57 single

I Bought it from the original owner at an estate sale. It was originally from California and then Driven to AZ. They had engine problems, and removed it, and left the truck sitting in their yard since 63'. It was used as an upholstery truck, a landscaping truck, and a carpet truck, but was was not beatup. They had a piece of plywood in the bed for all those years so the bed is perfectly straight, but caused surface rust and a couple pebble sized rust holes, easy fix. All rust seen in these photos is surface rust except the doglegs have the usual rust due to some stupid chrome strip they had runnin down the side at one time. They drilled a hole into the dogleg to mount it........
Rear gate had "*Pruning* *Spraying* and *Landscaping*" written on it. When I started sanding down the doors, I first found "QUALITY upholstery and drapery" written on the passenger door. Upon sanding through this, I found "custom carpeting" written underneath that-(lettering too light and faded for the camera to pick up. Keep in mind these logos/writing weren't even viewable except in perfect sunlight angle conditions, its not like I just went nuts and removed a bunch of awesome OG lettering.)
Basically it did it's time in the work force. It wasn't pampered per say, but it wasn't hauling cement and rocks so i'm happy.

July 25th 01	Fixed my brake problem!!!!! If your brakes are only locking up in the back (one side was actually worse then the other in my case) and your running a single circuit MC, Its one of 4 things: They just need to be adjusted correctly. your rear flex lines are collapsing and need replaced. your master cylinder is going bad or your master cylinder pushrod is too long. In my case It was the pushrod being too long. Even though I would have free play, after 20 or so pumps It would build up to the point where I couldnt even press the pedal. Heres a pic of the difference in length. After I got the right length pushrod installed, I went to adjust the brakes and found out the rear wheels now lock up when you try to spin them all the way around by hand once they reach a certain point.. Turns out that due to the extreme heat experienced from the brakes dragging before, it has totally warped the passenger rear drum making it useless. The drivers side rear drum is decent but still slightly warped. Single cab now back on jacks. =(
January 19-21st	Managed to make it up to the Buses by the bridge show in Lake Havasu. Had some electrical problems on the way back and had to drive home on a battery without charging it. Cop saw me without headlights on just as it was starting to turn dark, and he pulled over my friend behind me, thinking it was him. Cop thought I was a winebago due to my tilt/hoops! haha Anyway the single cab is back on the road I hope for good this time. Ended up rebuilding one of the redux boxes and the brakes dont seem to be locking up anymore. Looking forward to a solid season of driving to shows!
January 5th 01	Talked to Gabriel of "Gabriels VWkeys" about takin a decklid churchkey assembly and replacing the churchkey tumbler with a locking tumbler. Tryin to get a bolt on item instead of modifying and cutting my 3rd brakelight decklid for a locking T handle. We'll see how that works out. -Figured out the dampner bolt had the bushing welded to it with rust. Heated up and removed bushing and reinstalled steering dampner.
December 26th 00	-Axle seal still leaking. Thinking perhaps it might be the reduction gear bearings are too worn, causing the stub axle to float up and down and in turn causing a gap in between the cover seal and the spacer? or maybe the Drum is too mushroomed on the inside causing the spacer to cock a little bit once I tighten the drum? Or maaaaybe the end cap is warped slightly causing the seal to warp a tiny bit, thus cauusing a leak? Whichever VW man designed this system, I officially hate you now. -Tore apart redux box. Ordered replacement bearings. Picked up tranny from friend to use as parts since I thrashed my redux box tryin to get it apart. Awaiting parts, time ticking down.
December 23rd 00	Realized my 36 hp crankstart tin isnt going to fit due to the inner rear breast plate being 1600 which means huge gaps and the 36tin hits on the dipstick tube and the preheat tubes. Decide to use a 1600 tin piece instead of major modification to the 36 tin.
December 10th 00	Went to raise garage door, and it snagged one of my fog lights and ripped it from its bracket. Oh well, I guess I didn't want those on there anyway......
December 4th 00	-Checked axle seals... drivers side - no drips. Passenger side...big puddle. %$#^$#@#!!! Its gotta be the axle spacers are too worn. Thats the only thing I haven't changed. -Changed out master cylinder with 120$ F.A.G unit.....this better work. (attempting to solve rear brake lockup problem...)Replaced all rubber rear lines (again) -Tried to replace the steering dampner that broke in-half on the way to jerome. New dampner wouldn't accept the original style bolt/bushing combo. -Noticed brake pedal arm spring was sticky/rusty. Contributing factor in my rear brake lockup? hmm. Cleaned/lubed.
November 28th,00	Installed new german axle seals in hopes of solving my incessant leaking problem.
November 10th 00	Got my tailgate back today...Led work wasn't done. We cut a half cost deal since he had almost all the led work done. Still needed to be finished. I grabbed my gate and ran. One more thing to add to my list of stuff to do in 8 weeks.
November 2nd 00	BBB in lake havasu is right around the corner....time to get bustin. This new website is takin up all my time! =)
November 1st 00	Things are lookin up, remember my insane friend? Well they let him out and he said he'll give my tailgate back on friday!!! yes!
October 29th 00	Got 1600dp rebuilt and ready. Put on 30pict-1 with manual choke. Also put a 010 distributor, 36 fan shroud, black coil and 57 aircleaner to retain as close to stock look as possible.
October 25th 00	Sold my rear bumper that I went thru so much trouble with, because I found a NOS one at a local vintage shop. Saw the guy selling my bumper on Ebay for 800 bucks. "as close to NOS as it gets" the add said....ahh ok sure.
October 20th 00	WOW - vintage shop finished my 36 hp exhaust! man it looks nice, cant even tell that it didnt come like that. Now I can run the 36hp exhaust tip, crankstart apron, and muffler! I plan to crankstart it...we'll see what happens heheh
October 3rd 00	Stripped bed down and por15'ed and primered. Man it sure would be nice if I could get my gate back. Begin new search for another gate =(
September 00	SC not ready for jerome. Not willing to take chances like last time, so I tuff it out and take my 59 ragtop bug. How lame
August 5th 00	After my search for a new tailgate fails, I decided to attempt fixing mine. Drilled out the 345,423,321 spot welds that are hiding under all the folded seams, and knocked out dents and fixed the hinges.Welded on gate step and reinforced it from the backside. Por15ed the whole inside. Upon dissasembly , I notice that both top corners are "leded" together from the factory. So I get the rest welded up and take it to a buddy of mine that knows how to do lead. Shortly after that - he admitted himself to a mental hospital..what about my gate?!? =( Loose contact with him..gate is now MIA.
late July 00	Took my 36hp exhaust into the local vintage shop to have it setup to fit my 1600 single port.
july 00	After comin back from OCTO my hopes are renewed and the work begins.
march 00	SC has sat idle for months. After it kicked my ass, I just took a long break. Did a few things here and there, but not much.
trip home	Get pulled over by the cops even though I almost made it into town...had no license plate...registration was in the rear window and the tilt canopy was covering that up. Forgot insurance/registration card as well. Drive away with a ticket for no insurance. Stop at rest stop and notice the 40 year old steering dampner had sheered in half. Pulled out tools and removed at rest stop.
Jerome	Since I havent slept all night, I crawl into the SC bed sometime during the afternoon for a quick nap and fall asleep. End up sleeping all day..all night until next morning. ...exhausted from no sleep the whole month prior. Wake up and its time to go home almost =(
morning of jerome	Pull out of my neighborhood and make a left...2 ton floor jack comes flying out of the treasure chest door and out into the intersection. Never thought to check to see if the treasure chest door even latches good. No, im not ready.....I can tell already this aint gonna be a good trip. Random power cutouts, but it kicks in so I continue. Truck dies about 30 miles out of town- fuel filter clogged with rust. Forgot my spare. Clean the used one and keep goin. I smell somthn' burnin...go to rear and see that my tipless exhaust has caught my rear bumper on fire!!! Burnt my nice new paint/primer ribbed bumper...big black spot =( Get to jeromes rock hill of death and begin the climb.. power cut out mid way up the hill. Get under the dash and start pullin on wires, turns out to be a loose iginition switch wire. made it up the hill...ahh safe at last.
night before jerome	3 am - welding my hoops together. 4 am, re-installing engine. 5 am- time to leave...pull my canavs out of the box for the first time ever and throw it on....doesnt fit! %$#% fits good except the front loop was made too short and wont latch. Not a biggy, im on my way. Didn't get the 36 hp muffler conversion done, so I have to go with a later model exhaust, and no rear apron.
August 29th,99	SC is at least roadworthy (or so I thought)...still needed to have a 36hp muffler somehow fit on my 1600sp, so I decided to drive it down to some shops to see if they could do it. Everyone basically told me to get off their property. Noone wants to touch a VW truck.. =( Even a shop that said ok over the phone, wouldnt even talk to me once I pulled up in a Single cab. Stopped at another muffler shop and happened to notice there was tranny fluid POURING out of my right drum. Just started leaking after I got it on the road, tricky seal I guess. Pannick attack kicked in and I rushed home. Had 5 other ppl try to replace that axle seal...still leaks. No more time left. Did it one more time and it seems to be holdin...
August 10th, 99	Jerome is right around the corner and of course im nowhere close to being done. I get one of my friends to come over and work night and day with me tryin to get it ready.
July 2nd,99	Tired of callin on bumper. Suprise visit to shop.They tell me its ready and go in the back to get it. Man I hate the lady workin the front desk, what a b*%$#.... Guy comes out and gives me the rear bumper. I lay it on the ground and its STILL TWEAKED! I say wtf and he gets all pissed off. " Man I've never had as much problems with a customer as I have with you!" he says. Guess it was a dream to think i was payin for a straightened bumper??? Guy gets more pissed and takes my bumper back in the back room. Comes out 8 seconds later and gives it to me. Told me he fixed it with a vise in the back room. STILL TWEAKED. I asked him if he knew wtf he was doin and he told me they do HUNDREDS of truck bumpers a month! "gee thats odd, Out of the 100 trucks ive seen in AZ, mine is the only with a rear bumper!" He then informs me he knows its right cause he has patterns! LOL ok whatever. I lay it on the ground and it starts wobbling. He then said "SO what! its JUST A VW!!! This severely pisses me off. He grabs it again, takes it in the back , comes back etc etc, It doesnt wobble this time so I throw my money at him and leave. jerk.
June 25th,99	Called on my bumper that was supposed to be done 4 days ago. They said "looks like were gonna have it ready Monday morning".......we'll see about that. Looks like i've run out of places to take my stuff to. I was told the only choice in having stuff chromed or fixed nowadays, is to take it or trailer it to California...damn.
June 15th,99	Got my canvas and it looks damn nice. Many props to PLF for doing such a fine job.
June 13th,99	Found a couple of things at the Classic. Bought a NOS decklid arm with VW tag still attatched to it for 50 bucks, some empi front side steps, as well as a third brakelight lense and a NOS license plate light lense. Also picked up my hoop slats from DG at the show.
June 12th,99	O.C.T.O. ruled. Found a set of NOS taillights..I dont think i'll ever see another nicer set., still in og paper.
June 11th,99	Off to the classic in search of bus stuff. Bubble taillights to be exact.
June 8th,99	I had to call the bumper shop and ask what was up (they never returned my call) "Man we're working on it...it was like opening a can of worms...your LUCKY we saved it" ..WHAT? It wasn't that bad...gimme a break. (ETA one more week!)
June 5th,99	Got my hoops from DG enterprises. They looked nice but were cut in the factory weld spots to cut down on shipping costs. I wasn't counting on that happening but I can't complain because he's not making anymore sets. He also refused to ship the wood slats to me. DG wants me to pick them up at the classic...guess I have no choice.
June 4th,99	Called on bumper and they said "oh wade? we'll call you right back".......never heard anything back from them..
May 28th,99	Bumpers were finally done after lies and delays told by METRO. Well, not done...front was straight and back was still tweaked all to hell including a crack and big dents...WTF? I gave the rear back, for them to actually "FIX" this time. Both bumpers looked like someone had took a 20grit grinder and took any and all contour of both bumpers...very unsmooth and choppy. He claimed thats what I get for "not having them polished"..? What a joke.
May 12th,99	Ordered my canvas tilt canopy from PLF and my hoops from DG enterprises. Took my front and rear bumpers in to "METRO PLATING" to be straightened (front wasn't bad, but rear has some tweaks). They told me the bumpers would have to be polished or else the powder coating shop wouldnt be able to coat them - How much for polishing? 60 EACH...How much for straightening? 180 for the rear and 120 for the front. JESUS! not chroming, just straightening. I called the powder coating shop and they said DO NOT polish them cause they will have to be blasted again....Metro liars... I ended up going for just the straightening.
May 11th,99	Time is ticking away and im getting burnt out on sanding my truck BY HAND. I have no compressor (mine's broken) which means no air tools and there are millions of little chips to smooth out.
May 9th,99	Found an early 36 hp air cleaner behind the seat. I also managed to locate: A rear bumper, the correct center brakelight decklid, a center brakelight, and a Barndoor steering wheel with a deluxe horn button(I know, I know..its not correct- but it sure is gonna look kool :) Looks like some helpless bus served as a parts vw for my truck, all knobs have been replaced with white, someone put in a chrome ashtray, chrome rear view, and the decklid has been replaced. Is your bus bright orange and missing all these parts? =)
May 7th, 99	I investigate year changes on the net and find nothin...man the internet needs a trucks only site!....}:-)
May 1st,99	Removed all rubber and found the usuall rust at the bottom of the front window channels. Lucky for me, no rust holes though. POR15'ed the window ledges. Looks good
April 25th,99	Began primering in preperation to block sand(again) and remove any dents or dings.
April 20th,99	My birthday!.... but spent the whole week sanding.
April 3rd,99	Took inventory of needed and wanted parts...funny how my wanted list was longer :)
March 27th,99	Began block sanding. Planning on acid dipping the truck after I return from the show im trying to make it presentable for.(JEROME 99)
March 20th,99	Bought single from an estate sale.... Tow truck guy busted the driver side mirror early post off, flush at the hinge!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!