OK, here's the story... I am a VW guy. Own a 1973 restored Superbeetle, and always wanted a bus. I found this one in some guys backyard in Knightsville, SC. He tried to sell it, had no luck, so he just parked it... for 10 yrs! It was rusty, full of dead rodents, and a steal at $400. Being a tightwad, I decided to do a complete resto on a budget. Rented an industrial sandblaster, took it to bare metal, and primed with self-etching primer followed by 2K (build-up) primer. Then I welded on a new right rear fender. Unfortunately, my Navy career came first, so the project was put on hold for 7 yrs while I did my part in the Iraq war (twice). On the second tour, my wife threatened to have it towed to a junkyard, so I had the tires removed and left it on jackstands. I retired in 2005 and finally I had time to work, so I discovered how to paint with Rustoleum (www.rollyourcar.com) and I began the process of painting my baby. These pictures are after 6 coats of diluted (mineral spirits) rustoleum, followed by wetsanding. 2-4 coats to go. The finish is hot! Next, I picked up some cheap upholstry (which does not match) and redid all the seats. The door panels were shot, so I made new ones and recovered them in black vinyl. After I get the paint finished, next will come the headliner, then the tinted glass will be replaced, the hardware put back on, and the last piece will be the beer tap I am installing on the drivers side. The bus will have a mounted CO2 tank, and a tub, ready to accept a keg of good beer, and searching for a party! As you can see, the shifter is already in place.
