The Velvet Thread - my '66 21-window bus project

Going out again into the big world for the first time in months.



Starting the day right. We're headed yesterday to Robert Skinner's (www.skinnerclassics.com).



'59 SC chase vehicle for the journey to Vacaville, thanks Tommy!





We tucked this roof clip into Tommy's truck to take to Robert's too, donor metal.





VIN plate still on the clip. Says it was a double cab. Poor little DC, organ donor to many others so that they can live. RIP.



So, Ray is her doctor, Robert will be her beautician. He's putting in rubber (21 windows and 5 doors), ragtop assembly and canvas, and headliner. We will see what rust repairs I can afford that may HAVE to be done in order to get the windows and headliner in, or anything structural. Finishing up with a careful polish of the OG paint to make her shine.

looks like all is coming along well

Awesome!!

Im having withdrawals......

Velvet being gone over at Skinner's place- her rusty bits are exposed to scrutiny

Rusty oversees the inspection process, and reassures Velvet she is in good hands.

Thanks for posting Tommy! We travel in style in his sweet little commercial, putting it to use hauling parts.



So, yeah, Robert and I sat in the bus with a spot light on her worst spot to plan his attack. Our best guess as to what happened to cause it: She sat in a field in Seattle area for many years. Facing nose down, the water probably ran down the sunroof rails and into the fresh air box and pooled at the vent above the windshields. It's rotted completely through there. That's why I brought him the donor clip. Rather than use the entire clip and cut the top of the bus off and repaint, he will be using pieces off of it as needed.

I want to preserve the bus and not do any more cutting/welding/painting than necessary. This is not a restoration, we are simply making her a driver with structural integrity. Bob calls it a RUSTORATION.

He will be soaking her rust with Rust Mort by SEM. He will be reinforcing some of the worst scaly rusted metal that we don't want to cut and weld replacements in (namely the sheet metal that the sun visors mount to). He'll do that be using some donor metal that I brought and gluing it onto the back with Panel Bond Adhesive.

The worst of it at the fresh air vent area:





Yes, that is daylight you see above the windshield:



And from the exterior:







Also, water ran down the center post in the windshield and rotted through from the inside. The black triangle is a hole, no metal there at all. But I brought a clip for this too and Robert will use it here.



Also there's the Flintstones hole on the passenger front floor:



The seller provided me with some metal and Robert is excited to use this patch piece that he suspects was hand made (and done very well). He will blast it and clean up it's surface rust.





The other worse spot is the rocker under the cargo doors. I'm ordering metal for that. I will get pics of that next time.

Moving right along.....

Yeah! Can't wait to see it all finished up!

While under the bus, Ray found a hard brake line that was almost rusted through. So, new lines needed.







New lines in:











Yesterday we worked on her at Robert Skinner's. Ray pulled the spindles to send them to Matt at Punch Drunk as cores for drops. Also got a new center pin, so he got that pulled out and will be doing the tie rods also. Putting the leaf springs back in where they belong. I just needed to get my tax return to continue this properly. Matt is doing 2-1/2" drop spindles, I'm hoping the rear will match it, but if not, we'll turn the back a bit more.



I am doing all the prep for headliner and ragtop. All the panels had to come out, windows, rubber, jail bars, popouts, coat hooks, old glued headliner, etc. The tabs along the entire sunroof that held the old headliner in had to be carefully pried open one at a time so as not to break them to put the new one in. Tedious, but I enjoyed every minute.



Before pics. I'll post after pics when I finish, only about halfway through.









And here she is with all her junk on the floor after I got done with her.



And her front end, after Ray got done with her.

Tommy and I worked on Velvet some more at Robert Skinner's shop yesterday. The most tedious part is stripping all of the old glued on headliner to prep for the new one. And opening up all the tiny upholstery tabs (which are rusted and prone to breaking) along the sunroof's perimeter. When I got the bus, I remember thinking, "Awww, there's no headliner." Now it seems to me that there is volumes of the damn stuff to take out.... Whole different perspective.



At least he can stand up while working, helps with leg cramps and stooping over for too long.



I also got the interior door panels removed. And we removed all the headliner and opened the upholstery clips on the fresh air box on the donor roof clip so it's ready for Robert to use whatever he needs off of it.

Here's Robert removing the skylights:



So, we got all the stationary windows out, but could not get the 6 pop out windows removed yet. The majority of the tiny screws are rusted so much, I couldn't get them to break free without damaging the screw driver, and a thicker screwdriver won't fit in the small screws. So, Robert will be drilling the remaining ones out to the those windows out.

By the way: WTB 3-6 white (preferably Pearl White) intact popout frames. Three of mine are rusted beyond repair.

All cleaned up with panels, glass, and old headliner (was down to the beltline around 15 windows) removed.


IMG_20120307_175515 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr

Headliner retainer strips (with the clips to hold the material) have been removed from the donor roof clip.


IMG_20120306_155054 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120306_155005 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120306_154959 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120306_161731 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


Resampled952012-03-069512-31-3495694 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr

Beadblasted to remove all the surface rust, sprayed on Wurth Brand Metal Etch.


IMG_20120308_142356 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120308_142603 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr

Also did the handmade front floor sheet metal that Alex gave me.


IMG_20120308_095409 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120308_095418 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr


IMG_20120308_154249 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr

lots of work

Very nice Dawn!! Looks like loads of work and fun. Is Mr. Skinner and early bus only guy?? or does he work on early Bays aswell?? As a note, I too have the Flintstone passenger floor board!!! Breck

He works on all VW's.

Thanks

Putting Tommy's SC to work again. Taking a front floor clip to Robert's from Ray's shop.





Some of Robert Skinner's current stable.



Center post clip from a donor, Robert is cutting out and using the triangular piece and will graft it into the rotted out hole in Velvet's center post.


IMG_20120311_103318 by Skinner Classics, on Flickr



Front windows are out, getting ready for rust repair above them.



We finally got all the old headliner removed, that was a 3 day job.





Robert's enjoying some time with Velvet, working on her late nights and weekends to fit her into his busy sched.





Robert cutting the 11" floor section under the cargo doors for replacement metal.



He sprayed it down soak for the night with rust inhibitor.



Her rebuilt 2-1/2" drop spindles are in! Thank you to Matt from Punch Drunk Customs (www.punchdrunkcustoms.com). We will be putting these in and replacing the front leaves to hopefully get the exact same stance and not have to move the back again. While Ray has the front end apart, he is replacing the center pin and tie rods too. Then Robert will align the front end and she'll be done up front, no more crooked steering wheel and driftiness hopefully!

will the bus be ready for the show. LOL I WANT A PANAL BUS AND A SC

Not ready, but hoping for Ranch Run weekend! Still needs headliner, rubber, and sunroof install.

Robert has a panel for sale for $5K I think...

I wouldn't mind a SC tow vehicle for the race car.

I like Doug's setup.

It is St. Patrick's Day, and I am Irish, so if any of you leprechauns are listening...

a SC with this in the back
a real dyno

You can keep that in the back of my SC, if ya want

Where's the motor? I don't understand the pedal configuration, there is no line lock. Where do you connect the wheelie bars? I am so confused...

Here you go Mateo, Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's Greg Urrutia's, he used to use it to haul to the track. He's gone down in price to $5100.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1039011

DropgateLefty wrote:

You can keep that in the back of my SC, if ya want

you can add it to your sc for the show
give me a call
916-501-9705

Mateo wrote:

Where's the motor? I don't understand the pedal configuration, there is no line lock. Where do you connect the wheelie bars? I am so confused...

i have a motor for it but it is going on this