For a long time now Junior (Jr) Cruz has been into all different types of cars. That's not so surprising when he grew up working in his dad's & uncle's junk yard. As his interest grew and he got older it was only natural for him to start working on cars too. He would buy, rebuild and sell cars, making enough money each time to take on new and bigger projects. One such car was a 1967 Camaro convertible and another was a 1964 Porsche 356C also a convertible, so you see he's a broad spectrum classic car fan, not just a VW fan. In 2010 he built his first VW, a 1960 convertible Beetle. While in the process of restoring it, he visited his brother in Fontana, California who had just purchased a 1957 23window Samba clone – that is a Split Screen bus with the extra windows grafted in to look like an original Deluxe Microbus. The bus caught Jr's eye and imagination and he started thinking about how he'd like to restore a Samba himself one day. So it was here that the story really begins on the outstanding 1958 example you see featured.
Once back home Jr placed an ad on thesamba.com – Wanted: 23window bus. It didn't take too long before he got an email telling him about a 1958 23window in Los Angeles that was for sale. The bus was just a rolling shell, lacking an engine and an interior so was in need of a full restoration – just the sort of project that Jr loved to take on. After exchanging a few emails with the owner to find out more about the bus he checked the vehicle's identification number (VIN ) with the Volkswagen Stiftung Auto Museum. A Type 2's VIN, also known as the chassis number, can be found on an identification plate attached to the engine bulkhead in pre63 built Split Screens and on the side of the cab ventilation box thereafter.
Importantly it is also stamped into the very fabric of the vehicle on the engine mounting plate apron in the engine bay. Armed with this number you can find out the original specification and build date, so you know exactly what you are thinking about buying – and Jr wanted a real Samba; not a clone. Sadly too many unwary wouldbe Samba buyers have been misled by the information found on the VIN plate or a second identification plate, known as the M plate, that is also fitted to post October 1958 Transporters. M is for the German word Mehrausstattung, literally meaning “more equipment” and references the vehicle's factoryfitted options. This plate provides more detailed information, not just about the options supplied as the vehicle left the factory but also the precise build date, model number, configuration, export destination, paint colour and interior upholstery. It is a sad sign of the times that as the value of the ultradesirable Deluxe Microbus has continued to climb and because these identification plates are only riveted into position, it has been known for reproduction ones to be fitted to Samba clones by unscrupulous individuals – buyer beware, don't just rely on the identification plates, always check the number stamped into the metal of the vehicle itself! Anyway, back to the Samba in question.
Volkswagen confirmed that the vehicle under consideration was an original 23window Deluxe Microbus built in 1958 – it was the real deal. So Jr agreed a price and was soon on his way to LA to pick up the bus. When he got there the owner almost changed his mind about selling it as he explained the eventful few years that he and the bus had gone through. About five years previously the seller had taken it to a body shop for restoration work to be done. He went by on a weekly basis to drop off money to pay for the work and to see how it was progressing. On just one occasion he missed a week and went along the following week only to find the shop was gone. Closed up. And his bus gone with it.
Heartbroken that his bus had effectively been stolen from him he continued to pass by hoping to see signs of someone there. A few years passed when one day he was driving by the place and spotted his bus back there again. Well a few hours later and with the help of the police, the bus was retrieved from the premises and on its way back to the owner's house. Unfortunately, however, it was not in the same shape that it was when he had last seen it – a lot of parts where missing; it had been stripped. In the end the task of starting the restoration over again was too daunting and who knows, perhaps the memories also proved too painful and so Jr became the new owner tasked with brining the bus back to its former glory.
Although he does admit to being shocked at the prices of parts once he started looking, Jr sought out all the missing components over the next two years and made the bus driveable again. For a while he just enjoyed the experience of driving it around and taking it to local shows in primer while he got some quotes on how much paint and bodywork was going to cost. He decided to give the job to Jet Performance in Las Vegas and in December of 2012 he took it over to their workshop for work on the estimated 7‑month project to commence – a sort of Christmas present for bothhe and the bus.
Jet Performance stripped the bus back down to bare metal and, as is not unusual when everything is laid bare, they found more work was necessary than they had originally estimated. Still, they completed all the body work repairs and repaint in the allotted 7 months. Jr chose to have his Samba resprayed in its original factory colours of Sealing Wax Red (L53) and Chestnut Brown (L73) – a combination that is as appealing today as it was back in 1958. Juan Dominguez and Telly Carsten did an outstanding job on the paintwork as you can see.
Reassembly of the suspension was undertaken by Jr himself and he decided to make a few modifications while he was at it. The front beam was reinstalled and fitted with a wide5 SACO disc brake kit. The rear transaxle was replaced with an IRS conversion off a Beetle with brackets from Bus Boys. Jr got a great deal on this by trading a complete stock rear end straight across for the IRS set up.
And the bus runs on stock 15" crows feet rims wrapped in 165 R15 tyres. With the suspension orted the next major piece of the puzzle was the motor and for that he returned to Jet Performance. They built him a nice cruiser; a 2110 cc fitted with an 82 mm Scat crankshaft with stock stroker rods, a Scat C45 camshaft and complimentary Scat lifters. Teamed with 90.5 mm Mahle pistons, a set of 041 cylinder heads and dual Weber 44 IDF carburettors, this delivers a good all round reliable motor when set with a compression ratio of 8.2:1.
Responsibility for the interior upholstery was handed over to Octavio VW Restoration in Los Angeles who made new seat covers and matching door panels.Jr fitted these himself along with all of the rest of the interior fitments except for the Mohair headliner, a very visible element and always tricky to fit oneself really well. This was instead installed by Henry at Jet Performance. A Stayfast canvas ragtop and original style German Square Weave carpet and rubber mats complete the interior décor.
Jr clearly loves the excitement that comes with restoration projects like this and is inspired by what he learns from the experience of successfully completing a build. He says, “All the cars I've owned have needed work and mostly I just wanted to challenge myself.” Jr certainly deserves to take great pride in and satisfaction from the quality he achieved with the rebuild of this 23window Deluxe Microbus. American author Gail Sheehy has said, “To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.” And I don't doubt Jr would certainly agree with that view and is already looking forward to his next therapy session.
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Thanks Kombi Life for this amazing article.
