? It looks like the stereotypes of VW bus owners in the 60's were true! I can remember the back seat being buried in VW parts since the mid-70's, so it had to have been put there before then.

Oh yeah, bling bling!

 

[roddguy1]

That is going to be a very cool ride. very much looking forward to seeing this one built.

On a side note this exact pic hung on my bedroom wall for years when I was a kid. Kartoons was a staple in my life. [cl

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

It has to be red. And filled with "Shovels and rakes and impliments of destruction"

 

[busteddrum]

Make sure to post at least twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was.

 

[Snake Farm]

Hey Flipper, anything happening on the Bus?

 

[earthman]

Good question!

 

[2.3Turbo_T]

Dad was cleaning out the bus and found this hidden in the back seat. a free-basing spoon? It looks like the stereotypes of VW bus owners in the 60's were true! I can remember the back seat being buried in VW parts since the mid-70's, so it had to have been put there before then.

Free basin' didn't catch on until the late '70's. The drug of choice back in the '60's was heroin...........that's what I've been told, anyway.
That spoon was probably used to cook up a shots of smack. I would probably disinfect my hands thoroughly after touching it!

 

[Flipper_1938]

Hey Flipper, anything happening on the Bus?

Nothing yet. Everything is on hold until the heat backs off....

don't open this at work!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-KW5b9rZ3U&feature=related

 

[Bamamav]

Get the motor and transaxle out of a Olds Toronado or Eldordo Caddy and stick it back there! Plenty of HP to move the old bus then!

Oh yeah, those bus transaxles bring good bucks to the hot VW and dune buggy crowd. They are supposed to be stronger than a regular Bug transaxle.