The project- restore and make daily driver ready a 1977 VW Bus.
Ive owned many VW bugs- my favorite is the SuperBeetle. (I've had 3)
I've owned one bus- a 1967 Deluxe- which I restored in San Diego and drove across the country to North Carolina after I left the Navy. I sold it to a dude from Tennessee, mainly because we needed the money- sad day...
After I moved back to Virginia Beach, Va. I bought another 71 SuperBeetle and restored it. I drove it for a while and then with a new job, I needed a new car- so I sold it to a Preacher man. Fast forward 4 years and a divorce later- I decided after talking to my daughters- (who were my copilots on our cross country trip) last Sat, to think about getting a project.
I started kicking around the idea of having a Bay window bus. I haven't had one yet.
I'm not one to believe in signs- but the VW gods showed me some, I'll lay them out for you-
1. Talked about a bus- and low and behold, a nice bay window- California style, pulls up beside us. (My daughter's are still mad at me for selling mine.) Sign?
2. I figured on Sunday I would check Craig's List- 16 pages into it - I find a 77 Bay Window. Minor sign.
I called and he still had it. Sign?
3. I started checking out VW links on the Net. The samba.com is bad ass. I found I still know what I'm talking about. Not really a sign.
4. My brother in law Scott said I could work on it at his house. If I got one. - Excellent.
I look forward to tinkering on it with him. I would like to be able to something like this with my brother Will. His wife Amy said I have to let her put a Dead head Sticker on it. Filthy Hippy!! (not really) Fair trade..
5. The owner Mark and I decided today- is the day to meet. Scott and I took a ride.
On the way over- A beautiful green and tan bay window( 1970-2?) passed by us on the highway. Sign? Possibly.
6. We were talking about his new dog- a Great Dane. Nice pure breed, free range, farm breeder puppy. Blue Merlin Great Dane, I think...
7. We meet Mark- good guy, fire fighter. Good conversation. His intention (as is mine) is to see it back on the road. Nice bus. Looks solid, has a nice "feel," to it. Most all the hardware is there. The engine needs some tinkering. I can do that. It's needs paint- somebody else can do that.
Does need a second row seat- I can get that. I'm going to insulate and sound proof it. I'll also redo the interior.
8. Mark has 2 great danes. Sign..
9. The bus has dead head stickers on it. Sign..
10. The bus has a name- (named by a child- good luck)
11. He lets me pay half now, to hold it. He makes me promise to drive it and not part it out. (I would never part out a bus)
12. Today's high temp- 77 degrees - same year as the bus. Sign?
13. The Name of the Bus? The Blue Goose.
14. At my brother in laws house- and writing down the signs- a huge flock of loudly honking geese flew over his house.
Interesting.
Click the Blue Goose logo picture on the right for some pictures...
