1960 Split Window Resto/Rebuild

[VRSenator065]

Hi All, my wife and I have just become the proud new owners of what we believe is a June 1960 11 window split. I have been half looking for another project for a year or so after just finishing a more muscle car kind of build that has taken a little over two years. A panel beater mate of mine found this out the side of one of another workshop and the deal was done for $500 which I was really happy with.

What is there is actually pretty sound, unfortunately it was used as a donor car and the front floors and front have been hacked around. Its also missing the front doors, side cargo doors and rear engine hatch (I assume those names are correct?) So I am thinking new nose, and try and find some doors etc in good nick, any help there appreciated.

My plan is to restore it externally sympathetically, with two tone paint, but uprate it all mechanically to bring it up to more modern standards of drive-ability and use it for us to both do some touring in. I am thinking most likely a scat motor or similar, IRS conversion, air bag suspension, disc brakes etc. With my last car I did everything except body/paint, this one I want to attempt to do it all myself. I am not after concours, but something that holds its own, looks cool and is fun to tour in.

We picked it up on the week end, at this stage I have just put it in a 40' container I have, I wont be starting the build in earnest for a year or so, I just couldn't pass it up for the price. Here are some pics

[Cam Biscuit]

Welcome aboard, looks like you are going to be busy for a while

[VRSenator065]

Thanks, yep sure am, but I am in no rush, and doing it is half the fun I recon

[splitthis]

If that blue colour above the drivers seat is original your bus was originally strata blue. Its a pretty rare colour as it was 1-2 year only colour.

[VRSenator065]

Thanks for that. I wont be keeping it the original colour, but anything I do change I want reversible so that if anyone after me were to want to return it to totally original they can. So that's repaint it, unbolt and new suspension etc and refit the old etc.

[VRSenator065]

Sorry for the dumb question, but how would I find out the original paint colour? Someone on another forum identified the bus as a June 1960 from the ID plate below, which I believe is why its got the small rear window, no fuel gauge, the two small rear lights, but no semaphores, he called it a "cross over" as it was the change over between models. (I assume that's right?) But from the plate below can you tell what colour it was painted or do I find that somewhere else?

[spijlbus]

Get an official VW Birth Certificate, VW requires a payment of 50 Euro by credit card (VISA/Mastercard only), check, or cash along with your full name, VIN (chassis) number.

Personal checks can be made out to "Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen"

You can mail credit card details or a check to:
Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen
Brieffach 1003
Frau Neefe
Dieselstrasse 35
D-38436 Wolfsburg Germany

To fax your request with credit card info, use international phone #:
011 49 5361 52010

To transfer the money to their bank account:
Volksbank Wolfsburg
Bank number: 269 910 66
Account number: 811 840 000
Care of: Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen
Keyword: "Urkunde"

The easiest way may be to pay by credit card online:
On the VW Museum Website, you can click on Urkundengenerator (Certificate Generator) and use your credit card online
Click on English at the top of the site to see the form in English or click here:
http://automuseum.volkswagen.de/index.php?id=12&L=1

You will get an A4 (approx. 8.5"x11") letter that has:
Build date
Delivery date
Delivery Destination
Original colors and upholstery
Optional extras (M-codes)

[VRSenator065]

Wow, cool mate, thank you, will do.

[VRSenator065]

Just wanted to add how delighted my wife and I are already by the helpful people on this site. So nice to be joining a group obviously so passionate about split window kombi's. Cheers all

[4REEL]

Check the spare wheel compartment for a sticker with the original colour.
My 59 is dove blue and the 61 gulf blue very similar
Cheers

[VRSenator065]

Scored a drivers side door today, the one I had was past it, this isn't too bad especially for the price. Still looking for the passengers side, side cargo, and engine hatch. But at least Suesy was excited. Won't be starting the build for at least another year, but will keep quietly looking gathering bits as I come across them.

[Zimblewinder]

post a pic of your damaged doors. Klassicfab make some pretty good repair sections now.

[VRSenator065]

post a pic of your damaged doors. Klassicfab make some pretty good repair sections now.

Will do mate, I have the car out in a container at my in-laws place, next time I am out there i will post a pic. But it looks like the door I just picked up may be the wrong one for my car (mine is June '60). Seems I have a lot to learn about these great machines, but I guess that's part of the appeal and fun

I was at a very good friend of mines yesterday who runs a paint/panel place that specializes in top quality resto's, but mainly of American muscle although he does other stuff. He actually did the body and paint on my Senator.

He has offered to help teach me with the splitty, and is thinking about running a Saturday class where someone like me would maybe concentrate on one of my doors. He would then go through over a few weeks taking it from as found to fully restored. The idea being afterwards I would have the confidence and knowledge to start tackling the rest.

All very exciting

cheers all.

[Steve Keeley]

thought I would jump in, as a few of the other SA based split nuts have and say welcome and good luck. the hunt for parts is part of the fun and it looks as though you will have a lot! (Fun that is).
best to start ASAP on the missing bits, it is getting harder to find good stuff.

Steve

[VRSenator065]

Hello all, I am hoping some knowledgeable people out there can help me out as I am so new to the Kombi scene

I have managed to possibly track down a pair of side cargo doors. I have heard that there were two different doors that have the hinges mounted in a high and a low position? My first question is (and sadly I think I know the answer) is this is my bus on the right, am I needing doors with hinges mounted high. The doors I have a chance of picking up are on the left, and it looks to me in the pic that it wont suit my bus?

Second question is is it feasible to change either the doors or bus to move the hinges to suit each other or is that just not possible and i need to keep looking for the correct side doors?




Also, I already have found a drivers side door, but i have again been told that there were two positions or styles (not sure which?) of how the door handle is. This is a passenger side door I may be able to get hold of, from the pic it appears it would be a pair to mine, but would they be correct for my bus, which is a June 1960?