Heat, Dust & Flies' 61 23 window Samba
Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:35 pm
Well, here we go....
As put in the lost and found section post, I dragged this sorry sun-drenched carcass home and found it a spot in the shed.
viewtopic.php?t=13089
The first stage is always a great thing for me. Initial clean-out is like archeology and not knowing all of the past history of the bus, meant that I was keen to build up its story prior to its last roo shooting journey.
I have known of the bus since 1996 and slowly it worked its majic on me. It has always been 'the Kombi', sitting out in the scrub and never changing and rarely visited. In the last few years, the cogs of planning began and it was time to bring her in out of the sun. Things like this either go AWOL or get shot up or pushed into a scrap metal truck. The longer it sat, the higher the chance of a unworthy ending.
Weeks one to four on getting it home involved a carefull clean down, while holding my breath on just what I would find under all that dust and leaves and rubbish. I've seen posts of rotted out projects which have required so much welding and replacement, and really didn't want to play the game of chasing out rust on this one.
10 buckets of dirt and wasp nests later, the bus was ready for its first wash in 25 years. By the end of the week, I was smiling.... She is nice and solid, albeit a few bits missing.
From what I can tell at this stage, it is an Australian 1961 Micro-bus Delux in Gulf blue with a Cumulus White top. Interior is grey and pin-striped grey.
Enough Guff.... I will add more later.
Weeks 5 to 8 will underside steam cleaning and beginning to massage that banged up nose. My parts wish list will be close by at all times.
The journey begins..........
[/b]
As put in the lost and found section post, I dragged this sorry sun-drenched carcass home and found it a spot in the shed.
viewtopic.php?t=13089
The first stage is always a great thing for me. Initial clean-out is like archeology and not knowing all of the past history of the bus, meant that I was keen to build up its story prior to its last roo shooting journey.
I have known of the bus since 1996 and slowly it worked its majic on me. It has always been 'the Kombi', sitting out in the scrub and never changing and rarely visited. In the last few years, the cogs of planning began and it was time to bring her in out of the sun. Things like this either go AWOL or get shot up or pushed into a scrap metal truck. The longer it sat, the higher the chance of a unworthy ending.
Weeks one to four on getting it home involved a carefull clean down, while holding my breath on just what I would find under all that dust and leaves and rubbish. I've seen posts of rotted out projects which have required so much welding and replacement, and really didn't want to play the game of chasing out rust on this one.
10 buckets of dirt and wasp nests later, the bus was ready for its first wash in 25 years. By the end of the week, I was smiling.... She is nice and solid, albeit a few bits missing.
From what I can tell at this stage, it is an Australian 1961 Micro-bus Delux in Gulf blue with a Cumulus White top. Interior is grey and pin-striped grey.
Enough Guff.... I will add more later.
Weeks 5 to 8 will underside steam cleaning and beginning to massage that banged up nose. My parts wish list will be close by at all times.
The journey begins..........
[/b]
