Getting Started.... Again.

So here we go... This is my Bus - It does not have a name or anything like that - I bought when I was 15 for $150 and that was 20 years ago. I had it registered back in '95 when I was in college in NY. Many belated thanks to my VW mentor "Obie" for helping me tackle the basics of brakes and wiring. Now, many years later, the bus is back on my mind and it is going to get the treatment. This blog will document the progress as I go.

First some basic specs and history of this bus. It is a 1966 Deluxe, 13 window with bucket seats. The white paint is original, but the blue is a re-spray and is a little lighter than the original Sea Blue. I bought the bus in 1988 in Gloversville, NY for $150. It was running, but just barely. The motor was not original so I yanked it and put in a fresher 1600 DP from a '71 Beetle. I replaced the tranny with a "freeway flier" that has a taller final drive ratio. While attending Clarkson University, I brought the bus up on a trailer (thanks Dad!) and did the brakes and wiring work necessary to make it all legal. Finally, in 1994 or 1995, the bus was on the road again - at least for a short time...

I parked the Bus in November of '95 and stuck it back in the Barn where it remained untouched until 2005. It came out of the barn with a couple of stuck brakes and a leaky fuel line, but otherwise just as I had left it. It actually started up and ran on that 10 year old gas. I couldn't believe it! For the past 3 years, I have used the bus to drive back and forth between my Father-in-law's barn and our house - basically, it is my rolling tool box. That brings us up to today. I have been watching the rust in the corner of my eye and now it must get fixed. As you will see in the upcoming posts, the rust is pretty bad! I hope you enjoy looking at these pictures and following the progress.